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Shizuoka

Fuji views, tea fields and Ieyasu's legacy

Shizuoka is the capital of Shizuoka Prefecture, a port and tea city on Suruga Bay between Tokyo and Nagoya. Tokugawa Ieyasu grew up here and later retired to Sunpu Castle. His tomb is at Kunozan Toshogu Shrine above the city. Visitors can see reconstructed turrets at Sunpu Castle Park, ride the Nihondaira Ropeway for views of Mount Fuji and walk the pine grove at nearby Miho no Matsubara. The city centre is next to JR Shizuoka Station, where Hikari trains from Tokyo take about an hour. That makes it a workable day trip or a one night stop on the Tokaido route.

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City in Japan

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Safety: 8.5

General Safety:	9
Health & medical:	8
Accessibility:	6
Tap water:	9

Read details

2/5

English is spoken at major hotels, museums and tourist centres, but less so in small restaurants or shops. Most signage at main attractions is bilingual. A translation app is helpful for deeper local experiences.

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Last update: 20 Oct 2026

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Shizuoka Summary

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Great for Mount Fuji views and green tea culture. Visit tea plantations, enjoy coastal scenery, explore castles and museums and hike nearby mountains.

Place score

7.2

Best at:

Tea

Mountains

Spotless

Natural sites

Hot springs

Personal score

Suited for

👶 8

Families

🧓 7

Seniors

🛡️ 7

Travel Beginners

👩 7

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Japan – Quick facts

Guide Etiquette Holidays Other

Power Grid:	100 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type A Type A: Read about power adapters
Currency:	Japanese Yen (JPY) £1 ≈ JP¥210
Cashless info:	Rating 4/5 Cashless payments are becoming more common, especially in cities, with some shops still preferring cash. Be prepared for occasional cash-only situations in rural areas. Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers:	Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison

Tipping:	Tipping is not customary in Japan and can be considered rude. Excellent service is the norm, and tipping is unnecessary in most places.
Public drinking:	Public drinking is legal and commonly accepted, particularly during festivals and events.
Public smoking:	Smoking is prohibited in indoor public places but allowed in designated outdoor areas. Some restaurants may have smoking sections.

New Year (January)	One of the most important holidays, expect crowded temples and high prices. Plan ahead.
Golden Week (April-May)	The busiest travel time, expect high demand for accommodation and transport.
Obon (August)	A time to honour ancestors, many businesses close, and transport can be crowded.

Emergency contact:	Emergency Number: 110 (Police), 119 (Fire & Ambulance)
Taxi apps:	Uber, JapanTaxi, DiDi
Other:	Japan is a country of respect, so understanding local customs and etiquette is important. Public transport is efficient, but can be crowded during peak hours.

Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

Background colours of the months:
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Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.

for Shizuoka, Japan

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High season:	March - May, Aug.
Shoulder season:	Feb., July, Sep. - Nov.
Crowdedness:	6 (Many tourists)

Tap on a month for more info Hover over a month for more info

Climate details

Mt. Fuji climbing season on the Shizuoka side runs roughly 10 July to 10 September, trails closed outside this period

Typhoon season August to October, heavy rain and wind can disrupt trains, ferries and mountain access

Izu coast beaches are best July and August, hot spring towns like Atami and Izu are popular year-round

Don't miss

🗻 Climb Mt. Fuji from the 5th Station in Shizuoka
⛩️ Visit Kunozan Toshogu Shrine with historic shogun tomb
🌲 Walk the scenic pine forest of Miho no Matsubara
💦 See the stunning Shiraito Falls, a natural treasure
🚠 Ride the Nihondaira Ropeway for panoramic views
🎉 Explore Shizuoka Sengen Shrine's vibrant festival grounds

You've been here?

Why travel to Shizuoka?

Shizuoka has Mount Fuji views over the bay and sights from Tokugawa Ieyasu's life, all within a compact area. Ieyasu, the founder of the shogunate, spent his youth and his later years in the city. Sunpu Castle Park in the centre has reconstructed turrets and the Higashi-mon gate. He is buried at Kunozan Toshogu Shrine, whose main buildings are National Treasures. You reach it by 1,159 stone steps or by ropeway from the Nihondaira plateau. Nihondaira is a hilltop at about 300 m with panoramic views over Suruga Bay and Mount Fuji and tea fields on its slopes. The prefecture is Japan's leading tea region and the city has tea shops, tea-picking experiences and matcha soft-serve. On the coast Miho no Matsubara is a pine grove with views across the bay to Mount Fuji and counts as part of the Mount Fuji World Heritage Site. Shimizu Port has Fuji views from the water and a ferry across the bay to the Izu Peninsula. The city also has a model-making tradition. Hobby fans can visit the Tamiya museum by reservation or a Gundam model exhibit at Bandai Hobby Centre. Two days leave time for Nihondaira and Miho as well as the centre without rushing.

🏯Places worth seeing

1 Sunpu Castle Park
2 Tokaido Hiroshige Museum of Art
3 Shizuoka Sengen Shrine
4 Chibi Maruko-chan Land
5 Shimizu Port Boat Inn Memorial Hall Suejo
6 Shimoda Ropeway

🎡Places for activities

1 Izu Peninsula
2 Shuzenji-Onsen Parking Area
3 Mirador Lake Tanuki (muelle)

🏞️Natural landmarks

1 Mt. Fuji World Heritage Centre
2 Suruga Bay
3 Dream Suspension Bridge
4 Satta Pass
5 The eight views of Mt. Fuji

🛍️Shopping

1 S-Pulse Dream Plaza

🍽️Eat & Drink

1 Odenya Oiwa
Odenya Oiwa serves Shizuoka oden, ingredients simmered in a dark beef-and-soy broth and finished with dashi powder. It is on Sengen-dori in Aoi Ward, Shizuoka City, near Shizuoka Sengen Shrine in the prefecture’s central area.
2 Aoba Oden Alley
Aoba Oden Alley is a compact lane of small counters specialising in Shizuoka oden, including black hanpen fish cake. It is in Aoba-dori, Aoi Ward, central Shizuoka City, near the city hall and about 15 minutes on foot from Shizuoka Station.
3 Hama no Kakiageya
Hama no Kakiageya serves kakiage fritters made with sakura shrimp, a Suruga Bay speciality, as well as local shirasu. It is operated beside Yui Fishing Port in Shimizu Ward, Shizuoka City, on the prefecture’s Suruga Bay coast.
4 Yui Sakura Ebi Kan
Yui Sakura Ebi Kan serves sakura shrimp as kakiage, rice bowls and seasonal seafood dishes. It is in Yui, Shimizu Ward, beside Suruga Bay and near Yui Port, where the shrimp are landed during the spring and autumn fishing seasons.
5 Sawayaka Shizuoka Ikeda Branch
Sawayaka is a Shizuoka-based hamburger-steak chain known for its charcoal-grilled Genkotsu Hamburg. The Ikeda branch is in Suruga Ward, Shizuoka City, close to Higashi-Shizuoka Station and the prefectural convention-centre area.
6 Unagi Yaotoku Honten
Founded in 1909, Yaotoku serves Hamamatsu-style grilled eel over rice, prepared with a long-used sweet-savoury sauce. It is in central Hamamatsu, western Shizuoka Prefecture, about five minutes on foot from Hamamatsu Station.
7 Ishibashi Unagiya
Ishibashi Unagiya specialises in charcoal-grilled eel sourced around Lake Hamana. It is in Mikkabi, Hamamatsu’s northern lakeside area, on the western edge of Shizuoka Prefecture near Hamana-ko.
8 Ishimatsu Gyoza Hamamatsu Station Store
Ishimatsu serves Hamamatsu gyoza, pan-fried dumplings arranged around a mound of bean sprouts. Its station branch is inside Hamamatsu Station in central Hamamatsu, western Shizuoka Prefecture.
9 Umi no Ie
Umi no Ie serves Fujinomiya yakisoba, using firm local noodles with meat scraps, cabbage and sardine-powder seasoning. It is in central Fujinomiya, western-central Shizuoka Prefecture, near the approaches to Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha.
10 Maruzen Tea Roastery
Maruzen Tea Roastery offers single-origin Shizuoka teas, tea flights, desserts and tea-infused gelato. It is in Aoi Ward near Shizuoka Station, representing the prefecture’s long-established tea-growing culture.

🎈Events

Shimizu Port Festival
Atami Fireworks Festival
Cherry Blossom Festivals
Hydrangea Festival at Mishima Skywalk
Shimoda Black Ship Festival
Shizuoka Hobby Show
Winter Illumination Events
Tea Picking Festival (Spring)
Shizuoka Festival (April)
Rengejiike Park Fuji Festival
Sakura Shrimp Festival
Miho-no-Matsubara Fireworks
Shizuoka Oden Festival
Toro Ruins Summer Festival

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Open map view

Knowledge before you go

Nozomi trains skip Shizuoka, so choose Hikari or Kodama.
Check Nihondaira ropeway hours before going, because it can close for weather or maintenance.
The stone staircase up to Kunozan Toshogu has 1,159 steps and takes about 20 minutes.
The free 21st-floor lobby of the Prefectural Government Annex gives city views without a ticket or a climb.

How to travel to Shizuoka

Shizuoka is on the Tokaido Shinkansen line. Hikari trains from Tokyo or Nagoya take about 1 hour and Kodama trains about 1.5 hours. From Osaka the trip takes about 1 hour 50 minutes by Hikari. Mt. Fuji Shizuoka Airport (FSZ) is outside the city and has domestic flights from Sapporo, Fukuoka, Okinawa and a few other cities plus flights to China, Taiwan and South Korea. Buses run from the airport to Shizuoka Station about 12 times a day. By car Shizuoka is about 2 hours from both Tokyo and Nagoya on the Tomei or Shin-Tomei Expressway. The Surugawan Ferry also links Toi Port on the Izu Peninsula with Shimizu Port in about 70 minutes.

Access summary

From Mt. Fuji Shizuoka Airport (FSZ): Airport bus to Shizuoka Station, about 50–60 minutes.
From Tokyo: Tokaido Shinkansen to Shizuoka Station, roughly 60–70 minutes.
From Nagoya or Osaka: Tokaido Shinkansen to Shizuoka, about 1–2 hours.

Check your route from anywhere

Where to stay in Shizuoka

Most visitors stay near JR Shizuoka Station where hotels are close to the shinkansen and the local trains and buses. A base in the centre suits Sunpu Castle Park and evening oden. Shimizu is about 15 minutes away by train and suits a stay near the port and Miho no Matsubara. A hotel is also at the Nihondaira summit for views. Rooms fill up around the spring Shizuoka Festival and the summer fireworks at the Abe River and Shimizu so book early for those dates. A day trip from Tokyo or Nagoya is realistic since the shinkansen takes about an hour. An overnight stay leaves time for Nihondaira and the coast.

Hotel recommendations

*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.

Hotel Associa Shizuoka

9.0

Hotel Garden Square Shizuoka

9.0

Dormy Inn Kofu Marunouchi Hot Springs

8.7

Hotel Grand Hills Shizuoka

8.7

KOKO HOTEL Shizuoka

8.7

HATAGO INN Shizuoka Yoshida IC

8.8

HOTEL MYSTAYS Shimizu

8.4

APA Hotel Shizuoka Ekikita

8.2

Dormy Inn Kofu Natural Hot Spring - Renewal Open from February 3, 2025

8.4

Nippondaira Hotel

9.0

Explore more accommodations

How to get around Shizuoka

The city centre around JR Shizuoka Station is compact, with Sunpu Castle Park and most other sights within walking distance. A car helps for Nihondaira and the coast but isn't needed for the centre.

Buses and trains:
Shizutetsu Justline buses and Shizutetsu trains cover the wider area and a day pass is available. Shimizu is about 15 minutes by JR Tokaido Line and buses from Shimizu Station reach Miho no Matsubara.

Nihondaira:
Nihondaira is about 45 minutes by Justline bus from Shizuoka Station or about 30 minutes by taxi. From the summit the ropeway takes about 5 minutes to Kunozan Toshogu for about JP¥1,100 (£5.22) return. Buses to Kunozan-shita run only a few times a day so check timetables.

Food in Shizuoka

Shizuoka's food is built on oden, Suruga Bay seafood and local tea.

Shizuoka oden:
Oden is the city's signature food. The skewers are served in a dark broth made with beef tendon stock and strong soy sauce and are topped with dashi powder and aonori. Aoba Oden Street and the Aoba Yokocho alley are known places to try it.

Suruga Bay seafood:
Sakura ebi (small pink shrimp) and shirasu (baby sardines) come from Suruga Bay and are served in many dishes around the city.

Green tea appears as drinks and sweets such as matcha soft-serve. Wasabi from the Utogi area is said to be where cultivation began about 400 years ago. Abe River mochi is a popular souvenir and Shimizu is known for motsu curry. Oden broth uses beef and fish stock so vegetarians have little choice there.

Budget snapshot

Costs compared to home

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To customise this, you can set up which location and price level are used for the calculations in your account settings.

-50 %

Daily expenses in Shizuoka are around 50% lower than the average across United States. That means you'll spend a lot less on meals and getting around.

Exchange rate trend

The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.

-20 %

Your exchange rate (GBP to JPY) is 20% better than in recent years. That means travelling now is considerably cheaper compared to the past.

Travel costs

To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when travelling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.

Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.

Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.

Daily cost summary

Travel style categories explained:

Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.

Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.

Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.

	Backpacker	Mid-range	Luxury
💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation	£52	£113	£285
🏨 Accommodation per night, per person	£30	£75	£165
🍝 Food per day	£16	£31	£91
🚕 Transportation per day	£6	£7	£29

Food & Drink

🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person	£12.50
🍛 Lunch Set, per person	£4.90
🍟 Fast food combo	£3.50
🍝 Preparing your own food, per day	£6.50
☕ Cappuccino	£2.40
🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l	£1.70

Transportation

🚌 Public transport ticket	£1.40
🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi	£17
⛽ Petrol, 1 l	£0.85

Other

🎞️ Cinema ticket	£9
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's consult	£29
🤧 Cold medication	£3.90
💇 Basic haircut	£12

Safety information overview

General safety

Shizuoka is a very safe city with low crime, including around the station at night. The main risks are natural ones, such as earthquakes and typhoon rain, plus slippery steps at shrines and on hill trails.

Health & Medical

As a large prefectural capital, Shizuoka has plenty of hospitals, clinics and pharmacies, so care is easy to find. English-speaking staff are limited outside the larger hospitals. Summer heat and humidity can be strong, so drink water on hill walks.

Accessibility

The centre around the station is flat and compact and the stations have lifts. At Nihondaira the ropeway spares you the steps up to Kunozan Toshogu but the grounds still have slopes and stairs. Bus service to the hills is sparse.

Tap water

Tap water is safe to drink in Shizuoka, as across Japan. The city is known for high-quality spring water from the Minami Alps, so there's no need to buy bottled water. A refillable bottle works well on hill walks and at Nihondaira.