Jogasaki Coast (城ヶ崎海岸 – “Jogasaki Kaigan”) is an amazing place to visit while you are in Izu and it’s a popular spot covered in many travel guides. But how is the experience exactly? I will give you an idea on what you can expect from Jogasaki through my actual experience on visiting the coast as a Japanese local!
What is Jogasaki Coast
Jogasaki is a coast in Izu formed through the eruption of the nearby Mt. Omuro some 4,000 years ago. Today it is a popular tourism spot in Izu visited by both foreigners and Japanese nationals alike.
Jogasaki Coast is roughly 2 hours drive from Tokyo, or 3 hours with train & bus from Tokyo. Driving to get around Izu is highly recommended due to the lack of flexibility in public transport within the Izu area.
What to do in Jogasaki
Jogasaki Suspension Bridge
The suspension bridge located at the coast is without a doubt the main event of the day in Jogasaki. There are several ways to get here – you can enjoy a 3km hike from the nearest station (see the Hiking section below) or if you want to avoid the walk you can simply drive to the nearest carpark for a 5min walk to the destination. Parking fee is \500-\1,000 depending on the season and the parking lot can house around 120 vehicles so there are plenty of space.
Pro-tip: If you want to take a photo like the one at the top of this post, there is a look-out section right near the carpark that gives you the perfect angle to take the best shot of the bridge!
The bridge itself is sturdier than it looks, so those who are scared of heights should be ok to cross this bridge. This bridge is not long – it will only take a few seconds to cross. The view from the bridge is actually great and because the bridge is sturdy it is easy to take some nice photos of the scenery from on top of the bridge.
Once you have crossed the bridge, you can go closer to the rocky edges near the cliff for a better view of the ocean. I must note that it is incredibly windy here and there is zero safety guaranteed as you go closer the edge of the cliff, so be very careful not to have your belongings get blown away by the wind, and most of all keep safe as it is easy to lose your footings from the rocky terrain. Too many hats being blown right down to the ocean!
There is a rest place near the carpark in which they have vending machines and sell ice creams during the summer. Good to place to rest up before you endeavor on your next journey.
Kadowaki Lighthouse
There is a light house right near the Suspension bridge in Jogasaki. The light house is about 44m in height and free to enter for all visitors. I would assume that there is good view to be had from the top of the light house. I say “assume” because since 2020 the lighthouse is closed due to COVID restrictions and I was unable to climb the tower. It is unknown as at the time of writing when the lighthouse will open up again for visitors.
I will note that this lighthouse is not so tall once you actually visit and it can be a let down if you come in with high hopes, so think of it as a side event along the way to the suspension bridge.
Hiking
There is a 3km hiking course along the ocean road from nearby Futo Station which leads to the Jogasaki suspension bridge. This course takes around 1-2 hours walk depending on your pacing. Along the way you can pay a visit to the Mishima shrine, enjoy lunch at “Boranaya (ぼら納屋)”, one of the oldest eateries (since the 1620’s!) in the region, and enjoy the sceneries while your at it.
Recommendations
Jogasaki is definitely worth a visit during your stay in the Izu region. Hiking course to the Jogasaki suspension bridge will be a good experience if you have some time to spare. However, if you are like me and like to cram in your schedule, it is recommended that you drive right up to the nearest carpark and spend about 1-1.5 hours to have a look around and rest up before moving on to the next destination. This should give you enough time to enjoy what Jogasaki has to offer.
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