Tokyo's Natural Wonderland
Kozushima-island is an idyllic island located south of Japan’s Izu peninsula, part of the Tokyo Metropolis. Comprising part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, the abundance of nature on the island is a given. But as soon as you step onto its pristine white shores, Kozushima-island’s particular nature feels like a world of its own. From crystal-clear waters with glowing plankton to majestic volcanic mountains, the variety of landscapes, plants, and wildlife on this small island is staggering. Forests of pine trees stand in stark contrast to the snow-white beaches and obsidian-black cliffs. Hiking trails, scuba diving, and stargazing, are some of the few activities that families or couples can lose themselves in during their visit. Being its own little world, Kozushima-island has a 35,000-year-old history that is shrouded in folklore. Legend has it that long ago, gods gathered at the top of Mt. Tenjo to decide how water, the source of life, was to be divided amongst the Izu Islands. Indeed, locals speak of the sacred atmosphere in Kozushima-island — an island of nature, legend, and perhaps, after all, an island of gods.
