Inatori Ferry

The district of Inatori was once a separate village until, in 1959, it was merged with neighbouring Joto and reincarnated as the larger town of Higashiizu. This newly formed neighbourhood can be found on the ragged eastern coast of the Izu Peninsula that juts away from the south of mainland Japan. It’s narrow network of winding streets and box apartments are nestled between the soaring vista of the Amagi Mountains in the west and the brilliantly-blue waters of the Sagami Sea that sweeps along the eastern coast. Inatori spans the most southerly shores of town and is built upon a stub of land that pokes into the sea. Here the terrain is shaped by sheer-faced, black cliffs that rise from the surf to become broad escarpments that offer spectacular views across the sparkling waves. On a clear day, it is even possible to spot the mountainous coastline of Oshima Island wavering on the distant horizon. The surrounding countryside is blessed with natural beauty too. The steep hillsides that border the town are shrouded in thick swathes of woodland, wild grasses, and the occasional flash of candy-floss pink where Cherry Blossoms bloom. The port of Inatori is found at the end of the tiny, sheltered bay around which the district curves. Most of the bay teems with small dinghies and sailboats that bob gently on their moorings along the edge of the concrete promenade, with just one jetty dedicated to ferry travel. There is little in the way of passenger facilities here either, unless one counts the eye-catching view across to the overgrown slopes of Higashiizu’s inland coast. The port is serviced only by a few vending machines selling food and drink and a small car-park, though a smattering of local restaurants litter the promenade too. Those driving to Inatori may find the labyrinth of downtown streets difficult to negotiate, but travelling into town is easy enough due to the extensive 135 motorway that slices along almost the entirety of the Izu Peninsula’s eastern shores. One of the simplest routes to the port is via the local train station found just under a ten-minute walk away. Most trains from here travel back and forth to the larger cities of Ito and Izu nearer to the neck of the peninsular. Two ferry routes currently leave from the port a few times throughout the week. Short-haul journeys hosted by Tokai Kisen lines head east to the port of Izu Oshima on Oshima Island and follow the coastline north to the mainland city of Atami.