The History of Atami: From Edo-Era Hot Spring Town to Sakura Destination
Atami is a historic seaside city and the most famous hot spring resort town in Shizuoka Prefecture. Discover why Atami is the best place to explore Japanese traditional heritage in the 21st century. This post is the ultimate guide to Atami history and its influences on modern tourism.
Why Atami’s History Matters More Than You Think
Even though Japan is known for having some of the most modern cities in the world, the country still has several traditional towns. Places like Kawagoe, Takayama, Atami, and Kanazawa are known for their historic districts and Edo-era architecture. But Atami stands out among them because of how it blends seasonal beauty and leisure opportunities.
The coastal town is filled with traditional Japanese hot springs and bathhouses known as onsen. Millions of tourists travel here every year to enjoy bathing in the mineral waters and relaxing in luxurious ryokans. However, Atami is more than a tourist resort. The town has served as a hot spring retreat for some of the most prominent Japanese people since the Nara period (710–794). It is also the venue of many historic events in Japan's travel history.
Atami Before Tourism: Geography, Hot Springs, and Early Settlements
Atami-shi stands on the crater of a volcanic mountain located on the Izu Peninsula. Although the volcano is now extinct, the effects of its natural activities created faults and fissures that gave rise to the mineral-rich hot water springs that have defined the area for centuries. In fact, the name Atami literally translates to “hot sea" or “hot ocean.”
Early communities were said to have settled on the hills of the town because its hot springs were believed to be manifestations of deities. Since the 5th century, hot springs have been closely associated with Japanese religion. It makes sense that people would be drawn to Atami and its natural gifts, particularly after the creation of Izusan Shrine, one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan.
In the 8th century, the area became a popular hot spring resort town, attracting visitors from across the country. During the Kamakura period (1185–1333), the samurai class became heavily invested in Atami. Minamoto Yoritomo, Japan’s first shogun, was a prominent visitor of the town. Here, he met Hōjō Masako, a female samurai who would later become his wife. The Izusan Shrine in Atami became the designated prayer spot for the Imperial Clan.
Atami During the Edo Period: Tokugawa Ieyasu and Edo Castle
From 1601 to 1868, Atami served as a rest stop for samurai, merchants, and elites traveling the Tōkaidō route. Tōkaidō (the “eastern sea route”) was the most important of the five main routes at the time. It connected Kyoto to Edo, the city now known as Tokyo. The most iconic shogun of the samurai era and primary architect of the route, Tokugawa Ieyasu, stopped at Izusan Shrine to pray on his way to do battle at Sekigahara.
That battle, often regarded as the most important in Japanese history, marked the end of the Sengoku period, an era of almost constant civil wars. From then on, Ieyasu founded the Tokugawa shogunate. He also ordered some of the hot spring waters of Atami to be brought to his new castle in Edo so that he could bathe in them. That castle is now the Tokyo Imperial Palace and is currently the main residence of the emperor of Japan. By the late 19th century, as Atami rose to prominence, visitors came to experience the healing effects of the hot springs’ mineral waters. However, the town’s reputation would evolve in the coming decades.
The Rise of Onsen Culture in Atami
In the 19th century, the Japanese government preferred to develop areas with hot springs. Thanks to Atami’s geography, the city enjoyed a spell of rapid industrialization in the Meiji era (1868–1912). A train line connecting Atami to Tokyo was created in 1896, and in 1907 a steam train was added to that line. The availability of a transport system further opened tourism in the city, allowing tens of thousands of people to visit annually. At that time, hot springs became central to Japanese leisure, healing rituals, and early domestic tourism.
Shops, restaurants, and other businesses began to open in the area, and many of them still stand to this day. Atami geisha culture also appeared around that time and served as a major source of tourist entertainment. Government officials, wealthy businessmen, and popular artists were among the first to patronize Atami’s onsen facilities. After World War II, the area fully embraced its role as a spa town filled with onsen, ryokans, and historic attractions.
Atami as a Retreat for Artists, Writers, and Nobility
Many important figures have helped shape Atami’s refined image and contributed to its lasting cultural heritage. We already mentioned the iconic samurai warriors that have graced the town in the past. In the Meiji period, Atami’s natural beauty attracted more artistically inclined guests. The list below highlights some iconic artists that once stayed in the coastal town:
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Shōyō Tsubouchi: writer and professor whose groundbreaking work influenced modern Japanese drama.
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Nobutsuna Sasaki: poet who explored Japanese literature dating as far back as the 8th century.
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Eiji Yoshikawa: historical novelist renowned for his fictional retelling of historic events through books.
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Sōtarō Yasui: painter noted for developing Western-style portraiture in Japanese painting.
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Jun’ichirō Tanizaki: author shortlisted for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1964.
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Taikan Yokoyama: founder of the Nihonga painting technique in Japan.
Sakura Culture and Seasonal Meaning in Japan
Cherry blossoms, or sakura, are symbolic of the arrival of spring in Japan. People have come to associate them with impermanence, fleeting beauty, and seasonal awareness. Until the Heian period (794-1185), cherry blossoms played second fiddle to plum blossoms in Japanese culture. However, after the nobles picked an interest in the springtime flowers, there was no stopping its rise. Artists began to create poems, songs, and paintings around cherry blossom themes. Also, the samurai class used the flowers to symbolize the fleeting nature of life.
Emperor Saga held what historians consider the first sakura viewing event (hanami) in 812. The ceremony, which took place at the Shinsen-en Garden in Kyoto, featured a guest list of the wealthiest and most powerful members of society at the time. The emperor and nobles began planting sakura trees on their properties so that they could host similar events every year. Centuries have passed, but this rich tradition continues. What started off as an event reserved for the elite is now open to local visitors and international tourists. And one of the top locations to enjoy sakura in Japan is Atami.
How Sakura Became Part of Atami’s Identity
One of the best times to visit Atami City is late January to early February. The city is at the forefront of seasonal tourism in winter, thanks to an early-blooming variety of cherry blossoms known as Atamizakura. These flowers are the first version of sakura to bloom on Honshu, Japan’s main island.
Tourists travel to Atami in the winter to experience a display of natural timing and cultural storytelling at sakura spots. They also get to avoid crowds that plague the peak tourist season, which falls in March. Top destinations include Itokawa Promenade, Atami Castle, and Nagisako Park. Winter hanami is so popular that early-blooming sakura has become a major part of Atami’s identity in the 21st century.
From Traditional Town to Modern Destination
Today, Atami receives over 3 million visitors annually. This evolution from an Edo-era hot spring town to a modern getaway can be traced back to the period after the war. Japan experienced a period of sustained economic growth, and Atami benefited greatly from it. Taking the Tokaido shinkansen (bullet train), Atami Station was barely 43 minutes from the Tokyo Station, so tourists nicknamed it “Japan’s Hawaii” and “Oriental Naples."
People would come in not just for Atami’s onsen hot springs, but also for its shopping districts, sakura spots, and beautiful scenery. It became a popular destination for honeymoons, vacations, and company retreats. Even after Atami’s popularity dwindled in the 2000s and 2010s, new tourist attractions popped up that leveraged the nostalgic charm of the city and transformed it into a vibrant art scene.
Atami Castle, Museums, and Showa Retro: Preserving Heritage in Contemporary Japan
Atami's heritage is protected today thanks to initiatives like the Showa retro, which fosters nostalgia for the Showa era (1926–1989) and increases appreciation for Japanese history. Places such as the Kyusei Atami Art Museum, Kinomiya Shrine, and MOA Museum allow tourists to explore local culture and learn about how iconic residents helped shape the country’s art scene.
Atami Castle has several history museums inside it. It also contains a garden of 200 sakura trees, used for hosting spring festivals. Then there’s the Atami Plum Garden with its 500 plum trees. From January to March, the plum festival at the garden begins, and the atmosphere becomes a lot more vibrant. Many traditional-style architectural structures in the city are still standing today, positioning Atami among historical towns Japan still values.
Bringing Atami’s Story Home Through Seasonal Gifting
Not everyone is lucky enough to physically explore the long history and seasonal culture that Atami offers. Thankfully there’s another way for you to experience Japanese history at home. Bokksu Boutique is the best place to find heritage-inspired snacks, food, and gifts from Japan. You can enjoy them yourself or offer them to friends, family, or colleagues.
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