Atami

Atami is a town on the eastern coast of the Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka about a 2 hours drive from Mt. Fuji and Tokyo. Atami is a pretty big transfer point between the shinkansen and local lines in Shizuoka. Historically renowned for it's hot springs, but it is now a popular beach resort.

Graphic from atami.furuya.co.jp

The natural hot springs are rather small alcoves located right alongside the road. There are seven main onsens highlight near the city center, collectively called Atami Nanayu (all shown by steaming coffee-cup looking symbols on the map above). The one shown below is the biggest hot spring, named Oh Ya. The little tombstone is for Toby, the unfortunate puppy of one of the British colonialists, who died after being burned by the scalding water. 

On a hot summer day, Atami turned out b quite a popular beach getaway. The shoreline was packed with families who were out enjoying the sun and sea. The well constructed marina and the aquatic themed decorations around makes it a very picturesque holiday location.

 

 

 

Atami's other claim to fame is Omiya no Matsu, a pine tree that is described in a story by one of Japan's most famous authors, Koyo Ozaki. "The Golden Demon" first began as a weekly serial in a newspaper, but it was so well received that it was turned into a novel that is still fairly popular today. There is a very famous scene from the book that has been recreated as a statue for tourists to look at. Complete with a sound box that plays a somber song written about the incident, it's a pretty neat monument in the literary history of Japan. Pretty cool.