Izu
Family-Friendly Hotels in Izu: Animal Encounters in Izu Kogen and Shimoda
Family-friendly stays on the Izu Peninsula, packed with animal encounters, beaches, and hands-on nature
31 family-friendly hotels in Izu, verified by Kids Stay: 30 with tatami rooms, 15 with private onsen baths, 20 with in-room baths, 5 with crib rental and 11 with indoor play rooms. Every listing is checked against the official hotel website or Rakuten Travel.
When you're choosing a place to stay with little ones, the worries tend to pile up. What will we do all day if the weather turns? We'd love a soak in a hot spring, but will other guests mind the kids? Is there anywhere the children can play without getting bored? Plenty of families spend the days before departure fretting that the trip will end up being nothing but long drives and restless kids.
The Izu Peninsula is an area with plenty of reassuring options for families like yours. Unlike nearby Atami, the appeal of Izu Kogen (the Izu highlands) and East Izu centers on nature, animals, and hands-on experiences, with animal encounter spots and activity attractions scattered all across the peninsula. Many hotels here also have indoor play areas, so a rainy day won't derail your plans, which is a big plus when traveling with small children.
This page covers 31 hotels on the Izu Peninsula, excluding Atami. Of these, 11 have an indoor play area, 5 lend out baby cribs, and 18 offer toddler meals that take baby food and shared portions into account, so you'll find hotels whose facilities and services are genuinely geared to young families. 15 hotels have a private bath (a hot spring bath you can reserve just for your family), and 6 of them offer it free of charge. For families with several children or three generations traveling together, there are also 11 cottages and whole-house rentals.
One of the joys of the Izu Peninsula is how different each part feels. Izu Kogen and Ito form a lively area full of animal encounters and activity attractions. East Izu and Atagawa are known for hot springs and tropical zoos and botanical gardens, while Shimoda offers beautiful beaches and strolls through history from the 1850s, when Japan first opened to the West. Shuzenji in central Izu is a calm hot spring town where even families with small children can take things slowly. Many families find that picking an area to suit their children's ages and interests makes an Izu trip much easier. Compare the facilities and guest reviews of hotels that catch your eye, and find the one that fits your family best. In Izu, in-room dining at ryokan (traditional Japanese inns) is common at places serving fresh seafood, so even with kids in tow you can sit down to dinner without the fatigue of heading out again.
If you'd like to stay in a building all to yourselves, like a private vacation home with the sea and a hot spring, Izu has 11 detached rooms, cottages, and vacation rentals. With a whole-house rental you don't have to worry about night crying or bedtime routines disturbing anyone, and it's worth checking the number of beds and whether there's a kitchen before you book.
Highlights
- checkIzu Kogen and East Izu are rich in animal encounters and hands-on attractions. Spots like Izu Shaboten Zoo and Atagawa Banana Wani-en (a banana and crocodile park) let little ones see living creatures up close
- checkWith 11 hotels offering indoor play areas, your plans are less at the mercy of the weather, a real plus for family trips. You can choose a hotel where kids can run around even on rainy days
- check15 hotels have a private bath, and 6 of them offer it for free. Some rooms even come with their own open-air bath, so your family can enjoy hot spring time together without worrying about other guests
- check5 hotels lend out baby cribs, 18 serve toddler meals, and 3 hold Welcome Baby certification (a Japanese seal for baby-friendly lodging), making it easier to travel light even with a very young baby
Family-friendly features in Izu
Recommended hotels (31)
Pleasure Resort Izu Akasawa Onsen (Akasawa Onsen Hotel)
Izu Kogen Hanairotei
Lucy Kiki
Nasubi no Hana
Hotel & Spa Anda Resort Izukogen
Shimoda Yamatokan
Hotel Cetus Royal
Izu Atagawa Onsen Hotel Katara Resort & Spa
Village Izukogen
Inatori Ginsuiso
See all hotels in Izu (31)expand_more
- Pleasure Resort Izu Akasawa Onsen (Akasawa Onsen Hotel)
- Izu Kogen Hanairotei
- Lucy Kiki
- Nasubi no Hana
- Hotel & Spa Anda Resort Izukogen
- Shimoda Yamatokan
- Hotel Cetus Royal
- Izu Atagawa Onsen Hotel Katara Resort & Spa
- Village Izukogen
- Inatori Ginsuiso
- Sanyuso
- Izu Kogen Poteri
- Shimoda Kurofune Hotel
- Bettei Ishinoya Izukogen
- Shimoda Onsen Hotel Izukyu
- Tofuya Resort & Spa-Izu
- Condominium Sakura
- Oyado Fugetsumuben
- Family Pension Earth Roof
- Katasedan Hiina
- Shimoda Prince Hotel
- Shimoda Yamadaya
- Kamenoi Hotel Izukogen
- IZU GRAN VILLAGE Glamping
- Izu Shaboten Village Glamping
- Hotel Laforet Shuzenji
- The Grand Resort Elegante Izu
- Atagawa Takami Hotel
- Shimoda Hanamisaki
- Kotorimura
- Chateau Shangri-La
Kid-friendly facilities at family hotels in Izu
Kids Stay checked the official information of 10 family hotels in Izu and found 41 kid-friendly facilities on site. Here is a sample by category so you can compare facilities before choosing a room.
Indoor playrooms and kids' spaces(4 hotels, 4 items)
- Lucy Kiki · Playroom: A playroom stocked with toys that children will love.
- Condominium Sakura · Karaoke, mahjong and other indoor fun: Some buildings have a karaoke room where the family can sing together. Mahjong is available to borrow free of charge (by reservation), and playing cards and other games are on hand
- Shimoda Kurofune Hotel · Playroom: A playroom where small children can play free of charge. The floor is laid with cushioned jigsaw-puzzle-pattern carpeting, and the room is stocked with picture books, toys, Plarail
- Shimoda Prince Hotel · Submarine Kids Adventure: A playroom with a climbing wall, urethane play equipment and pretend-play kitchen toys. There is also a baby space. It is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and is free for staying guests.
Pools and water play(4 hotels, 4 items)
- Shimoda Kurofune Hotel · Dome Pool: An onsen pool for staying guests, open from May 1 through the end of September. The water is kept at 27°C, and a session costs 550 yen including tax for 80 minutes, with each sessi
- Shimoda Prince Hotel · Garden pool: A circular pool 12 meters in diameter, shaped so that it is easy to keep an eye on younger children. The poolside slide can be used by children up to age 12. It is open from July 1
- Shimoda Yamadaya · Outdoor pool: An outdoor pool operates in summer only and is free for staying guests. It is 10 m long, 5 m wide and 120-150 cm deep, and there is no children's pool. Children of junior high scho
- Shimoda Onsen Hotel Izukyu · Garden pool: The garden pool sits in a spot where the grounds run down to the beach, with two pools: a larger one for adults (25 x 20 m) and a smaller one for children. It opens in summer only,
Baby gear you can borrow(5 hotels, 7 items)
- Lucy Kiki · Extensive rentals from a Welcome Baby certified inn: As you would expect from an inn certified as a Mikihouse Welcome Baby Inn, the range of items available to borrow for families with young children is unusually generous.
- Kotorimura · Well-stocked equipment for babies and children: The whole-house rental comes with equipment chosen for families traveling with babies and young children. Along with a baby bath and a crib, there is a baby-bottle sterilizing case
- Hotel Laforet Shuzenji · Baby and kids' items available to borrow: Bed guards and cribs are available to borrow, and children's yukata come in 110, 120 and 130 cm. Baby bottles can also be sterilized by boiling or in a microwave.
- Shimoda Prince Hotel · Crib available to borrow: Cribs are available to borrow in Standard Twin rooms only. The number of cribs is limited, so a reservation is required in advance. Please confirm the details with the hotel.
- Shimoda Yamadaya · Loan items for young children (tableware, yukata, slippers): For families staying with young children, guest rooms are supplied with tableware, yukata and slippers sized for young children. Because these everyday items are already sized for
Kids' meals and baby food(5 hotels, 7 items)
- Lucy Kiki · In-room dining for breakfast and dinner (with plenty for children): Both breakfast and dinner are served as in-room dining. Children from age 3 through elementary school are served a kids' meal, and children who do not order a meal are given rice,
- Shimoda Kurofune Hotel · Children's meals and rates: Children under school age have their own menus at both dinner and breakfast. For ages 0 to 3 the rate comes without meals and varies depending on whether futon bedding is included,
- Shimoda Prince Hotel · Meal options for children: The buffet restaurant provides children's tableware, and some restaurants also offer a children's menu. When a co-sleeping child aged 4 or over has a meal, a separate charge applie
- Shimoda Hanamisaki · Japanese-Western-Chinese buffet (with all-you-can-drink): Dinner is a Japanese-Western-Chinese buffet where you take as much as you like of whatever you like, which makes it popular with children. All-you-can-drink alcoholic and soft drin
- Shimoda Yamadaya · Kids' meals and meals for young children: At dinner, elementary school children are served food similar to the adult menu but with fewer dishes, while children under school age are served kids' meals. If anyone has ingredi
Baby-friendly bathhouses(5 hotels, 11 items)
- Lucy Kiki · In-room open-air baths (all 5 rooms, Izu-Kogen onsen): All 5 rooms have a photogenic open-air bath with a spectacular view, fed with Izu-Kogen onsen water - an alkaline simple spring that is colorless, clear and odorless. You can bathe
- Kotorimura · Shower room in the house (onsen a 5-minute walk away): Because the whole house is yours, the bathroom is used by your family alone, but there is no onsen in the house - only a shower room. Staying guests can use the day-use bathing fac
- Condominium Sakura · Private bathroom in each building (some plans include free town onsen passes): There is no communal bath, onsen, sauna or pool on the property. Each building has its own bathroom with a bath and toilet, so your family can bathe privately. Some plans also incl
- Hotel Laforet Shuzenji · Mori no Yu onsen communal bath: An onsen communal bath fed by an alkaline simple spring, with colorless, clear water that feels gentle on the skin. There is also a sauna, and staying guests can use it free of cha
- Shimoda Kurofune Hotel · Family bath: Alongside the communal bath, open-air baths and sauna that use onsen water, Shimoda Kurofune Hotel has a family bath. It lets a family soak together on their own, giving families w
Themed and family rooms(1 hotels, 2 items)
- Lucy Kiki · Kids Glamping Room: A Kids Glamping Room the whole family can enjoy together, with picnicking on the terrace.
Kids' programs and activities(2 hotels, 2 items)
- Kotorimura · BBQ set available to borrow free of charge: You can barbecue with an electric grill on the engawa veranda or in the adjoining space, and the BBQ set (grill, tongs, plates, table, chairs, cooler box and more) is available to
- Shimoda Kurofune Hotel · Activity corner (Arita ware painting, gel crafts and more): On the lobby mezzanine there is an activity corner where children and adults can enjoy Arita ware painting, gel crafts and similar activities together.
Outdoor play and gardens(3 hotels, 3 items)
- Condominium Sakura · Nature play on the grounds and the barbecue deck: The roughly 20,000-tsubo grounds include Inochi no Mori, a walking trail that climbs to the summit, and a stream runs behind the buildings. Children can play in the water, catch in
- Hotel Laforet Shuzenji · Zipline, gymnasium and other activities: ShuzenZIP is a zipline running about 365 m one way at more than 40 km/h, and the gymnasium (sports center) offers table tennis, basketball and more, so the family can get moving an
- Tofuya Resort & Spa-Izu · Strolling through Tofuya Garden: The clear Yoshina River runs through the grounds of about 36,000 tsubo, where you can stroll through Tofuya Garden. On Mount Kodakara within the grounds there is a scenic spot call
Seasonal collections for Izu
Christmas With Kids in Japan
Book December weekends early. Three ways to spend it: city hotels, dinner-included resorts, or snow and hot springs
Winter Break With Kids
Travel in the first or second half of winter break and skip the New Year crush. Choose by snow play, hot springs, the warm south, or city playgrounds
Autumn Cottages and Glamping
No one else to worry about, at your children's own pace. Areas with self-catering villas, cottages, and glamping, from north to south
Nearby attractions
Travel tips
The Izu Peninsula stretches a long way from north to south, and moving between areas takes time. Trying to cover Izu Kogen, East Izu, and Shimoda in a single trip can leave everyone worn out from the driving alone, so with small children we recommend narrowing your base to one or two places and taking it easy around them. A car is the most convenient way to get around the peninsula, but the coastal roads tend to get congested on weekends in peak travel season, so build plenty of extra time into your plans. Choosing a hotel with an indoor play area as your base also helps you adapt to sudden changes in the weather. If you'd like a baby crib or toddler meals, these are often limited in number, so it's best to ask early when you book.
Best season
For swimming in the sea, the peak season is summer from July to August, when Shimoda's beaches such as Shirahama Ohama Beach are at their liveliest. Zoos and indoor play areas can be enjoyed year-round, so during very hot or cold spells it's more comfortable to switch to mostly indoor activities. Spring and autumn bring mild weather that's well suited to sightseeing and strolling with small children.
Getting there
From the Tokyo area, you can reach Izu Kogen and Shimoda on the Izukyu Line or the Odoriko limited express train, among others. For Shuzenji in central Izu, traveling via Mishima is convenient. A car is handy for getting around the peninsula, but roads tend to get crowded on weekends in peak travel season, so it's worth considering combining your trip with public transportation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there hotels on the Izu Peninsula where kids can have fun even on rainy days?
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11 hotels have indoor play areas, so children can stay active even when the weather turns. The area also has many sheltered attractions, such as the indoor exhibits at Izu Shaboten Zoo and Atagawa Banana Wani-en (a banana and crocodile park), making it easy to plan a full day even when it rains.
Are there hotels where we can stay comfortably with a baby?
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5 hotels lend out baby cribs, and 3 hold Welcome Baby certification (a Japanese seal for baby-friendly lodging). There are also 18 hotels offering toddler meals that take baby food and shared portions into account, which makes it easier to keep your packing light even with a very young baby. Facilities in limited supply are best requested early when you book.
Are there hotels where our family can use a hot spring bath on our own?
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15 hotels have a private bath, and 6 of them offer it free of charge. Since your family can enjoy the hot spring without worrying about other guests, it's a good fit for little ones who aren't quite ready for the large shared baths. Some hotels have an open-air bath in every room, so you can relax and bathe right in your room.
Are there hotels suited to families with several children or three generations traveling together?
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There are 11 cottages and whole-house rentals, where even large families can relax without worrying about the people around them. With a whole-house rental that has a living room and kitchen, you won't need to feel self-conscious if the kids cry or get noisy, and you can settle into a pace that feels like home.
How does a family trip to Izu Kogen differ from one to Shimoda?
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Izu Kogen and East Izu are full of animal encounters and hands-on attractions, perfect for kids who love animals. Shimoda, on the other hand, offers beautiful beaches and strolls through history from the 1850s, when Japan first opened to the West, making it ideal for summer swimming and relaxed walks around town. Choosing an area to suit your children's ages and interests will make your Izu trip even easier.