Izu Peninsula
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The Izu Peninsula (伊豆半島 Izu-hantō?) is a peninsula to the west of Tokyo on the Japanese island of Honshū. Formerly the eponymous Izu Province, the Izu peninsula is now a part of Shizuoka prefecture. The Izu Islands, however, are administered by Tokyo.
Geologically, Izu Peninsula locates on the edge of Philippine Plate pushing to Eurasian Plate, and Earthquake swarm frequently occurs. The peninsula is largely mountainous and has deeply-indented coastline.
[edit] Attractions
Main article: Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park.
A popular recreational area for people in the Tokyo region, the Izu peninsula is above all known for its onsen hot springs, including Atami, Shuzenji, and Mishima. The peninsula abuts Mt. Fuji and is a part of Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. Also popular for sea bathing and surfing, motorcycle touring.
Izu being one of Japan's biggest producers of wasabi, the local cuisine offers many wasabi-flavored dishes. Some famous towns and popular tourist attractions include old Shuzenji with its temples, onsens, waterfalls, ryokans, and Shimoda, the landing site of Commodore Perry's infamous fleet of black ships.
[edit] Access
The Izu peninsula is easily accessible from Tokyo and points west via the Tōkaidō Shinkansen, which has stations in both Atami (east side) and Mishima (west). Besides, JR Tokaido Main Line provides direct Limited express service 'Odoriko' from Tokyo to Ito and Shimoda. Odakyu Railways runs local bus services as well as from Odawara and Hakone.
People have repeatedly been reported as racing this entire peninsula using their "Hot-Dog" express cars (Shinoki, 2003).
By car, it is 103.3 km from the Tokyo end of the Tōmei Expressway, the end informally known as the Yōga IC (用賀インター Yōga Intā), to Numazu, on the west side of the peninsula. Accessing the east side requires branching off at Atsugi and traveling along the tetrapod shoreline: Odawara, Yugawara, Atami, etc.
Access to most of the coast of the Izu peninsula is free. However, there are restricted areas, for example, the Tenno beach; the only selected visitors can enter there.
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