Izu Oshima Family Hotels: A Tokyo Island of Camellias & Mount Mihara

Izu Oshima is the largest of the Izu Islands and part of Tokyo Metropolis, close enough to central Tokyo that a day trip is possible. A high-speed jet boat from Takeshiba Pier gets you there in about 1 hour 45 minutes, a boat from Atami Port takes about 45 minutes, and a flight from Chofu Airport takes just about 25 minutes. You don't need to bring a car, either — the island is easy to get around by local bus, rental car, or rental bicycle, which makes it an approachable choice for a family's first island getaway.

The island's symbol is Mount Mihara, an active volcano that's still alive today. Hiking along the green-covered outer crater rim and the crater loop trail across fields of black lava are popular with families as a hands-on nature-learning experience where you can see a volcano up close. The Chisou Daisetsudanmen, a striking exposed cross-section of layered volcanic strata nicknamed the "Baumkuchen cliff" for its ring-like layers, is also a dramatic sight. Along the coast, settlements like Motomachi and Habu Port offer sunset views and old port-town charm.

There's plenty for kids to enjoy too. At Tsubaki-en Camellia Garden, a free-roaming squirrel enclosure lets you interact with small animals, and the free-admission Tokyo Metropolitan Oshima Park Zoo is home to ring-tailed lemurs, red pandas, and more. In summer, families can swim at Kobo Beach or Suna no Hama Beach, both with gentle waves that make them a good spot for a child's first time in the ocean.

Places to stay range from hotels with a natural hot spring like Goshinka Onsen, to homey family-run inns and standalone guesthouses. Local specialties like bekko-zushi (sushi marinated in a soy-based sauce, a regional favorite made with island fish) and fresh seafood are also part of the trip. From the Camellia Festival when the flowers bloom in winter through early spring, to summer days at the beach, the island shows a different side of itself with every season.