Mt. Omuro in Ito City, Shizuoka Prefecture

Situated not far from the coastal town of Ito, Mt. Omuro has an interesting profile. The mountain has a relatively gentle slope, and is not all that lofty at just 580 meters. It's sometimes green with vegetation and sometimes looks more like a snowy overturned rice bowl. Unless you were viewing it from above, you'd never suspect that this oversized hill was a volcano. Stroll around the bowl and catch a chairlift to the summit, which takes you right to a path that you can follow to circumnavigate the entire mountain in a half hour or less. The panoramic views will likely keep you circling for a while. On a clear day, you'll be able to see Mt. Fuji. Yatsugatake Jizoson, Eight Jizo( guardian diety of children) statues located on the southern rim of the crater facing the sea. Fishermen who used Mt. Omuro as a landmark erected them to pray for maritime safety and abundant catches. If you'd like to do more than just walk and gaze at the amazing views, you can take the stairs down into Omuro's volcanic crater and hone your archery skills. It may be hard to believe, but the mouth of a volcanic that once produced fire, lava, brimstone and ash is now an archery range. It costs just 1,500 yen an hour (for adults/ junior high school age and older), including the rental of the bow, arrows and glove, plus coaching from the range staff. After you've had your fill of the mountain itself, take the chairlift back down to the ground level and visit Izu Shaboten Zoo, which combines a vast number of cacti and other plants with a big petting zoo.