Wasabi is believed to have originated on Japan’s Izu Peninsula

As I walked through terraces of the plants on Japan’s Izu Peninsula, I could smell the scent. The area’s wasabi thrives in the cool, shady mountainsides and the abundant springs. During the trip, my trekking companions and I didn’t just admire wasabi growing—we ate it just about every way possible, from a freshly grated dollop atop vanilla soft-serve ice cream to sprinkled over bowls of steaming soba buckwheat noodles with mountain yam and local vegetables.

I was on a weeklong hiking trip with Walk Japan The Izu Peninsula is a hidden gem in Japan, not just because of its delicious food, such as wasabi. There are also waterfalls, hiking, beautiful coastal views and amazing onsens. John Sweeney is a Walk Japan tour guide who lives in Izu. He says the Izu Peninsula is a hidden treasure. The peninsula may be well-known among Japanese, but it is relatively unknown by foreign tourists.

My group and I met at Tokyo Station to meet our guide. We then took a train from there to Izu-Kogen where we visited a small museum of geology before embarking on our first hike. We walked and saw clifftop pine trees shaped by the wind—reminiscent of Japanese artwork—and listened to waves crashing on the rocks and reverberating through sea caves. The next night, we enjoyed an open air onsen overlooking the Pacific.

We walked through an ever-changing landscape, from terraces with growing wasabi to stunning coastal cliffs to the Kawazu Waterfalls Hike, which takes you along a gorge filled with waterfalls that seem to never end.

We climbed a mountain on the fifth day to reach a viewpoint from which we could see a glimpse of Mount Fuji. Fuji’s sides peeking through a cloud shroud. The rest of the sacred mountain—Japan’s tallest peak—was hidden, but our guide encouraged us to be patient. He said to find a place to relax and rest. Wait.

He said, “With your busy schedule, you won’t have time to wait around for the clouds to clear.” We sat in the forest and took in its earthy smell, admired the vivid colors and listened gently to the breeze.

Finally, our patience paid off. Fuji-san was revealed by the clearing clouds, revealing its snow-capped peak. The clouds then re-covered it, allowing us to enjoy Suruga Bay.

We spent our time in Izu Peninsula on the coast, which was a constant presence. From watching the waves crash against the rocks to smelling the sea air, we saw shrines nestled near the water. One of these is Shirahama Shrine, with its torii gate.

We also enjoyed meals at ryokans that were influenced by the proximity of the ocean. Sweeney explained that most of the meals we ate during our trip were in “kaiseki-style, which focuses primarily on the season and local produce.”

This delicious multicourse meal focused on local seafood, such as seabream, lobster, crab and squid. Wasabi featured prominently on some menus. We enjoyed a hot pot wasabi dinner, which included Amagi gamecock and local vegetables. There were also delicacies such as fresh grilled Bamboo Shoot, sashimi and Amagi Wasabi, steamed Scallop Dumplings, cherry blossom radish stewed, and black rice jellies and strawberries with fresh cream.

We stopped by one of the few remaining traditional katsuobushi flake factories before we set out on our hike. Yasuhisa serizawa, a fifth-generation owner, continues the tradition at his family’s Kanesa Dried Bonito Store founded in 1882. Serizawa produces katsuobushi using traditional methods. He also hosts workshops for visitors to learn about the history and methods of production. He took us through his factory and explained his salt preservation method before he pulled out what looked like a plane and sliced off the paper-thin salty dried salmon for us to enjoy. The katsuobushi is no longer made in Japan. Only a few families are left to produce it.

The Days of Our Lives Izu Geo Trail These were packed with hiking, learning and delicious food. And I loved the onsens available in many of the ryokans we stayed at. They ranged from open-air, shared onsens to private ones. hot springs In a ryokan that had private onsens in the rooms, I was soaked while watching the storm roll the sea from the large window.

Izu Peninsula allowed me to slow down, engage my senses and enjoy the scenery. I watched ocean waves and heard the crashing of the waves. I soaked in hot onsens and inhaled the fragrant wasabi growing. It’s also a great place to watch and wait on the clouds—they might just part and provide a perfect peek at Mt. Fuji.