Dogashima is the finish, and it earns it. On the western coast of the Izu Peninsula, the sea has carved the soft volcanic rock into a scatter of small islands, arches and stacks, with pale cliffs dropping into water that turns from emerald to deep blue. A short boat trip runs out to a sea cave called Tensodo, whose ceiling has a hole that lets light fall onto the water, and at low tide a sandbar appears between the shore and a nearby island, letting people walk across on the sea floor.
The scenery is the product of volcanic ash laid down under water and then lifted and eroded, which is why the rock is light, layered and easy for waves to shape. Along the coast the cliffs of Sandanbeki, a short drive away, add a darker drama in the form of columnar basalt. Sunset is the moment people come for here: the sun sinks into Suruga Bay, with Mount Fuji sometimes visible in silhouette across the water, and the whole shoreline turns orange.
Reaching this far-western stretch means a long ride along the coastal road, with curves that follow the cliffs, small fishing harbours and views that open and close between headlands. The road is not fast, but it is rewarding, and traffic is light outside holidays. It can be wet and misty, especially in the rainy season and when a typhoon is passing offshore, and the sun glare at the end of the day can be fierce, so a clean visor is worth carrying.
The nearest town of any size is Shimoda, about nineteen kilometres to the south, and it is the sensible place to plan fuel and a bed, although small inns and shops can be found locally. Seafood here is fresh: sea bream, squid, and the local specialties of the Izu coast, with dried fish and seaweed on sale in the harbour shops. Sit by the water with a drink, watch the boats go out and the light go down, and let the day's ride settle quietly.