Izu Oshima

A harbor that was carved out in the 1700s by a great tsunami. Inside is a traditional Japanese fishing village that never quite managed to catch up to modern times. You can watch fishermen dragging in their latest catch here. You can also sample some of the finest sushi in the world at the sushi restaurant Nishikawa. There are several overlooks that provide stunning panoramic views of the harbor along the main road. There is also a small museum made out of an old ryokan (Japanese inn) overlooking the harbor.

An active volcano that last erupted in 1986. Surrounded by a vast desert of lava, one can travel up to the rim and peer down into the brightly colored several-hundred meter drop. It is best to go on a clear day, as clouds can obscure your vision tremendously and make getting lost quite easy.

Established in 1990, after the 1986 eruption of Mt. Mihara. The first floor of this large museum features the complete history of the last eruption and provides just enough English explanation to be able to follow the main thread. The second floor is reserved for more general information about volcanoes with less English explanation, but many photographs from volcanoes worldwide.

Exposed stratum layers are visible along the inner side of the loop road between the villages of Nomashi and Mabushi on the west side of the island. Discovered by road construction crews in the 1950s, over 90 layers of stratum are visible. The island's geological history is made obvious when one looks upon the layers of ash, interspersed by fault lines.

Famous for its world-record holding collection of camellia trees. The park has over one hundred different varieties, and is an excellent place to take a stroll or jog, especially from early February to late March when the camellia flowers are blooming.

Part of Oshima Park. Be sure to bring some ashitaba (a flowering plant) to feed to the animals! The zoo is under construction, but approximately one-third of the exhibits are open.