SHIMODA, JAPAN - DECEMBER 14:  Trainee geisha women, known as 'maiko', walk beside a canal on Perry Road, on December 14, 2011 in Shimoda, Japan. Shimoda, a Japanese fishing town, advertised for three women to train as geisha after their numbers fell dramatically. Once qualified in March 2012, they will work in an initiative to revive the geisha culture and rejuvenate the local tourism industry. (Photo by Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert/Getty Images)

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Perry Road

Top choice in Izu Peninsula


It takes less than 10 minutes to walk end-to-end of this quaint cobbled street shadowing a narrow stream leading to Ryōsen-ji temple. However, the appealing ambience of old houses under willow trees now occupied by cafes, jazz bars, boutique shops and restaurants will encourage you to linger.

At the east end, you can enter the old Sawamura's House (c 1915), overlooking the corner of the canal, which used to belong to a mayor of Shimoda.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Izu Peninsula attractions

1. Museum of the Black Ship

0.1 MILES

This small museum displays artefacts and artwork relating to the reception of Commodore Matthew Perry and his gunboats, dubbed 'Black Ships' by locals…

2. Ryōsen-ji & Chōraku-ji

0.11 MILES

A 15-minute walk south of Shimoda Station is Ryōsen-ji, site of the treaty that opened Shimoda, signed by Commodore Perry and representatives of the…

3. Perry Monument

0.14 MILES

The plinth-mounted bust of Matthew C Perry commemorates the landing of the US commodore and his men at this spot in 1854, a short hop from Perry Road.

4. Shimoda Kōen

0.15 MILES

If you keep walking east from Perry Rd, you can climb the steps into the hillside park of Shimoda Kōen, which overlooks the bay. It's loveliest in June,…

5. Gyokusen-ji

1.13 MILES

Founded in 1590, this Zen temple is most famous as the first Western consulate in Japan, established in 1856. A small museum has artefacts of the life of…

6. Izu Chōhachi Art Museum

10.88 MILES

This museum showcases the unusual plaster art 'paintings' of native son Chōhachi Irie (1815–99) including one of his masterpieces, Shungyo-no-zu (Dawn in…

7. Nakaze-tei

10.92 MILES

Explore the rooms and antique tools and curios in this old kimono shop and residence girdled in walls of namako-kabe (a lattice-like plaster pattern so…

8. Jōren-no-taki

13.86 MILES

Half an hour by bus from Shuzen-ji Station is this 25m waterfall in a ravine. Wasabi plants thrive in the river here; the roadstop gift shop sells tasty …