Shuzenji (修善寺) is a town located in Shizuoka, Japan, and is a great place to visit all year round. You can stay in one of the many ryokan (Japanese-style hotels) or take a day trip from Tokyo!
How to get there:
We traveled to Shuzenji by car and it took around 2 hours and 45 minutes.
You can get to Shuzenji via the Hikari bullet train from Tokyo station, to Mishima station which takes around 45-60 minutes depending on which train you get (some stop at more stations, and some stop at less stations). Once at Mishima station, you can take a 30 minute ride via the Izu-Hakone Railway’s Suizu line to Shuzenji. In total (at the time of writing this) this entire trip will cost ¥4,390 for a reserved seat. If you want to take a cheaper route, you can take the JR Tokaido Line from Tokyo station to Mishima station, and then take the Izu-Hakone Railway for Shuzenji. This will cost around ¥2,710 and take about 3 hours.
*Please check the websites for Hikari Bullet Train and the JR Tokaido Line for updates on prices and times*
The Shuzenji Tourist Information Office's Website: http://kanko.city.izu.shizuoka.jp.e.jj.hp.transer.com/form1.html?pid=4100
1. Shuzenji Temple This temple is said to have been founded by Kobo Daishi in the 9th century, and it looks like it would be a great place to visit during momiji season!
2. Hie Shrine A small and serene shrine surrounded by nature. I came here just on the tail end of sakura season, and saw many sakura petals on the ground. I think it would be a great place to visit during sakura season!
3. Bamboo Forest Path A small pathway lined with bamboo trees and a spot in the center to sit or lie down and look up at the bamboo trees shooting up into the sky.
4. Tokko No Yu A small foot onsen in the middle of the river
5. Hatsune Amusement Park A now defunct smart ball and shooter game arcade with prizes that have collected dust. The owner was inside watching TV and allowed us to go inside and take a couple of photos.
5. Leisure Centre Yanagikawa Just down the street from Hatsune Amusement Park is a similar style of retro game arcade, and you can actually go inside and play. The owner had no customers that day and didn't feel like turning on the power for the games that required electricity ( he said it would take a while to set up) so we opted for the shooter game and got some cute little vintage ceramic prizes.
BONUS
You can do a day trip, but you can also stay in one of the many ryokan in the area. Below is the one that we stayed at.
Katsuragawa Ryokan I highly recommend this ryokan. It has been recently renovated, and the room that I stayed in was clean and big. There are 7 outdoor private onsens in the hotel that you can use anytime between their opening hours, and on the rooftop there are two large public onsens with a gorgeous view of Izu in the common room. The food at this ryokan is buffet-style for both breakfast and dinner, and although there weren't many options for me (I don't eat meat or most fish) what I had was delicious.
The view from the top floor public onsen common room.
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