Oshima

Above, a view of Oshima Island from Atami. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

At the end of Return of Godzilla (1984) (released the following year in the U.S. as Godzilla 1985), the great beast is lured to Oshima Island (Izu Ōshima (伊豆大島 Izu-ōshima) by sonic waves set at a frequency imitating the chirping of birds (after all, dinosaurs are distant ancestors of birds). On Oshima, Godzilla topples into the crater of the 830-foot Mount Mihara, seemingly to his doom.

Fortunately, for Godzilla's fans and Toho's bank account, Godzilla returned in the next movie, Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989). Mount Mihara is an active volcano, having last erupted in 1986.

Today, Oshima is a tourist haven when the island's camellias are in bloom. There is an annual Camellia Festival on Oshima. Visitors can fish, scuba dive, hike and partake in an onsen bath at Hama-no-yu (浜の湯), Motomachi. It is a co-ed (men and women) outdoor bath that has great views of Izu Hanto and Mt. Fuji on a clear day. The onsen tends to get crowed around sunset. Bathing suits are obligatory. Standing in the garden in front of the onsen is a statue of Godzilla.

There is also another spa, Gojinka Spa, also in Motomachi.

To get to the island, jetfoil boats can be taken from Takeshiba Sanbashi Pier, near Hamamatsucho, Tokyo. It is an 1 hour and 45 minute ride from Tokyo. Jetfoils to Oshima also leave from Atami in Shizuoka and will get you there in about 45 minutes. A one-way ticket costs approximately ¥5,700.

People can get around on the island by microbus, car rental or bicycles.

If one wants to stay overnight on the island (although Oshima is mainly a day-trip place), there is an inn at Motomachi called the Pension Minamoto. Contact: p-minamoto.1002@docomo.ne.jp, fax: 04992-2-1002.