SHIMODA, Shizuoka Pref. -- There is no shortage of ryokan in Izu. The hot springs run unbroken down the coast from Atami to the tip of the peninsula, and some towns seem to have more onsen than houses.
The Seiryuso ryokan in Shimoda is one of the best known. Seiryuso advertises itself as "purely Japanese," but the facilities combine both Japanese and Western comforts. There is everything that you expect to find at a traditional Japanese inn: tatami rooms, sculptured gardens and maids in kimono serving guests in their rooms.
But the building curves around a 25-meter heated swimming pool lined with palm trees, deck chairs and a cocktail bar, giving the place the feel of a tropical resort. Only the pine-covered hills in the distance and the worker-bee cleaners reminded us we were in Japan. In mid-June there was a light rain and the cocktail bar was shut, but it is easy to imagine how wonderful it would be here in summer. Other nontraditional features include a game center, massage machines, a coffee lounge and a more formal bar.