🏖️ Third Shimoda City Beach General Election Results Announced! 🏖️

Thank you for all your votes ✨
Here are the results 👇
🥇 1st place Shirahama Ohama Beach
🥈 2nd place Shirahama Central Beach
🥉 Tied for 3rd
Kujuppama Beach · Tatadohama Beach · Nabetahama Beach · Iritahama Beach

We have already shipped prizes to the five winners 🎁
They should be arriving at your door soon…? 📮✨

And the Fourth Shimoda City Beach General Election is
🗓️ Held from February 16 to June 30!
Whether you voted before or haven’t joined yet,
please cast your vote for your favorite beach 🌊💙
We look forward to your participation 😊✨

Photos added on 2/12!

The 28th Minami Cherry Blossoms and Rapeseed Flower Festival
Held from February 1 to March 10.

About “The 28th Minami Cherry Blossoms and Rapeseed Flower Festival”
https://www.minami-izu.jp/?p=we-page-entry&spot=73493...

Bloom status (updated as needed)
https://www.minami-izu.jp/?p=we-page-entry&spot=162849...

〈If you come by public transport〉
Get off at Izukyu Shimoda Station and take the Tokai Bus bound for Shimogamo (Platform 3).
Get off at Kujo Bridge and walk about 2 minutes to the roadside station shimogamo onsen yunohana, where the general information center is located. (The cherry tree-lined path is behind it.)
The rapeseed flower fields are right by the Hino stop.
Tokai Bus phone: 0558-22-2514
Note: Minami-Izu Town has no train service.
Note: Parking is limited, so please use public transportation.
Tokai Bus link
https://www.tokaibus.jp/rosen/minamiizu_2025feb.html
〈If you come by car〉
Head for roadside station shimogamo onsen yunohana.
There are designated parking lots nearby; please use them.
⚠ Please do not step on the rapeseed flowers when viewing or photographing the fields and cherry tree-lined path!
⚠ Some people step on the rapeseed flowers growing on the riverbank slopes near the roadside station shimogamo onsen yunohana, but there are lighting cables and other hazards, so please refrain from entering these areas for safety.
Note: Use the festival’s designated parking lots. Do not park at shops or on private land.

－－－〇－－〇－－－
Official SNS of the Minami-Izu Town Tourism Association
X → https://x.com/info_mizu
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/info_mizu
YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@minamiizu_tourism

Kasai Rinkai Park in Edogawaku, Tokyo Metropolis will host the annual Narcissus Festival on Saturday, February 7 and Sunday, February 8. (^○^)

The exchange began more than 20 years ago in 2005 when Shimoda City donated narcissus bulbs to Kasai Rinkai Park, and it continues to this day.
Since fiscal 2006, the Shimoda City Tourism Association has been happily taking part in special events during the Kasai Rinkai Park Narcissus Festival, selling Shimoda products such as kinme croquettes, kinmedai fish head soup, dried fish, Shimoda brand goods, and all-you-can-pack Izu mandarins to promote tourism.✨

Members of the Shimoda Taiko Traditional Preservation Society also join the event to perform traditional drumming with a history of about 400 years on stage.

If you are nearby, please stop by the Shimoda City Tourism Association booth at the Kasai Rinkai Park Narcissus Festival. (^○^)

*The booth photo was taken at last year’s event.*

🌼We have updated the daffodil blooming report🌼
The peak season continues✨
The lowland areas are especially impressive!
In some spots, they should be enjoyable until around early February🌱💭

https://www.shimoda-city.info/post/20260128

🌼We updated the daffodil bloom report🌼

They are still in full bloom!
We include detailed photos and descriptions from around the garden🌿✨

We look forward to your impressions and comments like “I went!”😌💭
https://www.shimoda-city.info/post/20260126

On a clear, cold winter day, our family enjoyed flying kites in a park with a great view of Mount Fuji.

🌼We have updated the daffodil bloom report🌼

The daffodils at Cape Tsumeki are at their peak✨
Every area is at its best for photos right now📸🤍
Come smell the soft scent of daffodils and enjoy an early taste of spring🌸
https://www.shimoda-city.info/post/20260122

Photographed on January 20th: Atami cherry blossoms are in full bloom at several spots 🌸
(Kamanariya Heishichi Statue · Itokawa Promenade · Shinshui Park Third Section · Sanremo Park · Kaihin Park · Nagisa Koen Park)
Itogawa Cherry Blossom Festival runs until February 8th
https://www.ataminews.gr.jp/features/59

This is a photo of the Atami Cherry Blossoms along Itokawa Promenade illuminated on January 17th 🌸
https://www.ataminews.gr.jp/features/59

🌼We updated the daffodil blooming report🌼
They are in full bloom, so now is the best time😌🤍!

Today (January 19) at Cape Tsumeki the wind was calm
and the weather was warm enough to skip a jacket!
(It is often windy here, so don’t forget to dress warmly💨🧣)
See the blog for photos and more details👇
https://www.shimoda-city.info/post/20260119

Minami-izu Town, located at the southern tip of the Izu Peninsula, is dotted with a wealth of geosites that give a sense of the workings of the Earth, including a complex coastline and dynamic cliffs created by undersea volcanic activity.

Additionally, Mikomoto Island in Minamiizu Town is a world-famous diving spot where you can see schools of hammerhead sharks.
Due to the influence of the Kuroshio Current, the area is extremely dense with fish, and there is a high probability of encountering large schools of fish (hammer rivers) from summer to autumn, attracting many experienced divers from both Japan and abroad.
Located in the open ocean, you can enjoy drift diving (diving while being carried away by the current) and it boasts one of the world's highest concentrations of fish.

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For more information about tourism in Minamiizu Town,
Minamiizu Town Tourism Association【official】

WEB：https://www.minami-izu.jp/?p=we-page-entry&spot=596705&cat=18711&pageno=3&type=spot

🌼✨【Tomorrow, Sunday 1/18】Daffodil Festival × Food Truck Info✨🌼

On January 18th, food trucks will appear at Cape Tsumeki, the site of the Daffodil Festival 🚚✨
You’ll find warm comfort foods, coffee, and an all-you-can-pack tangerine offer 😋🍊
Plus, for every 500 yen you spend, you can join a raffle to win kinmedai (splendid alfonsino) goods or pair admission vouchers for local tourist facilities
Everyone wins something—there are no losing tickets 😲✨

From 10:00 a.m., enjoy the regular Shimoda Taiko performance and complimentary Ikenodan simmered miso hotpot!
Please enjoy the event alongside the daffodils in full bloom 🌼🌈

👉 Check the images for details on vendors and times 📸👀

🌼 We have updated the daffodil bloom report 🌼
They have finally reached their peak viewing season 👏✨
Daffodils are now blooming beautifully across the garden,
and the prime viewing period looks set to continue for a while 🤍✨

We summarized the bloom status and highlights on our blog, so please check it out below 👇
https://www.shimoda-city.info/post/20260109

Would you like to try a refreshing totono experience?🧖‍♀️

At the spectacular outdoor sauna SHIMODACCI SAUNA, where you can enjoy Shirahama’s sea right before your eyes,
we will hold a totono trial on January 11 and 12🌿✨
(Please check the images for event details.)
You can enjoy the sauna at a much better rate than usual, and savor the hot springs too😌💭💙
Seats are limited, so we recommend booking in advance⚠️☝️

I actually tried it myself before, and the outdoor cool-down while gazing at the sea felt incredibly good…
Even sauna beginners will think, “This is addictive!”✨
I wrote about my experience on my blog, so please give it a read👇
https://www.shimoda-city.info/post/20250915

Happy New Year
This year is the Year of the Horse (Hinoe-Uma) and the auspicious eighth year of Reiwa, a year of expanding opportunities.
Let us step forward toward the new era one step at a time.
I humbly ask for your continued support this year as well.

Photo: Irozaki Lighthouse

🌼Updated the daffodil bloom status🌼

Some areas are already at their peak
but overall the best viewing time seems a little farther away💭🌟
Here is today’s (January 5) condition👇
https://www.shimoda-city.info/post/20260105

Happy New Year! 🎍
I look forward to your continued support this year.

I updated the first blooming status of the daffodils for the new year 🌼!
See the blog for details 👇

Wishing everything goes smoothly this year… 🐎✨
https://www.shimoda-city.info/post/20260102

Happy New Year!
This year I again photographed the first sunrise from the waterfront park. There was no wind and it was not as cold as in past years, but a warm layer of clouds on the horizon kept the sky dull and dim even after the scheduled sunrise time of 6:51.
Around 7:05 the edges of the clouds began to glow, and just after 7:20 the sun finally appeared!
As every year, many residents and tourists gathered early at the waterfront park to watch the first sunrise of Reiwa 8.

May Reiwa 8 bring you a year full of happiness.
We appreciate your continued support of Atami Onsen this year as well.

Please visit Izu Shimoda Onsen in 2026 (^○^)

🌼 Shimoda Onsen Narcissus Festival
The flowers are expected to be at their best around mid-January ♬

After the narcissus,
🌸 Minamiizucho "Minami no Sakura and Rapeseed Blossom Festival"
🌸 Kawazu Town "Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival"

Both are about a 30-minute drive from Shimoda City.
Stay at Shimoda Onsen and enjoy the early spring flower relay ✨

Right now, JTB’s website is offering "discount coupons usable at Shimoda Onsen accommodations" (＼(^o^)／)

Right now, JTB’s website is distributing great discount coupons usable at Shimoda Onsen accommodations (＼(^o^)／)

No minimum fare required: 10% OFF ✨ (maximum discount 5,000 yen)

Limited quantity!
Take this chance to visit Shimoda Onsen ♨️

https://www.jtb.co.jp/kokunai-hotel/list/22219/?multiarea=22219&suggestkeyword=%E4%B8%8B%E7%94%B0%E5%B8%82&godate=&checkindate=&staynight=1&dateunspecified=1&roomassign=m2&room=1

🌼We have updated the status of the daffodil blooms🌼
Overall they are about 50% in bloom, but some areas are already at their peak✨

You can find details about the garden and event information on our blog☝️📖
https://www.shimoda-city.info/post/20251229

Hatsumode in Shimoda
*The photo shows Shimoda Daruma Daishi.
● Izu Shirahama Shrine
Known as the oldest shrine in Izu with a history of 2,400 years. The enshrined deities are Ikonahime no Mikoto, Mishima Daimyojin, Mimena, Wakamiya, and Tsurugi-no-miko—five honored gods.
https://ikonahime.jp/　※駐車場あり

● Shimoda Daruma Daishi
A Soto Zen temple founded over 400 years ago. Revered as the "Daruma Ambassador of Good Fortune," it is believed to grant wishes for prosperous business, family safety, traffic safety, academic success, warding off bad luck and inviting good fortune, and attracting financial blessings. It enjoys deep devotion from worshippers. Note: parking available.

● Shimoda Hachiman Shrine
This shrine serves as the venue for the grand festival of Shimoda Hachiman Shrine. It bustles with worshippers from the festival community and local residents. The kinme omikuji is also recommended. Note: please use nearby coin parking.

Shimoda Onsen Daffodil Festival now underway 😊

This year marks the 60th festival, and the flowers have been growing well; they are expected to reach full bloom around early January after the New Year holidays.
The sweet scent carried on the sea breeze makes you want to take a deep breath.

The familiar Ho-ei stall returns to the daffodil festival venue again this year!
Their local fish dishes are plentiful and popular with both visitors and locals.

This year’s new menu is a hand-rolled sushi set 🍣
Try rolling your own and enjoy the fun and flavor♪
[How to make hand-rolled sushi]
https://youtu.be/rhaxqNB9pwE?si=0PobDLptvHwZziBM

Enjoy Shimoda cuisine along with the scent and scenery of the daffodils (^○^)

About a 10-minute walk from Izukyu Shimoda Station.
A 1-minute walk from Roadside Station Kaikoku Shimoda Minato,
The Black Ship coffee☕

Perfect for a break during sightseeing or as a companion for a stroll to the sea.
On sunny days, enjoy wandering the streets of Shimoda with a coffee in hand 😊

There is an eat-in space on the 2nd floor.
It’s a small shop, so be careful not to miss it.

🌼Narcissus blooming update🌼
Overall, the flowers are just starting to bloom, and some slopes are already turning white❄️🤍

I summarized the flowering scene with photos on my blog!
https://www.shimoda-city.info/post/20251226

Enriched dive to the shipwreck 🚢

Hello 🫧 This is Hokulea Shonan.
Today we visited the shipwreck dive site in Atami 🚢

Large schools of fish gathered around the wreck,
and we were thrilled by the dramatic underwater scenery 🤩

This time we dived using enriched air (Nitrox).
Thanks to that, my body felt much better after the dive ☺️

Enriched air is a breathing gas with a higher oxygen concentration than normal air.
Because less nitrogen accumulates in the body,
it reduces the risk of decompression sickness and allows for safer dives 👍

Another big benefit is that you get less tired ✌️

Thank you to all the guests who joined us 😊
Diving as a family was truly lovely ✨

From now on,
let’s enjoy Atami’s shipwreck more comfortably with enriched air 🥳

🌈 At Hokulea Shonan,
you can also earn the Enriched Air Specialty (SP) certification 🙌
We also welcome requests for course dates!

---
🏝️ Hokulea Shonan is a diving shop in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture.

With the theme “Let’s travel to unseen worlds!”,
we share the wonder and joy of nature through diving.

We run lessons and tours more than 300 days a year in Izu, Okinawa, and overseas.
With small group sizes, beginners can join with confidence.
Request dives are also very welcome!


#Hokulea Shonan
#Enriched Air
#Nitrox
#Enriched Diving
#CoolJapanVideos
#HokuleaShonan
#NitroxDiving
#EnrichedAir
#OceanLovers
#ExploreTheBlue

🌼We have updated the daffodil blooming report🌼
The daffodils throughout the garden are just beginning to bloom🌱
In some spots, you can already see clusters of blooms appearing✨

See the latest updates on our blog📖
Be sure to check it out👇
https://www.shimoda-city.info/post/20251223