Izu-kogen Highlands伊豆高原

The location of many unique museums. A wonderful place to enjoy flowers, mountains and the sea.

The Izu-kogen Highlands in the city of Ito is known as a summer resort area where you can still find plenty of nature to enjoy in the mountains or along the sea. Situated on the east side of the Izu Peninsula, it enjoys excellent access, being only about one hour and forty minutes away from Tokyo. You can get there by taking a train from Atami Station to Izu-kogen Station, and because the Ito Line runs along the coast, you can enjoy beautiful scenery, doubling the enjoyment of your trip.

In addition to its beautiful natural surroundings, another charm point of the Izu-kogen Highlands is its numerous art and history museums. There are many cafes and restaurants as well, where you can enjoy a bite to eat or something to drink as you travel around to the different museums. There are various types of museums to enjoy, ranging from full-fledged museums to petit museums. For instance, there is the Ikeda Museum of 20th Century Art which houses a collection of paintings, sculptures and other works created during the 20th century, such as pieces by Renoir, Milo and Picasso. On the other hand, the Atelier Rocky Kaleidoscopes Gallery is a tiny space where just ten visitors is a crowd. The museum houses an exclusive collection of kaleidoscopes, and you can even experience how kaleidoscopes are made in this amazing world of dreams. In addition, there is the Brian Wildsmith Museum of Art that features about 1,000 original works by the famous British children's book illustrator.

Rows of cherry blossom trees line a 3-kilometer-long section along the Izu-kogen Station, and the area also boasts of a beautiful garden filled with more than 600 kinds of begonias, called the "queen of flowers," that bloom throughout the year. A lift takes you to the top of the peak of Mt. Omuro-yama where flowers and nature can be enjoyed. Izu-Kaiyo Park is famous for its hydrangeas and its popular diving spot where visitors can enjoy ocean leisure. There are just so many different things to enjoy in Izu.