【Tokko-no-yu】Birthplace of Shuzenji Onsen｜Seven Wonders of Izu

Shuzenji Onsen is said to be the oldest hot spring in Izu, and its origins lie in the Tokko-no-yu that springs from the banks of the Katsura River. In the second year of the Daido era, Kobo Daishi visited Shuzenji and was touched by the filial piety of a young boy washing his sick father in the Katsura River. He struck a rock in the river with a Tokko-no-kyo vajra, a Buddhist implement he was carrying, causing a sacred spring to gush forth. When Kobo Daishi bathed in the spring, his father's illness was instantly cured, and it is said that hot spring therapy became widespread.

Currently, it is only open for public viewing, and footbaths and bathing are not permitted, but Tokko-no-Yu, the symbol of Shuzenji Onsen, is a must-see spot.