Izu-hanto

Izu-hantō (The Izu peninsula) is a large mountainous peninsula with deeply indented coasts to the west of Tokyo on the Pacific coast of the island of Honshū. Formerly the eponymous Izu Province, Izu peninsula is now a part of Shizuoka prefecture.

Tectonically, the Izu peninsula results from the Philippine Sea Plate colliding with the Okhotsk Plate at the Nankai Trough. The Philippine Sea Plate, the Amurian Plate, and the Okhotsk Plate meet at Mount Fuji. The southern portion of the peninsula is composed largely of breccia, and the central and northern portions consist of numerous highly eroded volcanos.

A popular resort region for tourists from the Kantō region, the Izu peninsula is primarily known for onsen hot spring resorts in Atami, Shuzenji, and Itō. The peninsula abuts Mount Fuji and is a part of Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. The area is also popular for sea bathing, surfing, golfing and motorcycle touring. Aside from tourism, agriculture and fishing are the mainstays of the local economy. Izu is one of the biggest producers of wasabi in Japan, and the local cuisine offers dishes flavored with wasabi.

The Izu peninsula is easily accessible from Tokyo and points west via the Tōkaidō Shinkansen, which has stations in both Atami in the northeast and Mishima in the northwest. JR Itō Line and the Izu Kyūkō Line provides service along the east coast of the peninsula to Shimoda. Central Izu is served by the Sunzu Line as far as Shuzenji. The west cost of the peninsula is less developed, and has no train service.