Shuzenji
Category: Travel
10/21/2007
Last stop in my Izu peninsula mini-tour, I spent one day in Shuzenji only to get some rest and get closer to mount Fuji, which I was to climb on the following day. Shuzenji is located inland and as a consequence, there's no breathtaking view like the one I had the day before. Upon arriving, I looked as usual for a place to stay for the night and checked a ryokan that seemed very attractive. At 30000yen a night, it was quite expensive and as so I asked for a "guided tour" before deciding whether I'd stay or not. So you'll only see a picture from the front:
I have to say that my first impression was largely confirmed: a beautiful place, with gorgeous baths and a seemingly rich history, judging from the numerous old pictures and objects that were displayed. Still, I finally took it down. If there'd been like a nice view over the ocean or the mountains, I'd certainly have accepted but in this case...no. So I eventually ended up in a minshuku which was much less attractive, but also five times cheaper.
As for the town itself, well there's not much to see...Here are a few pics of the town:
And one of the main attractions:
Just a public foot bath! Sure it's nice, but don't they have anything better than that...
The temple :
And a few graves and monuments dedicated to famous people, some of them very old and scattered throughout the forest:
To be honest, Shuzenji is perfect to stop by for an afternoon, as it has a very relaxed atmosphere, but I don't see the point in staying any longer. Anyway, my goal was precisely to stay only one day, have a quiet night and get some good rest for climbing mount Fuji on the following day...
...A goal which I didn't even manage to achieve! Indeed I spent a terrible night. The room was way too hot, as the air conditioner wasn't effective at all. I'm not even sure I slept! Maybe I should have paid 30000yen and stayed at that ryokan...
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