Kozushima Atami ferry

Kozushima Guide

Kozushima Ferry Port

Located in the Philippine Sea, Kozushima is a volcanic Japanese island belonging to the Tokyo prefecture, about 170 km south of Tokyo city. Kozushima isn’t the biggest belonging to the seven Izu islands, yet what it lacks in size it redeems in aesthetics; the view of the clear blue ocean from the summit of Mt. Tenjo is an incredibly striking experience. The mountain is the prominent attraction, yet the beautiful beaches, hot springs and the Akazaki Promenade provide enough for a lengthy itinerary. The port itself provides much revenue for the island, creating jobs and tourism to boost Kozushima’s economy. Many companies operating around the port offer excursions designed to tempt tourists; boat trips and diving experiences are daily activities and are fairly affordable. The entire island is primarily focused around utilising its shores, with the fishing industry booming in recent years. The main ferry route coming out of Kozushima is to Tokyo, which has a daily crossing typically lasting around three hours. There are other domestic sailings to ports around Japan, usually lasting under an hour; the relatively shorter crossings tend to provide vessels with less amenities, although there is usually food and drink available.

Atami Guide

Atami Ferry Port

The city of Atami, literally meaning “hot ocean,” in Japanese, is a coastal resort famed for its volcanic hot-springs and views across the glittering blue Sagami Bay. Found on the eastern coast of the large Izu Peninsula that juts into the Sagami-nada Sea, Atami is blessed by warm summers and long sandy beaches. Due to its location just an hour's train-ride from the centre of Tokyo, it is a popular retreat for city-goers looking to escape the stresses of city life. The port of Atami is found mere minutes from the city centre in a narrow inlet of Sagami Bay. Though the ferry terminal here is small, there are a number of facilities available to passengers including vending machines, an indoor waiting room, toilets and a convenience store selling food and drink. There are plenty of transport links to and from the harbour. The extensive Tomei Expressway road cuts through the centre of Atami and along the rugged coastline to the north and south, leading directly to the Japanese capital of Tokyo. Atami Station, found in the centre of the city, is also a terminal for Japan’s impressive network of high-speed trains that whizz across the mainland. Foot passengers looking to hop into the city centre from the port can catch one of the buses that stop just outside the entrance to the terminal. A Yu-Yu shuttle bus also runs directly to Atami Castle – a pagoda style structure that offers spectacular hill-top views across the tree-lined coast. Currently only one service runs from the port of Atami. A Tokai Kisen line operates along the southbound route to Oshima Island a number of times each day, a short trip that skirts the rocky eastern coast of the Izu Peninsula.