Surrounded by Sagami Bay, Hatsushima is a small island near Atami and the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. It’s home to lush tropical gardens and a tree canopy adventure park and is renowned for its seafood restaurants and underwater landscapes.
Things to do in Hatsushima
Visit the Hatsushima Oceanographic Museum to learn about the underwater environments and marine life of Sagami Bay. Alternatively, venture below the water’s surface with one of Hatsushima’s dive schools to admire the bay’s colourful soft corals and schools of tropical fish.
Want to get a different perspective of the island? Explore the elevated boardwalks and rope climbs through the forest canopy at Hatsushima Adventure. Hatsushima is also renowned for its tropical gardens that ignite in colour throughout the year with cherry blossoms, daffodils and birds of paradise.
Don’t miss the opportunity to sample Hatsushima’s kaisendon, a rice bowl topped with sashimi that’s found in the surrounding waters. You can chat with local fishermen that own many of the nearby restaurants and discover the recommended seafood available that day.
Make a day trip to the seaside city of Atami, which is nestled in the volcanic hills of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. It’s famed for its natural hot springs and public onsen baths where you can soak in the therapeutic waters, then enjoy a foot bath outside the JR Atami station.
Getting around Hatsushima
Hatsushima is a 30-minute ferry ride from the coastal city of Atami, with most of the ferries boasting an observatory floor with sea vistas. Atami is around 1.5 hours by train from Tokyo and Haneda Airport.