Izu Oshima is a small volcanic island about 100 km South of Tokyo. It has subtropical climate and is famous for tsubaki = camellia. Every year from January till March the locals welcome visitors to the Izu Oshima Tsubaki Matsuri, their beautiful camellia festival. Judit Kawaguchi reported about this fascinating place for NHK World TV.

Izu Oshima island is fun to visit all year round, but don’t miss the Tsubaki Matsuri! To go to Izu Oshima from Tokyo, you can take the high-speed jet ferry from Takeshiba Pier in Tokyo and you’ll arrive on the island in one hour and 45 minutes.
Or take the train or the shinkansen to Atami on the Izu peninsula and switch to a ferry from there. Either way, spend a night or two on the island so you’ll have time to explore.