News · Hoshino Resorts

KAI Ito: An Onsen Retreat Beyond Tokyo's Frazzle

Venture off the familiar Hakone trail for an authentic Japanese onsen experience in the Izu Peninsula. This seaside enclave offers a tranquil escape, just 90 minutes from Tokyo's urban intensity.

H. TANABE· Japanese correspondent·May 31, 2026·2 min read
A traditional Japanese ryokan interior with intricate wooden screens and a glimpse of an outdoor onsen bath.

Courtesy of Hoshino Resorts

This week, PEAK Singapore spotlights KAI Ito, a Hoshino Resorts property positioned as ideal for urbanites escaping Tokyo. The outlet suggests that the 90-minute journey to the Izu Peninsula provides a crucial antidote to the capital's incessant pace.

The Izu Peninsula, southwest of Tokyo, presents a counterpoint to the city's neon-lit rush. Here, steam rises from open-air baths, camellia blooms persist through winter, and the intricate art of kaiseki dining unfolds deliberately. The region encourages a slower rhythm, centered around the ritual of an onsen soak.

While Hakone remains the typical onsen detour from Tokyo for international visitors, PEAK Singapore notes the Izu Peninsula's comparatively untouched status. A thirty-minute drive south of Hakone reveals a region less frequented by mass tourism, characterized by mild weather, rugged coastlines, volcanic terrain, and established onsen towns such as Ito.

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