The Izu 'Resort Dolphin' train

Enjoy the coast view from the comfort of your train

Peter Sidell Jan 27, 2014 - 1 min read

<p>The trains stops for an occasional rest so you can get out and quickly stretch your legs</p>

<p>There are pretty views such as this all along the way</p>

<p>Inside the train; the seats on the left will be facing the ocean as you travel down the coast</p>

<p>Another of the ocean view cars, with nice big windows to see out of</p>

<p>Here the train runs right alongside the shore</p>

<p>It's not all coastline: there's also pretty inland scenery too</p>

<p>The gentle hills add variety to the view</p>

<p>Parked up at Shimoda station, ready for the return trip up to Atami</p>

<p>Beached up in front of Shimoda Station</p>

If you're traveling down the east coast of the Izu Peninsula, you might be lucky enough or sufficiently well-organized to catch a train with a view. Departing from Atami and making the trip all the way down to Shimoda, the 'Resort Dolphin' has bank seats on the ocean-facing side, so you can sit back with a snack or drink and watch the scenery roll past. You'll see panoramas across the ocean, the occasional steaming tower of a hot spring, and at one point the line runs directly alongside the shore to give you a close-up of the sea.

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.