Shimoda (下田) is a pleasant coastal city in the south of the Izu Peninsula. It has historical importance as the landing place of several of Commodore Perry's "black ships" in 1854, an event which marked the end of Japan's era of isolation and the start of diplomatic relations between the US and Japan. Shimoda is a popular spot for tourists who want to do marine sports, go to beaches and hot springs.
Shimoda is directly connected to Tokyo by JR limited express Odoriko trains (around 2.5 hours, 6500 yen one way, hourly departures). Alternatively, take the Tokaido Shinkansen to Atami and transfer to the limited express Odoriko or a local train (requires a transfer at Ito to the Izukyu Railway) and get off at Izukyu-Shimoda Station, the terminal station of the Izukyu Railway. The trip takes about 2 hours and costs around 7000 yen one way if using the limited express, or about 2.5 hours, 6000 yen one way when using local trains.
The Japan Rail Pass fully covers the Tokaido Shinkansen and trains as far as Ito; however, those traveling beyond Ito will need to pay a supplement fee. On the other hand, the JR Tokyo Wide Pass, JR East Nagano Niigata Area Pass, JR East Tohoku Area Pass and JR East South Hokkaido Pass fully cover the trains all the way to Izukyu Shimoda, but they do not cover the Tokaido Shinkansen.
Most of the sites are within a 20-30 minute walk of Izukyu-Shimoda Station. Alternatively, buses connect most of the sites to the station. For those planning to travel around the southern Izu Peninsula, Tokai Bus offers a 2-day Minami Izu Free Pass for 2790 yen. This pass covers the area between Izukyu-Shimoda Station and Dogashima and can be useful for those intending to visit multiple sites in the region.
How to get to and around the Izu Peninsula
