Shimoda Tokyu Hotel Introduction
The Shimoda Tokyu is situated on a bucolic spot overlooking the sea and surrounded by the beautiful nature of southern Izu.
At the farthest reaches of the Izu Peninsula, where the land tumbles into the Pacific in a crescendo of cliffs and coves, lies Shimoda, a town forever tethered to its maritime essence. Once the stage of momentous encounters between East and West, it has since reimagined itself as a tranquil retreat—a haven for city-worn Tokyoites yearning for the restorative embrace of sea and sky. Poised on a bluff overlooking an immaculately sheltered cove, the Tokyu Hotel rises above it all, its self-proclaimed status as a “Resort Hotel” underscored by its amenities: natural hot spring baths with scenic views, an inviting outdoor pool, and a day spa offering indulgence with a view.
The rooms are generously proportioned by Japanese standards, providing a sanctuary of quiet comfort. There is space enough to sprawl and settle, to lay out all your belongings in neat, orderly fashion. But it is the view that truly defines the experience of a stay here—a sweeping panorama of the Pacific that unfurls before you each morning as you sip tea at at a modest table. There’s little need for the bathroom, for the hotel’s public baths (onsen), where you will want to linger amidst clouds of steam, suspended in that uniquely Japanese equilibrium of body and spirit. After, fall into a deep sleep suffused with the whisper of the ocean breeze.
The hotel’s heart lies in its spacious, light-filled lobby, which gazes serenely over the manicured garden. From here, a gentle path leads down to the pool and the beach, an easy descent that invites lingering. There is an information desk staffed by the sort of solicitous attendants who elevate service to an art form, and a shop whose shelves offer an eclectic selection of souvenirs—local handicrafts mingling, somewhat curiously, with trinkets bearing a Hawaiian flair. Dining options include two restaurants: one French, the other Japanese, each modestly elegant and moderately priced. For simpler cravings, vending machines stand at the ready, dispensing everything from hot snacks to ice cream, a small delight of Japanese ingenuity.
And then, of course, there are the baths, again. The open-air onsen—one hewn of wood, the other of stone—are the hotel’s crowning glory, places where time seems to dissolve in the mineral-rich waters. On a crisp morning, seated in the wooden bath with steam rising languidly into the cool air, where you will feel a kind of quiet joy, the ocean laid out before you like a promise. The baths alternate by gender, with the stone baths equally beguiling in its rugged beauty. One bathhouse also offers a sauna, an unexpected homage to Finnish tradition, complete with hot coals and ladles of water to conjure hissing clouds of steam. Between sessions, venture into the night air, a bracing thrill that is part of the ritual.
Beyond the hotel, a short stroll along the cape leads to Shimoda Aquarium, while a more ambitious journey will take you back to the town center. Darkness adds a certain challenge to these explorations, but the hotel’s shuttle bus, punctual and practical, spares guests the steep climb from the station—a climb not for the faint of heart, particularly with luggage in tow.
The Tokyu Hotel caters to various tastes and budgets, with rooms offering either ocean or mountain views. Rates fluctuate with the seasons, dipping low in the quietude of January. Shimoda, in the off-season, is a town of subdued charm, its pace languid and its diversions sparse. Yet as a retreat—a place to unwind, to gaze out upon the eternal rhythms of sea and sky—the Tokyu Hotel proves a splendid choice, imbued with an understated grace befitting its locale.
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