Shizuoka

• Shizuoka is one of GaijinPot's Top 10 Destinations for 2019

Situated roughly at the halfway point between Kanto and Kansai, Shizuoka is a relaxing rest stop for those traveling around the main island of Honshu. Mount Fuji rises in the west of the prefecture. Its volcanic foothills extend out to the Izu Peninsula. The area is filled with hot springs and resorts. Shizuoka also produces more than half of all of the green tea in Japan and is the best place to sip sencha (tea made using whole tea leaves) straight from the source.

Fuji and the Izu Peninsula

The majestic Fuji-San straddles the border between Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefecture. Though many of the main Fuji-related attractions are on the Yamanashi side, Shizuoka is home to the ancient Fujisan Sengen Shrine in Fujinomiya. It was built by the founder of the Edo Shogunate, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and is where climbers pray for protection before making the trek up the mountain. You can combine a shrine visit with a trip to the nearby Shiraito Falls, which are said to resemble hanging threads of silk.

Shizuoka’s star player is the beautiful Izu Peninsula, which is well-equipped for the crowds of tourists that descend on the numerous resorts during the holidays. Atami, Ito, and Shimoda along the eastern coastline are the most famous. They’re highly rated for their excellent beaches and hot spring facilities.

Shizuoka is less than two hours from Tokyo via a scenic coastal train line but worth more than a day trip. You definitely won’t be short of a place to stay. Head to the Dogashima-Kaigan coast for a more remote resort experience. There you can walk across the water between the mainland and the rocky Sanshiro-jima islands at low tide.

Hamamatsu

Southwest are the cities of Shizuoka and Hamamatsu. Shizuoka is the prefectural capital where tea is religion. Hike the tea-covered slopes of Nihon-daira to see some great views of Mount Fuji and the city below. Hamamatsu has sprawling sand dunes where kite fliers come to take part in the annual kite-fighting festival. Nearby Lake Hamana offers scenic boat tours of the area, as well as the unsurprising but welcome addition of the Kanzanji hot spring resort. If you are traveling in summer, you will be greeted by a summer fest almost every weekend. Here’s our list of 15 summer festivals in Shizuoka.

Plan your trip to Shizuoka with the links below!