Shuzenji sits in a narrow valley in the middle of the Izu peninsula, on the Katsura river, and it is the oldest hot spring resort on Izu. The onsen town grew around a temple, Shuzen-ji, founded according to tradition by the monk Kobo Daishi in the early ninth century, and it has an old-fashioned, quiet charm that the busier resorts on the coast have lost. Hot water comes from springs beneath the town, and an open-air bath in the middle of the river, called Tokko no Yu, is the symbol of the place.
History here is dramatic. In 1204, Minamoto no Yoriie, the second shogun of Kamakura, was confined at Shuzenji after being removed from power by his mother's family, the Hojo, and was killed in a bath by assassins. His grave lies in the temple grounds, and the story is told with some relish by local guides. The whole episode is an example of the ruthless politics of medieval Japan, and Shuzenji's quiet setting makes it all the more striking.
Walking through the town is pleasant. A path through a small bamboo grove, the Chikurin no Komichi, leads along the river, and small shops sell local specialities. Izu is famous for wasabi, grown in cold, clear streams on terraced fields in the hills, and the fresh root, grated on a sharkskin board, tastes far milder and sweeter than the paste from a tube. Soba noodles with grated wasabi, wild vegetables and mushrooms, or a bowl of rice topped with fish from the coast, are good choices for a meal here.
The roads into Shuzenji run through forested valleys, with tight bends, a mix of old and new tarmac, and the occasional tunnel. Traffic is lighter than on the coast, and the route over the Amagi Pass to the south is one of the best rides on the peninsula. Fuel can be found along the main road in town, though the bigger supplies are in Ito and Numazu, fourteen and fifteen kilometres away. Rain falls often in the Izu mountains, and the moss-covered cedar forest is lovely when wet, but take care on the shaded corners. Autumn leaves are splendid in November, and spring cherry blossom lines the river.