Izu Kogen

We ended up visiting as we added a trip to the Izu Peninsula to our Tokyo trip with the kids. We hadn't originally planned on making dolls, but luckily, two spots became available for cancellation, allowing us to book. It was a bit of a shame that the walk from Izu Kogen Station wasn't great—it's a 10-minute walk without sidewalks—but I really enjoyed the productive hour-long class. Even though we couldn't communicate verbally, the instructor showed us the manual and explained everything in detail, making it easy for us to build the dolls.

There were quite a few animals to see, and the most enjoyable part was being able to interact with capybaras. However, the zoo wasn't very clean, and it was easy to step in animal feces on the floor. But overall, it was a good experience.

This time, I took advantage of the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday to bring 11 members of my family, including a 95-year-old elder, on a day trip to Mount Omuro in Izu. Our driver and guide, Brother Ma, led us, and although he was alone, he was incredibly responsible in hosting us and introducing each attraction. Although the weather wasn't great that day, Mount Omuro had its own unique charm. The barbecue lunch at the resort added to the festive atmosphere, the scenery along the Kinosaki Coast suspension bridge was beautiful, and we enjoyed a relaxing foot bath in the bamboo grove and red bridge near the Shuzenji historical site shrine. The elders were very happy! 🥳

It's much cheaper than buying individual tickets, and it's enough to cover all the nearby attractions, which is very convenient.