In Izu-Taga, close to Atami on the Izu Peninsula, the main draws for visitors are the relaxed atmosphere, the town's beach and the Ikeda Masuo Art Museum. On the walk back down the hill from the museum, I stopped off at Kaifuku-ji, one of the town's surprisingly numerous Buddhist temples. I enjoyed its range of interesting statues - there are colourful spinning pinwheels attached to the Jizo, guardians of childrens' souls - the sculpture by Ikeda Masuo attached to one of the halls, and the scenic view from the graveyard out over the town and ocean.
Peter Sidell @peter.sidell
I came to Japan from Manchester, England in 2003, and have travelled a lot since then, around Japan and in Asia. When I'm not working, I write satire and perform stand-up comedy in and around Tokyo. Check YouTube for a taste.
