Shuzenji is the sort of place where a ride slows down on purpose. It sits in the middle of the Izu Peninsula, in a bowl of cedar-covered hills along the Katsura River, and has been a hot-spring town for well over a thousand years. The name comes from the temple of Shuzen-ji, said to be founded by the monk Kobo Daishi, who is credited with opening up many of Japan's springs. In the middle of the river a small open-air bath, the Tokko no Yu, is the oldest in town, and wooden bridges, ryokan and old shop fronts line the banks.
The history here is darker than the postcard. In 1204, the young shogun Minamoto no Yoriie, who had been forced to resign by his mother's family, the Hojo, was killed in the baths at Shuzenji, and his grave is in the temple precinct. A bamboo grove path, Chikurin no Komichi, runs along the river and gives the whole place its soft, green light.
For motorcyclists, Shuzenji is the crossroads of the peninsula. The Izu Skyline runs along the ridge to the east, the coast road at Itō is about twelve kilometres away, and the mountain roads to the south run through forest, tea fields and plots where wasabi is grown in cold spring water, a speciality of Izu. The roads are twisty, tree-shaded and frequently damp, so go carefully, especially on the shaded corners after rain. Traffic can be heavy on weekends, with tour buses and a long line of cars, so a weekday morning is a much better time to come.
Fuel is available in the town and along the main roads, and Itō, a city of seventy-one thousand, has everything. Try a soba or a bowl of rice with fresh wasabi grated at the table, and, if the weather is cool, take half an hour in one of the public baths. Spring brings cherry blossom, autumn brings maples, and winter brings the best clarity for views of Fuji from the ridges.