I'm writing today's blog while Eroica Japan's representative Marco Favaro and NR's president Mitsuya Miyamoto are in Italy visiting Mapei's headquarters. I wish to be there too but for personal reasons this time I couldn't go.

By the way, almost every Sunday, wintertime, summertime, I come to a small beach called Odoi near the small town of Toi.

I used to come with my daughter, now also my younger son and our little dog are joining us as we both like to ride by car through the Izu Peninsula. It relaxes me and they seems relaxed and enjoying it too.

So, last week we came up from Shimoda through some very beautiful and still quite wild landscapes, to reach the town of Matsuzaki. From there you can go both inside to Mount Amagi and the Nishina Pass or follow the coast to reach the town of Toi.

It is a small town but it has everything you might need. Two supermarkets, three or four convenience store, banks, post office, etc... And plus, it is not as crowded as other parts of the Peninsula, except maybe during the most popular Japanese summer holidays.

It is also famous as many other Izu towns for its hot springs.

The Odoi beach is very quite and lesser known than other beaches, so it is perfect to take a relaxing day off with family and children.

It is a small thing that probably only a father or a mother can understand, but its white and coarse sand can be easily removed from children hands and clothes after they have played on the beach.

Toi (and so Odoi) are reachable also by the Suruga Bay ferry that connects Toi and Shimizu City, on the Shizuoka coast:

https://www.dream-ferry.co.jp/en/

Then from here it is also possible to reach Mount Amagi or to continue to drive on the coast to reach the beautiful town of Heda which is part of the city of Numazu. The coastal road is tortous but very fascinating!

Next week I will write about Heda and its beautiful beach and port.

Alberto