Izu beaches: Atagawa, Inatori and Imaihama

Sand beaches and a sea pool

These three shores sit along the same coastal railway, but the ground underfoot and the water are quite different. Atagawa has sand below the hot-spring town. Imaihama stretches farther along the bay, while Ikejiri has a rocky enclosure and a constructed pool beside it.

Atagawa YOU Yu Beach

YOU Yu Beach lies at the foot of Atagawa, where the hotel buildings rise behind a narrow strip of sand. Breakwaters project from the seafront, and the green slopes close in behind the town. This is a beach within a hot-spring settlement: the railway is up the hill, the hotels face the sea, and the sand lies just beyond the road.

People swim and surf here in summer. Surf reaches the open coast beyond the breakwaters. On a windy day, the town’s indoor and rooftop baths have very different exposure. Moonlight can make a long reflection across the sea after dark.

From Izu-Atagawa station, walk downhill through the streets toward the coast and return uphill. The town streets lead to the public seafront. The crocodilian collection is beside the station, above the shore.

Inatori sea pool

Iso SeaGarden Ikejiri lies on Inatori’s south waterfront. Rocks enclose a natural sea pool, with small marine creatures in the shore water. A constructed swimming pool beside it is filled with seawater too. Around the bathing areas, concrete plots and wooden rest platforms take the place of a sandy beach; the seasonal layout also has a lawn and a roofed gazebo.

The rock enclosure is affected by tides and waves. During the operating season, visitors are directed to the adjacent swimming pool when the rocky area is affected. Stay on the landward side of the surrounding rocks. The hard, uneven shore is quite different underfoot from Imaihama’s sand, including when moving between the water and the resting areas.

Looking for shore creatures is part of the visit. Return anything caught to the sea alive; protected shellfish and seaweed must stay where they are. Fishing and spears are prohibited in the beach zone.

The walk from Izu-Inatori station takes about twenty minutes. The SeaGarden is on the seaward edge of the onsen district, west of Senoumi. The harbor and Korasshe are other town stops along the wider waterfront.

The swimming pool, showers, changing room, rest platforms and shade rentals form Inatori’s summer setup. The coastal summer is the season for managed swimming facilities; the shore itself is a setting for walks at other times of year.

Imaihama beach in Kawazu

Imaihama spreads along a sandy bay in Kawazu, south of Inatori. The beach is about 900 meters long and 30 meters deep, with a shallow offshore profile. Wooded slopes and seaside accommodation stand behind it. There is more continuous sand here than at Atagawa, although rock shelves also appear along the edge of the coast.

Take an Izukyu local to Imaihama-Kaigan, then walk about two minutes to the beach. Southbound from Atagawa, the stops are Katase-Shirata, Izu-Inatori and Imaihama-Kaigan; Kawazu is the next stop after the beach station. On the return, take a northbound local toward Izu-Inatori and Izu-Atagawa. The hotels stand on the shore or hillsides beyond the coastal stations.

Waves and wind affect this open bay. Stay clear of the water in high waves and supervise children closely.