Family-Friendly Hotels in Kozushima: Tokyo's Dark Sky Island

Kozushima is an island in the Izu Islands, part of Tokyo, and it has been certified as a Dark Sky Island, a place protected from light pollution, so the whole island feels like a natural planetarium. Looking up at a sky full of stars, with no artificial light in the way, is an experience a family simply cannot have in the city. You can reach it by ferry from Takeshiba Pier in Tokyo or by small plane from Chofu Airport, which means a genuine island trip that is still, officially, within Tokyo.

In summer, swimming in the island's exceptionally clear water is the highlight of a trip with children. Mount Tenjo, the island's landmark, is the stage for climbing and gentler walks, and combined with fishing and the hot spring it makes an island you can enjoy all year round. The island is compact, with the inns and restaurants clustered around the port, which makes getting around easy even with small children.

The places to stay are mostly warm, family-run establishments. Yamashita Bekkan Kozushima is the only hot spring inn on the island, with roomy 12-mat Japanese-style tatami rooms and Japanese-Western rooms where a family can settle in. Hotel Kozukan is the only property called a hotel on Kozushima or anywhere in the Tokyo Islands, and every room has an ocean view. It stocks children's amenities such as yukata robes, mugs and powdered milk, and offers pickup from the port and the airport plus a coin laundry, which makes it a reassuring choice with kids. Vacation House Familia Kozushima is a B&B-style inn where each family has its guest room to itself, with free transfers to the port, the airport and the hot spring.

There is more besides. Ryokan Fumotoya Kozushima sits close to the trailhead for Mount Tenjo and has a detached building that sleeps up to 10, so it works for three-generation trips too. Minshuku Yosoube Kozushima, within walking distance of the port, is loved for its home-style hospitality and island cooking made with local fish and ashitaba, the island's signature leafy green. Ferries are sometimes canceled when the sea is rough, so it is wise to leave some slack in your schedule. On this island of stars and sea, family time slows right down.