The east coast of Izu Peninsula is one which I’ve explored in nice element throughout quite a few visits to the realm during the last seven years or so. There are a lot of nice locations but when I needed to choose only one sight to see then it’d in all probability must be Mount Omuro; the image postcard and aesthetically-pleasing volcano. We’ve beforehand visited it in Autumn and Summer time however by no means in Winter. It was time to alter that on our most up-to-date journey to that a part of Shizuoka Prefecture throughout the New Yr vacation season.
Buses aren’t precisely common however with a little bit of planning it was very straightforward for us to get one on to Mount Omuro in about 20 minutes. There was a little bit of a queue for the chairlift (1000 yen return) which is the one manner of attending to the highest however it was shifting rapidly and inside a short while we had been on our manner up the 580 metre mountain.
It quickly grew to become very obvious (I hadn’t actually observed on the foot of the mountain!) that the luxurious inexperienced colors of the opposite seasons had been changed by a extra earthly brown color.
Although fairly not as interesting, it’s nonetheless an superior sight to see 360 diploma panoramic views of the encompassing space in addition to trying down into the volcano itself which is definitely used for archery. Strolling spherical the highest is at all times a pleasant expertise, however regardless of the sunny circumstances it’s usually a bit windy on prime.
I’d by no means actually observed Lake Ippeki from the highest earlier than so it was fairly good to see an overhead view of the place we had been heading subsequent.
Lake Ippeki is within the centre of this image
Earlier than descending the mountain, Rina couldn’t resist shopping for some dango which was really moderately priced at 300 yen per stick.
As had been taking the chairlift down, the majestic and iconic Mount Fuji was starting to seem from behind the clouds.
Izu Shaboten Zoo is throughout the highway from the chairlift station and a quite costly zoo (2700 yen entry) however I want to go someday because it has some distinctive sights.
Sakura-no-Sato is a beautiful, spacious park to the rear of the mountain and it’s largely ignored by nearly all of guests to the mountain.
Regardless of quite a few visits to this park I had by no means observed the presence of Anahara Lava Cave within the neighborhood. I solely discovered it due to Google Maps so had it not been for that I might have walked proper previous the caves. A very long time in the past a big snake lived within the gap and would supposedly seem in close by villages the place it will torment the native villagers. Subsequently the serpent was killed which resulted on this large gap. That’s one story anyway!
Sadly, you may’t descend into the 15 metre deep cave for a more in-depth look and so must make do with seeing it from afar. When Mount Omuro erupted 3,700 years in the past it left a hole underground which ultimately collapsed after the lava on the floor solidified and have become too heavy.
There’s a quirky Wax Museum simply past the park however it’s one which I’m nonetheless but to go inside. That didn’t change right here as there was no time.
That was as a result of we needed to get one other bus to Lake Ippeki the place we had been simply a few days earlier. This time we wandered spherical Numa-ike which is adjoining to the principle lake and is often pretty devoid of individuals.
There have been clear blue skies on each events on the lake, and the water was pretty clear too (it often is to be honest!) so the fish appeared extra seen than traditional.
As we had already walked a good bit we solely walked spherical a part of the lake on our second go to.
Again on New Years Day, we walked spherical the entire lake which is about 4 kilometres in circumference while stopping for a little bit of a picnic on the western shores.
My spouse prayed at one of many shrines as is customary for many Japanese folks at the beginning of every 12 months however I didn’t hassle going by means of the motions this time.
There may be really one other torii gate on the lake however it’s solely doable to get to if you happen to lease one of many pedaloes out there to guests.
There was a brand new cafe on the shore of the lake with a free foot bathtub outdoors which we took adavantage of on each of our visits. Towels aren’t supplied although so we simply needed to make do with the canine’s one for drying our toes.
With nice views on supply, this was such a pleasant solution to soak our weary toes every time earlier than persevering with to stroll dwelling.
A brief stroll up the highway from there’s the bus cease, and proper subsequent to that’s an deserted lakeside resort.
The merchandising machine outdoors it has actually seen higher days. The light writing on the prime of the machine really says “low cost” however that may be a lie because it wouldn’t even take my cash not to mention dispense a can of soda!
We didn’t take the bus dwelling however as an alternative opted for a quite nice stroll by means of the woods which had been utterly abandoned. I’ve been telling my spouse for years that it is a pretty manner of coming back from the lake so was glad that she lastly relented this time and loved it sufficient to do on each journeys there. Hopefully, she’ll bear in mind this once we subsequent go to the lake!
Click on right here to learn ‘At One With Nature In Izu: The Jogaskai Coast, Mount Komuro, Mount Omuro & Ippeki Lake’
Click on right here to learn ‘Return To Japan’s Greenest & Cleanest Extinct Volcano In Izu’
Click on right here to learn ‘Mount Omuro Is A Image Postcard Excellent Volcano’
Click on right here to learn ‘One other Deserted Constructing On The Shores Of Lake Ippeki And The Common Go to To Komuroyama’
