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Formed by Mount Fuji's ancient lava flows, Izu Hanto protrudes like an arrowhead into the ocean west of Tokyo, a mountainous spine whose tortured coastline features some superb scenery and a couple of decent beaches. It takes at least two days to make a complete circuit of this region, taking in some intriguing historical sights and stopping at a few of the peninsula's estimated 2300 hot springs. Direct train services from Tokyo run down Izu's more developed east coast, passing through Atami , with its stylish art museum, to the harbour town of Shimoda , one of the places Commodore Perry parked his "Black Ships" in 1854, and the site of Japan's first American consulate. Shimoda makes a good base for exploring southern Izu, including the Rendaiji hot spring, and the striking coastal scenery around Iro-zaki at its most southerly tip. Over on west Izu, Dogashima is another famous beauty spot, with a crop of picturesque islands set in clear, tropical-blue water. Most of this coast still belongs to traditional fishing communities and the central uplands are also sparsely populated, with only a few roads cutting through the maple and beech forests to give sweeping views over the peninsula and north to Fuji. The only settlement of any size in central Izu is Shuzenji , whose nearby onsen resort has long been associated with novelists such as Kawabata and Natsume Soseki . Local history also inspired a popular Kabuki play based on the twelfth-century murder of a former Kamakura Shogun. The town's few sights revolve around these events and it's a reasonable place to stay before taking the train north out of Izu. Izu's mild climate makes it a possible excursion even in winter, though it's close enough to Tokyo to be crowded at weekends, and is best avoided during the summer holidays. If you haven't got a JR pass and want to explore the whole peninsula, check out the various discount tickets available, such as the four-day "Izu Free Q Kippu" (Y13,190), which covers the Shinkansen from Tokyo as well as local transport by train and bus. Renting a car is a good idea, as public transport is slow and only really covers the main coastal settlements; you'll find rental companies in Atami (Eki Rent-a-car; tel 0557/82-1382), Shimoda and Shuzenji .
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