Shuzenji Onsen hot springs in the Izu Peninsula, blessed with good hot springs everywhere, is the oldest one in the region.

Shuzenji Onsen with more than 20 ryokans stands along the both sides of the Shuzenji River for a kilometer as shown in the first photo.  This onsen is very traditional one and is located in the north of the Izu Peninsula.  Tradition says that Kukai (Kobo-Taishi), a high-ranking priest, discovered a hot spring gushing out on the bank of the river in the 9^th century.  This is thought to be the origin of the onsen and is still used as a footbath called Tokko-no-Yu as shown in the second photo.  Like most old onsens in Japan, this onsen was for hot-spring cure for a long time.  In the second half of the 19^th century, however, in accordance with the Improvement of public transport by train from Tokyo, famous writers and artists began to visit here for rest in a relaxed manner.  Shuzenji Onsen, accordingly, gradually changed from an unsophisticated hot springs for a cure to an intellectual polished place as shown in other photos.

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