EAT
Grill-seeking The itinerary of Walk Japan’s six-day hike on the dazzling Izu Peninsula includes stays in traditional inns and hotels. A favourite was family-owned Akazawa Onsen (above) where clam soup, tofu and grilled mackerel were augmented by ayu river fish cooked on skewers by an indoor charcoal fire. This was followed by mugwort and sweet miso dumplings, like mulchy green lollipops, and salted plums, washed down with homemade plum wine.
Family affair A lunch break in the fishing town of Tago, which sits between wooded hills, features the tiny Yamasu restaurant, where 82-year-old Mr Tadasu Isoya is the fourth-generation ‘tempura master’. Huge, succulent prawns in light batter bob atop dishes of noodles, made by Isoya’s daughters and grandchildren, in a umami-rich miso broth.
STAY
Laid-back luxe Kaorukaze is a modern hotel where each spacious suite features a couple-sized onsen (hot spring) bath overlooking curving Iritahama beach (above) and its dramatic offshore basalt outcrops. There are also two big onsens on the roof (for soaking only; you scrub yourself clean beforehand).
Back in time The traditional inn Arai Ryokan is an artfully rambling maze of historic wooden buildings and glass- panelled corridors set around koi ponds, overlooking copses of maple, towering bamboo and a waterfall. There are several onsen baths dotted around the property and, unlike many of the more remote inns on the itinerary, this one is close to shops selling ceramics and antiques, as well as matcha ice cream and tapioca parlours.
LOVE
Nature fix The volcanic forces that forged Izu, less than an hour’s bullet train from Tokyo, gave it a hilly profile, powdery beaches and woodlands of cedar, cypress and fir. White-tipped eagles circle overhead and our bus stopped to let a troupe of scowling macaques cross the road. The hike gives breathtaking views of Mount Fuji; the sea cave at Toji and the Kawazu Seven Waterfalls (above) are also spectacular.
Shopping As well as visits to wasabi fields and shops (wasabi ice cream is surprisingly sweet) and the Kanesa store, where tuna has been dried since 1882, countless shops sell brushes, bowls and wooden knick-knacks.
A six-day hike, including meals and accommodation, costs around £2,500 per person, walkjapan.com
