Just returned from a much needed holiday on the Izu Peninsula, about two hours from Tokyo, located on Japan’s Pacific coast. It’s been years since I spent time by the seaside, which made the whole experience even more enjoyable.
We found a cheap, if slightly run down, minshuku (Japanese bed and breakfast) located on the beach, with a lovely view of the ocean and the soothing sounds of the waves washing on the shore at night. While the place was a little run down it did offer some amazing food - turns out the owner was some expert fish chef, who runs a restaurant which serves fugu (more on that in a minute). We’d signed up for breakfast and dinner and after the first meal on our first night realised that we’d probably made the right choice.
W hat ensued was a four day orgy of fish - as the woman cooked and sliced something like 15 different kinds of fish for our dinner and breakfast. From sushi and sashimi to grilled, cooked and boiled fish. The weirdest part was the breakfast. Since arriving here I’ve been hearing a lot about the wonderful properties and delicious aspects of a traditional Japanese breakfast, which generally consists of fish, rice and miso soup (and I would assume infinite variations using the same core ingredients depending on where you are). I can’t say that it has appealed to me so far, even if where I come from we do eat some weird things for breakfast in the eyes of some people (cooked meat and cheese for starters). Still rice and soup didn’t strike me as the most enticing breakfast ever… I couldn’t have been more wrong.
On our first morning we were served what would be our fare for the next 3 days. Miso soup, rice, a dried fish called Himono and a variety of little bowls containing vegetables, noodles and fish (and on one occasion meat, whoo hoo!). Not only did I have to wake up at 7.30am to get ready for breakfast (me like to sleep late) I was then faced with a dead, dried fish that looked like something out of a horror movie. And I had no coffee :cry:
Still once I’d got over this and tucked in I was promptly converted to the wonders of a traditional Japanese breakfast. It does take a little getting used to but damn it’s tasty and filling too. You don’t feel the need to eat for hours, something other breakfasts do lack. That was it, we wolfed down our breakfasts with great joy every morning and promptly got on the hunt for some Himono once we were back in Tokyo :lol:
Dinner was also something else, and got better with every sitting. The quality of the fish and seafood was remarkable, and something I’d been told to expect. It made a huge difference from some of the more average quality fish you can get in Tokyo. And you know it’s fresh too. Alongside sashimi, sushi and some delicious tempura octopus and grilled fish, the woman served us two things I never thought I’d get round to eating anytime soon.
First up was eel, served to us boiled one evening. It was served in a little cooker which holds some chopped eel and vegetables. You boil it until it ready (I’m assuming this to be a variation on nabe), and then once ready you dip it in ajipon sauce mixed with chilli wasabi and spring onions. A pretty tasty combination, and I’ve always refused to eat eel as I find it just too disturbing to contemplate. I stick to my opinion that jellied eel is wrong though.
On the last night we were given a plate of fugu sashimi each, much to our amazement. My mom had given me an article about fugu before I left and while it sounded like an interesting delicacy I didn’t think I’d get the chance to taste it anytime soon, as prices are generally prohibitive. I don’t think we got served the nicest fugu ever but still it was a pretty tasty and interesting treat.
Once I’d decided to put my fears about poison aside I realised that it was, much like most delicacies everywhere, pretty nice but nothing to write home about really. Personally I felt it tasted like cooked chicken. Again the dip was the nicer part of it for me, another ajipon with wasabi and spring onions mix. I didn’t fall ill, even if I did get a bit of indigestion seeing as Ella only barely touched her plate and I didn’t fancy being rude and sending a plate of free fugu back to the kitchen! Two plates of the bugger later and I was promptly feeling a little on the sick side :oops: An interesting experience which can be filed alongside other delicacies like snail (tastes like rubber), frogs legs and chicken feet (both of which have barely enough meat on it to give you a mouthful).
A drastic fish diet for 4 days left me gagging for some meat, even having to run into a Mos Burger halfway through our trip just to rebalance my stomach temporarily. Still I must admit that I’m now fully converted to the wonders of a fish, rice and miso breakfast, even if I can’t quite be bothered to prepare it all every morning.
The East coast of Izu where we were staying is also renowned for its onsen and spas. The next city along the little town we were in, Ito, is apparently the second biggest onsen area in the prefecture. Which suited me perfectly for a holiday of fish, doing sweet nothing and basically spending the majority of my time immersed in water.
I remember being a kid and being told that according to my astrological sign or something like that, water was my element. And I guess there’s some truth to it as I’m always happy surrounded by or immersed in water. Another reason why I think I enjoy Japanese onsen so much. Spending four days swimming in the ocean (including a morning swim after breakfast, something I haven’t done since I was a kid) and relaxing in various onsen and public baths does wonder in terms of relaxation. There’s something primal about being in water and Japanese bathing rituals and their general attitude towards bathing and water only reinforces that feeling for me. It’s not only relaxing there’s also a certain serenity to it, which I can’t get enough of.
We also ventured further along the coast. Something which isn’t too easy without a car as train tracks are really limited in the peninsula and pretty expensive. We made it about 30 mins down the coast to a place called Jogasaki, a coastal area with a 10km path which goes up and down and takes you around some amazing views and scenery. All cut and jagged rocks plunging into the sea, formed by volcanic eruptions. The views and quietness are only broken by the slightly high amount of people walking up and down the path, which takes away a little from the moment. Still a place to see if you get the chance.
Can’t say I was particularly chuffed to be back in Tokyo once the holiday had ended. The peace and quiet, the smell of the sea, the welcoming people and general pace of life of the seaside really reminded me how much I enjoy this kind of lifestyle. Ok there are downsides, less things to do on a whim, less entertainment, less availability for certain things, but by and large the older I get the more I realise the benefits of not living in a big city. As Ella put it maybe that’s a sign that we should stop moving to the largest cities on the planet…
Within an hour of being back we’d got drenched in summer rain (turns out rainy season was just late and had decided to start during the holiday, great), hit by an intolerable heat, and I’d promptly caved in to my attempt at not using the air conditioner and turned it on much to my body’s enjoyment.
Ah well, I’m definitely going back to Izu when I get the chance. In the meantime here’s some pictures:
Izu Peninsula Flickr Photo set
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