Kawazu

The Amagiso hot springs at Odaru Waterfall

Kawazu (Japanese: 河津) is a small town in south-central Izu Peninsula, Shizuoka, Japan.

Understand

Kawazu, "River Harbor", marks the spot where the Kawazu river, which runs down the slopes of Mt. Amagi at the center of Izu, runs down to the coast near Shimoda. The town runs a long way up the river valley, but the name "Kawazu" usually refers to the coastal end near the railway station, while the hot spring village at the other end of the valley is known as Nanadaru Onsen (七滝温泉).

Tourist information site

The local tourist association has a multilingual guide site.

Get in

1 Kawazu Station (河津駅) is on the private Izu-Kyuko line from Shimoda to Atami. In addition to local services up and down the coast, it's served by four direct JR Odoriko limited express services daily from Tokyo via Atami.

If coming by car, Kawazu stretches out along Route 414, the main central artery of the peninsula. It's a twisty and tunnel-y drive, and the slightly absurd double-360 of the 2 Kawazu-Nanadaru Loop Bridge is a minor attraction in itself.

See

Kawazu is famous for its seven waterfalls (七滝 Nanadaru; note the dialectal daru instead of the usual taki). A pleasant one-kilometer walk leads past spots with views of them all, ranging from the 30-meter Ōdaru ("Big Falls") to the 2-meter Kanidaru ("Crab Falls").

Eat

Kawazu is prime wasabi territory and shops advertising the root are everywhere.

• 1 Mini Super Shiodaya Honke (ミニスーパー 塩田屋本家), 142-3 Yugano. This blink-and-you'll-miss-it grocery store is famous for an unusual dish: fruit sandwiches (フルーツサンド furuutsu sando) prepared by placing generous portions of sliced seasonal fruit -- strawberries, grapes, persimmons! -- between slices of white bread and sealing them in with copious amounts of whipped cream. From ¥500 each. (updated Oct 2022)

Sleep

• 1 Amagiso (天城荘). This mid-range hot spring ryokan has seen better days, but it has one unrivalled draw: a series of no less than 6 outdoor baths at the base of the thunderous 30-meter Odaru waterfall, and you can even go for a (freezing) dip in the waterfall itself! The outdoor pools are shared, so bring a swimsuit. There are also indoor baths and a large swimming pool. Hot spring day tickets ¥2500/2000 adult/child, overnight stays with no meals from ¥6,000. (updated Oct 2022)