We can’t wait to welcome you to Shimoda this September. In this guide, you will find some information that you can refer to in order to plan your trip.
Location
The workshop will take place in the town of Shimoda, which is located in the Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka Prefecture. The closest major cities are Yokohama and Tokyo, and the closest international airport is Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.
Learn about Shimoda on Japan-Guide
See our UX Workshop saved places on Google Maps
Getting to Shimoda
- The closest train station to the workshop is Izukyu-Shimoda Station (伊豆急下田駅)
- There are multiple ways to get there by train, but we recommend taking the “Odoriko” - a special express train that goes from Tokyo station via Shinagawa and Yokohama to Izukyu-Shimoda. (left photo below)
- The trip is scenic, with great views of the ocean as you go down from Tokyo on the left side of the train.
- There are 4-5 trains a day, and it is best to book in advance with JR. It takes about 2 hours 40 minutes from Tokyo station and costs 6,180 JPY.
- There is also a special version of the Odoriko, called the “Saphir Odoriko” which has luxurious seats, big windows and private compartments. (right photo below) There are about 3 a day of this train and the tickets cost about 5,000 JPY more than the regular Odoriko.
- If you are coming from outside Tokyo, want to travel later than the last Odoriko train, or prefer a more affordable option, you can also get a regular JR train or Shinkansen to Atami Station and change to the Ito line to Izukyu-Shimoda, but it takes about an hour longer than the Odoriko as it is not an express train.
Getting Around in Shimoda
- The town is generally walkable. The central part of the town is accessible on foot directly from the station and features restaurants, souvenir shops, two supermarkets and two convenience stores.
- The most famous tourist attraction is Perry Road, the location where American Admiral Perry and his ships were provided a safe haven to come ashore to establish diplomatic relations with Japan in the 1850s, ending two centuries of Japanese isolation.