It’s no secret that autumn is my favorite time of year in Japan. The entirety of the countryside comes alive with vibrant hues of red, yellow and orange. As those of you who have visited Japan during this magical season can also attest, it’s truly a magnificent time to explore the prefectures. One wonder that often gets neglected in favor of the fall foliage is Japan’s susuki (tall silver grass). In an attempt to rectify this, I’d like to introduce you to one of my favorite spots for susuki, Izu’s Inatori Hosono Highlands.
Truth be told, I first stumbled across this locale as part of a media event that I was invited to by the Atagawa Prince Hotel. Until then, I had only been familiar with the likes of Nikko’s Senjogahara and Hakone’s Sengokuhara. Alas, both of those sites for susuki are far removed from the ocean. They give you inland grass with no Sagami-nada, the sea south of Sagami Bay, or the Izu Islands behind it. Thus, they lack the combination of mountainous highland, shining silver grass and sparkling sea that you’ll find at Izu’s Inatori Hosono Highlands.
As pretty as the area is, you’re going to need to do a bit of hiking to get the best views. This is because the most impressive vistas that the highlands have to offer are from above, when you’re looking down on the fields of silver grass. Set against Sagami-nada and the Izu Islands, this is a genuinely striking sight. Luckily, you don’t need to go all the way to the top of Mt. Misuji just to get a glimpse of the susuki, though you should still hoof it a little higher than the parking lot.
All in all, the Inatori Hosono Highlands remain one of those Izu spots that still deserve more awareness than they get. If you plan to visit Japan in late October or November, consider adding this highland to your itinerary. What you are buying with the extra transit is a combination that Nikko’s Senjogahara and Hakone’s Sengokuhara cannot offer: a working grassland, fields of susuki, Sagami-nada and the Izu Islands in a single view. That view asks for a limited express to Izu-Inatori and then a taxi or rental car up the hill. That said, the destination is more than worth it.
How to Get There
Reaching the Inatori Hosono Highlands is a two-stage trip: a limited express from Tokyo or Shinjuku down the east Izu coast to Izu-Inatori Station, then a final climb by taxi or rental car. That last hill road is why the highland takes more steps than Hakone’s Sengokuhara field. At the same time, the Izu Peninsula is a very popular hot spring getaway for people living in the greater Tokyo region of Kanto. Thanks to that, the train half of the journey is far better served than it would be in other parts of the countryside.
By far, the easiest and classiest way to travel down to this part of Shizuoka Prefecture is to take one of the Saphir Odoriko trains. These limited expresses are the premium Izu ride, with reserved seating, big windows and a cafe car. It’s an indulgence that I would not recommend anyone skip. The service still runs from Tokyo and Shinjuku down the east coast and stops at Izu-Inatori Station on the way to Izukyu-Shimoda. Check a planner such as Jorudan for the better departure city. If you’d rather not splurge, the regular Odoriko and the local Izu Kyuko Line will also get you there from Atami and Ito.
Once you’re actually on the Izu Peninsula, a rental car is the cleanest way to finish the trip. The highland sits in the hills above Inatori, about 15 minutes from Izu-Inatori Station by taxi, and the last stretch is a narrow mountain road that is a poor match for large vans. Official guidance puts that taxi at around 2,000 yen one way. If you do not have an international license, a taxi or a hotel drop-off is the realistic answer. During the autumn viewing event, a paid shuttle bus also runs from Izu-Inatori Station on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
Frankly speaking for the other non-drivers out there, it might be better to arrange the last leg wherever you spend the night. During my stint in the area, the Atagawa Prince Hotel kindly drove us over as part of the media event. Your accommodations might not go to that length, but they can at least hail a taxi and help with the return pickup. Especially on the way back down, having someone able to be a middleman with the driver will make getting off the highland a lot less painful.
Advice for the Highland
Once you reach the top of the hill, keep in mind that the grassland in front of you isn’t simply growing wild. The Inatori Hosono Highlands cover about 125 hectares on the shoulder of Mt. Misuji, roughly seven times the susuki field at Sengokuhara in Hakone. The private land is held in common by Inatori’s local property ward and started as a working thatch field. Susuki was cut for roof thatch, fertilizer and cattle and horse fodder because the poor paddy land produced little rice straw. Every February, about 130 residents and town staff burn the field in a single day under the elders’ direction, as they have for well over a century. Without that work, trees would move in and the grassland would become forest. If you’re visiting in February, note that the highland closes on burn day.
That same work also keeps open habitats you’ll pass as you make your way around the highland. Four groups of wetlands here are designated natural monuments by Shizuoka Prefecture, so stay outside the fenced areas along the trails. More than 500 plant species have been recorded across the highland, and autumn isn’t your only chance to visit. From mid-April to early May, you can come for the spring bracken-picking season, when adult entry is around 500 yen. Come autumn, don’t expect the susuki to begin right at the parking area. You’ll need to walk uphill for a few minutes first. During the prime season, you’ll find tents, a reception desk and a short walking map at the entrance.
That prime season has shifted later than the October 7 to November 4 stretch I saw in 2022. The autumn event now sits in late October and November, with reception open from 10:00 to 16:00. During the event, junior-high students and older pay 1,000 yen to enter, which includes a 400-yen Higashiizu shopping voucher; elementary students and younger are free. Parking is split between a smaller first lot and a second lot of about 100 spaces; during the event, private cars usually stop at the lower lot and you continue on foot. Outside the event, walking the highland is generally open, though vehicle restrictions still apply on the upper road. Confirm the current calendar on the official Hosono Highlands event page before you commit a day to the trip.
If you want to make the most of the journey, budget at least half a day. The official walking map offers a short loop of about 1.5 kilometers, a middle course and a longer route of about 6.5 kilometers that takes roughly two hours and 20 minutes. The views get better as you gain elevation, and the marked overlooks on the mid-slope are the ones that actually show the grass, Sagami-nada and the Izu Islands together. For reference, see the map above but the best views are around ❻.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can continue to the 821-meter summit of Mt. Misuji. The top looks out over Inatori, Sagami-nada and the Amagi range. Though not a hard hike, you will need to ensure that you have ample time to reach the top of the peak. I only had two hours and barely made it back. Unfortunately, the susuki all blends together into a yellow carpet from that higher vantage point, so the mid-slope overlooks are the better grass photographs even if the summit wins on geography.
Other Nearby Attractions
There’s a lot more to do down on the Izu Peninsula than just the Inatori Hosono Highlands. Should you be interested in history, I highly suggest that you continue on down south to the small town of Shimoda. Though extremely rural, this part of Japan played a huge role in the opening of the country to the west at the end of the Edo period (1603–1868). Seeing as you’ve already come this far south into Shizuoka, it would be a shame to miss out on Shimoda.
If you’re already considering the ride south to Shimoda, Kawazu is only two stops from Izu-Inatori Station on the Izu Kyuko Line and takes under 10 minutes. It’s particularly useful if your trip falls in late winter. From early February to early March, the Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival follows the early-blooming Kawazu cherry trees along the Kawazu River. That overlaps with Hosono’s annual cycle, so while the grassland remains black for weeks after its February burn, cherry blossom season is underway just down the line. Expect heavy crowds around full bloom. I’ve also made the trip to Kawazu myself as a day trip from Tokyo.
Heading back the other way, Ito is the obvious add-on since you’ll pass through it whether you stop or not. The Izu Kyuko Line begins at Ito Station, so every train to Izu-Inatori Station runs through here, including the Odoriko and Saphir Odoriko. From Ito Station, the limited express takes about 35 to 40 minutes to Izu-Inatori Station, while a local takes under an hour. That makes Ito a natural place to break up the ride home for a few hours or for the night. It’s also a well-known hot spring resort in its own right, with inns and hotels spreading from around Ito Station up into the hills.
If you’re wondering what to do with that stop, I think the Jogasaki Coast might well be the reason to come to Ito. South of the city, it runs for 10 kilometers along rocky lava coastline formed when Mt. Omuro erupted and includes a 48-meter suspension bridge. Mt. Omuro itself is a 580-meter extinct volcano shaped like an upside-down rice bowl, with a chairlift to the rim and views of Mt. Fuji and Oshima. Back in the center of the city, you’ll find Tokaikan, a former ryokan beside the Ito River. After dark, bamboo lanterns light the banks of the river. I have a full article on Ito if you want more detail.
Before you go anywhere else along the line, though, don’t overlook Inatori itself. The fishing port and hot spring town sits on a small promontory about midway between Ito and Shimoda on Izu’s east coast. Its signature catch is kinmedai, or splendid alfonsino, a red deep-sea fish sold as Inatori Kinme. It’s caught on single lines by boats that return the same day, and you’ll find it served as both a local celebration dish and a staple at the town’s inns.
Since you’re already down in Inatori, the harbor morning market can fit neatly into a weekend trip to the highland. It’s about a 10-minute walk from Izu-Inatori Station and runs from 8:00 to 12:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays. Those are also the days the highland shuttle bus runs, while reception up there doesn’t open until 10:00, giving you time for the market first. Come in winter or early spring and you’ll find another side of town. Inatori is the birthplace of the late Edo period custom of hanging hand-sewn hina ornaments for Girls’ Day, one of Japan’s three major hanging-decoration traditions. Its festival runs from January 20 to March 31, outside susuki season. The onsen area is about a 15-minute walk from the station.
As noted elsewhere, the Izu Peninsula is also rife with small hot spring towns. If you’re looking to soak after the climb, stay put in Inatori and keep the highland a short taxi ride away, or drop back toward Atagawa for the next pocket of coast springs. Keep riding toward Atami if you want the bigger east-coast onsen city and the easier limited-express connections. Inland, Shuzenji Onsen is the quieter mountain alternative if you’d rather trade the sea view for a temple town. Though I am indebted to the Atagawa Prince Hotel for taking me to go see the susuki, there are many other great options out there. Dive into the options and pick the stay that actually fits the rest of your Izu loop.
Until next time travelers…
