Shuzenji Onsen & Mishima visit

We would like to go for an Onsen trip to Izu from Tokyo in late November, or beginning of December, specifically staying at Shuzenji Onsen and Mishima. Want to also visit the Kawazu Seven Waterfalls. Planning to stay 3-4 nights unless any other recommendations to visit other places? Currently I�fm at the planning stage. So no limitation to the number of nights in Izu. Any other suggestions?

Not really interested with seaside cities, especially when it would be quite cold and gloomy. But a soak overlooking sunset over the ocean would be nice. Not into towns with run-down high rises either. My focus is more on atmospheric small towns with nice quaint shops and cafes, and of course, onsen! Also the momoji festival at Shuzenji Onsen.

Let�fs say if we stay at Shuzenji Onsen and Mishima (perhaps for a total of 3-4 nights), with a half day trip out to Kawazu Seven Waterfalls, which train/bus passes should we use?

Secondly, Regarding autumn foliage, better to go last week of November or 1st week of December? Autumn peak period in Izu is earlier or later than Tokyo?

Quite interested in these attractions:

SHUZENJI ONSEN
-Bamboo Grove
-Onsen
-Shuzenji Temple
-Side trip to Kawazu Seven Waterfalls

MISHIMA
Taishanomori Shopping Street
-Mishima Taisha Shrine
-Genbei River
-Ryutakuji Temple
-Numazu Port Restaurant Quarter
-Numazu Port Observation Watergate Viewo
-Mishima Skywalk
-Panorama Park Gondola

Any feedback is greatly appreciated 🙏

Hi. i cant really help you with the time of year as I visited in April from memory though I did want to go back in Autumn. I'd imagine that autumn would be later, so I would be thinking mid to late November.

I didnt get to the waterfalls but here are a few comments from my time that might be useful.

We stayed near Atami at Taiseikan that was a last minute booking to prevent a disaster. I couldnt speak highly enough about Taiseikan - great onsen (some with ocean views), nice big rooms with views over the (very busy) road to the bay. it is in a tiny town called Ajiro which is a few minutes from Atami, with Ito on the same like about 15 minutes the other way. The food at Taiseikan was brilliant.

Atami is not really my cup of tea though it is pleasant enough. The vibe reminds me a bit of Matsumoto. I preferred Ito although I wouldnt stay there. Ito Shaboten is very much worth a visit, I would go back.

Shuzenji is a nice town very popular with Chinese so be prepared for a lot of people during the day. Oddly enough it is hard finding food there in the day time although there are restaurants about, do your homework before you go. The fish place at the part of the street that turns yellow is spectacular.

It is a bit like Arashiyama - i.e. the peace of the place is a bit overwhelmed by the volume of visitors although it is still worth going, we stayed 2 nights and really enjoyed it though if I went again (as I intend to) I would probably eat in Mishima and arrive later in the day. Unless you were going off in a car, I think a day's sightseeing is plenty.

Mishima is also a nice town. We were on foot and didnt go far, but thought it was quite pleasant.

Thanks for your feedback.
Would probably stay 1-2 nights in Shuzenji Onsen and 1-2 nights in Mishima. What�fs d vibe in Mishima like? I can probably do up to 5 nights max in Izu. Won�ft be driving.

Hi, I preferred Mishima to Atami but if you were spending 2 nights there I reckon you'd spend a day somewhere else. Most of the sites were a busride away from memory. But I liked the town itself. It has a huge park with a nice Japanese garden and mini zoo, there were markets on when we were there. It was more a place for Japanese families to go than tourists. In feel it reminded me of Karatsu, or parts of Hikone

I can remember that the park was right near the station but to get to the entrance was a mission that took forever on a hot day.

Ya.. Being end of November, not that keen on beach activities. Aside from Onsen soaking by the sea, or taking a sightseeing boat off Dogashima.
I think if I stay 2 nights each at Shuzenji Onsen and Mishima I would have time to see further afield as well as the surrounding areas of both places.
Someone commented though, with so many nice onsen ryokans in Izu they will never consider staying in Mishima... 🤔

Yeah, personally if I was going back to Izu (which I want to) it would be 1 or 2 nights Ajiro (only for that ryokan as a base), 2 nights Shimoda (never been there but looks good), 2 nights Shuzenji.

I drove from Mishima to Shuzenji (overnight stay), then Shuzenji to Ito Onsen via Kawazu Nanaderu. While there are public buses that service the area, they are infrequent so you may be waiting a while. I wouldn't stay more than one night in Shuzenji - it's quite small and you can visit all of its attractions in less than half a day. I would suggest instead doing the day trip to Kawazu as a stopover on the way to Ito (can do by bus).

Thanks.. Will look into it 🙏

Numazu port is in Numazu, not Mishima...

I�fve decided two of us would go straight from Haneda Airport to Shuzenji Onsen.
25/11: Haneda > Shuzenji Onsen (2 nights)
27/11: Shuzenji Onsen > Mishima (2 nights)
29/11: Mishima > Tokyo (6 nights)

If we rent a car for Izu area, would you recommend:

• Collect the rental car from Haneda Airport then return it to the airport 5 days later? Seems the drive takes much longer time (4h) than catching train&bus (2.5h) but part of the drive goes along the seaside. This route is avoiding tol way. The train+bus cost would be \56xx 1way/1pax (Shinkansen). Not sure the drive from Haneda to Izu is stressful or not too..?

• Catch the train to Izu then rent the car for the whole duration (26-29/11)?

• Rent the car only for the day in Shuzenji Onsen (26/11)?