This is a tour to find out about the charm and character of Yugashima Onsen, which has attracted many literary giants. We will tour the places that appear in Yasushi Inoue's autobiographical novel "Shirobamba" and consider why the writer, who had a unique childhood, loved Yugashima all his life. Furthermore, while walking through Yugashima Onsen, we will explore the reason why young literary men gathered led by Yasunari Kawabata and established an era called "Yugashima Literary men’s Village."
| ｜Area | Central Izu Area (Izu City) |
| ｜Geological Period | Geological formations formed by the eruption of submarine volcanoes about 10 million to 2 million years ago |
| ｜Itinerary | Amagi Kaikan Parking Lot→ "Kami House"→ Former Residence of Yasushi Inoue→ Kodoji Temple→ Amagi Shrine→ Yumichi (Shirakabeso Ryokan, Communal Hot Spring "Kajika no Yu", Yumotokan Ryokan) → Amagi Kaikan Parking Lot |
| ｜Distance | Approx. 2.5 km |
| ｜Duration | Approx. 150 minutes |
| ｜Level | Walking |
| ｜Meeting Point | Amagi Kaikan Parking Lot (Free parking) <MAP> |
| ｜Ending Point | Amagi Kaikan Parking Lot (same as meeting point) |
| ｜Participation Fee | Adults (junior high school students and older): 3,000 yen Elementary school children: 1,500 yen |
| ｜Number of Participants | 2 to 10 people Please contact us for more than 10 people. |
| ｜Reservation | Please make a reservation at least one week in advance. |
| ｜What to Wear/ bring | Comfortable clothing, footwear (no sandals), hats, drinks, etc. |
| ｜Notes | Nordic walking is also possible (Nordic walking poles are available for rent). The tour will be operated in case of light rain, but in case of stormy weather it will be cancelled. Please read about the cancellation policy. |
| ｜How to Apply | Please apply from the "Reservation Form" at the bottom of the page. |
Amagi Kaikan Parking Lot
Free parking.
Various pamphlets are available at the information center of the Amagi Branch of the Izu City Tourism Bureau.
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"Kami House"
This house with a sea cucumber wall often appears in "Shirobanba", Yasushi Inoue's autobiographical novel. It was the family home of his mother, which reflects his childhood. It is now a museum of Yasushi Inoue.
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Kodoji Temple
A must-see site for history buffs. It is known as the place where the U.S. Consul General Townsend Harris, who went to Edo at the end of the Edo period, stayed for the first time after crossing Amagi.
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Amagi Shrine
In the novel, it is depicted as the place where Sakiko and Nakagawa-sensei were dating. Do you know the reason why the humorous komainu, guardian dogs, are looking in the same direction?
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Yumichi
This is the path that the locals used to go to the communal bath.
You can enjoy a nice walk along the path while listening to the comfortable sound of the mountain stream.
At the end of the walk, you will come to Yumotokan Ryokan, where Yasunari Kawabata wrote "The Dancer of Izu".
