Atami is a hot-spring resort on the eastern coast of the Izu Peninsula, a town that climbs the hillside above Sagami Bay in a tumble of hotels, apartment blocks and narrow streets. It has been a place of rest for centuries, and the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu is said to have visited for the waters. Today the town is quite easy to reach from Tokyo, with a bullet train stopping here, which makes it a favourite weekend escape, and it still has a faintly retro seaside air, with old inns, souvenir shops and steaming vents.
About forty thousand people live in Atami, so you will have no trouble finding fuel, food or a bed, and Yugawara and Hakone are the neighbouring resort towns. The steepness of the streets is a notable feature: roads switch back and forth up the slope, with sharp turns and tight junctions, and you will find yourself in low gears more than expected. Parking can be limited near the seafront, so check before you leave the bike.
Atami is known for its early-blooming cherry trees, which flower in January and February, long before most of Japan, and for a fireworks display held through the year that reflects across the bay. A reconstructed castle looks over the town from the hill, and a famous art museum stands on a ridge with sea views. The hot springs are the real reason people come, and a soak in an outdoor bath after a day in the saddle does wonders for tired shoulders.
For riders, this town is the doorway to the Izu Skyline and the coastal roads to the south. The surrounding hills hold forests of cedar, camellia and bamboo, and the sea is often visible between the trees. Weather can be changeable, especially in the rainy season and typhoon months, when the roads may be wet and visibility poor. Spring and autumn are best. If you eat here, look for fresh fish from the bay, dried horse mackerel, and the town's sweet shops, which sell steamed buns and hot-spring-style treats.