The Izu Peninsula’s natural beauty and plentiful hot springs make it one of the top vacation destinations for domestic tourists in Japan. While the scenery and hot springs have been around for a long time, getting here was nowhere near as easy as it is today.
Here in Izu, we have some of the earliest blooming varieties of sakura (cherry trees). The most famous is the Kawazuzakura, which begins to bloom in the beginning of February and peaks around the second to third week of the month. This early variety was developed in the city of Kawazu, where a popular festival runs from the beginning till the end of February.
