Atami Ekimae Heiwadori Shopping Street
📍 Address: 4-1 Tawaramotocho, Atami, Shizuoka 413-0011, Japan
Step out of Atami Station’s ticket gate and turn right, and you’ll immediately find yourself on ‘Atami Ekimae Heiwadori Shopping Street’. This is the main street where travelers arriving in Atami by Shinkansen or local trains first experience the city’s warmth and vibrancy.
In recent years, traditional long-established shops have beautifully merged with the latest Instagrammable sweets shops, ensuring the street is always bustling with people. From piping hot ‘Onsen Manju’ (hot spring buns) steaming at storefronts, hearty ‘Iso-age’ (fried seafood cakes) packed with shrimp and cheese, to the ever-popular ‘Atami Pudding’ and ‘Atami Butter An’ with constant queues, the temptations for street food are endless. The savory aroma of grilled fish wafting from dried seafood shops will surely make you want to stop and enjoy a beer.
Being an arcade street, you can enjoy shopping regardless of rain or strong sunlight, which is a great advantage. In the middle of the street, there’s a free hand-bath called ‘Fukufuku-no-Yu’, allowing you to easily experience the charm unique to a hot spring town.
However, it can get so crowded on weekend afternoons that it’s hard to move around. Also, evening comes early in Atami, with many shops starting to close after 5 PM, so it’s a golden rule to finish your street food adventures and souvenir shopping either ‘in the morning right after arrival’ or ‘in the early afternoon’.
Kinomiya Shrine
📍 Address: 43-1 Nishiyamacho, Atami, Shizuoka 413-0034, Japan
Just a short distance from Atami Station, ‘Kinomiya Shrine’ is a must-visit, renowned as one of the most powerful spiritual spots in the Kanto region. Located about a 5-minute walk from Kinomiya Station, it has long been revered as the tutelary deity of Atami-go, worshipped as the ‘god of good fortune and auspiciousness’.
The main highlight is the sacred camphor tree, ‘O-kusu’, a nationally designated natural monument, nestled deep to the left of the main hall. With an incredible age of over 2100 years and a circumference of about 24 meters, its sheer scale inspires overwhelming vitality and awe just by looking up at it. Legend has it that ‘making a wish while circling O-kusu once will make it come true’ and ‘circling it once will extend your lifespan by one year’, attracting a constant stream of worshippers who quietly pray with their hands on its trunk.
In recent years, Kinomiya Shrine has focused on ‘creating an environment where visitors can worship with a clear mind’, and the grounds are surprisingly sophisticated. Besides a heart-shaped photo spot created with fallen leaves, there are several stylish open cafes within the shrine, such as ‘Saryo Hoko’ and ‘Kuri Kusu no Ka’. The appeal lies in being able to relax and take a deep breath in this sacred, lush green space while enjoying matcha and ‘raifuku’ (good fortune) sweets.
Furthermore, from 5 PM to 11 PM, the entire shrine grounds are illuminated with LEDs, transforming into a completely different, magical atmosphere compared to daytime. We highly recommend a sunset visit to experience the tranquility, avoiding crowds, amidst the soft, ethereal light said to evoke tree spirits.
ACAO FOREST
📍 Address: 1027-8 Kamitaga, Atami, Shizuoka 413-0101, Japan
Spreading across a hill overlooking the Atami sea, ‘ACAO FOREST’ is a floral paradise boasting an expansive 200,000 tsubo (approx. 165 acres) site. It’s not just a botanical garden, but a new type of tourist attraction where sophisticated design harmonizes with nature, gaining immense popularity especially among young travelers.
After purchasing tickets at the entrance, a dedicated free bus will take you directly to the mountaintop. From there, you descend the slope at your own pace, enjoying spectacular views of Sagami Bay while exploring 13 themed gardens—a brilliantly designed system that minimizes walking fatigue.
The main highlight within the garden is ‘COEDA HOUSE’, a scenic cafe designed by world-renowned architect Kengo Kuma. This original architectural masterpiece, constructed by stacking 1,500 800-year-old Alaskan cypress trees, allows light to pour in through its full-glass windows, offering a sense of peace as if you’re beneath a single, grand tree. Enjoying their famous ‘Lavender Soft Serve Ice Cream’ or original flower-scented drinks here while gazing at the sea is pure bliss.
Furthermore, numerous Instagrammable photo spots are scattered throughout, such as the ‘Flying Swing’ where you can capture photos appearing to dive into the sea, and the ‘Frame House’. Near the summit, you’ll also find ‘Soga Sengen Shrine’, known for blessings in good matches and child-rearing, ensuring there’s no shortage of attractions. The best way to enjoy it is to visit late in the afternoon and relax while overlooking the sea bathed in the sunset glow.
Atami Shin-sui Park
📍 Address: 10 Nagisacho, Atami, Shizuoka 413-0014, Japan
If you want to leisurely enjoy ‘Atami’s sea,’ make your way to ‘Atami Shin-sui Park,’ which opens up to the coastline from the city center. This beautiful seaside park was developed with the image of a northern Mediterranean resort, as Atami City is a sister city to Sanremo, Italy.
As you stroll along, you can enjoy different resort atmospheres: the brick-built ‘Sky Deck’ reminiscent of the Côte d’Azur in Southern Europe, the ‘Rainbow Deck’ facing the yacht harbor, and the ‘Nagisa Deck’ with a Southern Italian, Neapolitan flair. With plenty of benches and tiered seating areas, it’s a perfect spot to take a break from sightseeing, listen to the sound of the waves, and enjoy some takeout sweets.
While a daytime stroll with the sea breeze is wonderful, its true charm comes alive at night. The adjacent Sun Beach and the park’s ‘Moon Terrace’ are beautifully lit up by a world-renowned lighting designer, transforming into a romantic spot for an evening walk.
Above all, it’s a prime viewing location for the ‘Atami Sea Fireworks Festival,’ held regularly throughout the year. The stadium-like roar created by the bowl-shaped terrain surrounded by mountains, and the full-body experience of the blast from the ‘Grand Aerial Niagara’ showering down from the sky, can only be truly appreciated here. However, on fireworks days, surrounding parking lots (including Times) and roads become extremely congested, leading to long waits to exit, so access by foot from the station is strongly recommended over driving.
Tips for Enjoying Atami 120%
To fully enjoy Atami smoothly, some prior preparation and a few ‘real tips’ are essential.
Firstly, keep in mind that Atami is a ‘city of hills’. On the way from the station to the coast and various tourist spots, you’ll encounter steeper slopes and narrower roads than you might expect. Avoid high heels and always wear comfortable, broken-in sneakers when visiting.
Also, because Atami is a highly popular tourist destination, expect crowds on weekends and public holidays. Especially if you’re visiting by car, parking lots around the station and along the coast often fill up early in the morning, and the main road, Route 135, tends to get congested. To make the most of your time, a smart approach is to ‘front-load your schedule’: wake up early to visit major spots in the morning, then relax in a hot spring at your hotel in the afternoon.
Atami is an area with deep charm, where Showa-era retro streetscapes blend with new culture. Don’t just stick to the main streets; spontaneously visit small cafes or dried fish shops in the back alleys and strike up conversations with locals. This will significantly enhance your understanding and experience of the city. Be sure to open your five senses and feel the unique atmosphere of Atami.
