Discover Shizuoka City and Experience True Japan
Shizuoka City offer near Mt. Fuji provides an excellent weekend getaway fora true Japanese experience.
Mt. Fuji, which is located on the border of Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures, encompasses the essence of Japan. Like that mountain, the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture, Shizuoka City, has the same charm.
It is located between Mt. Fuji and the sea, so just by its geography, it is in a unique position to offer a true Japanese experience. Because of that, it makes for an excellent weekend getaway.
Shizuoka City is located very close to Mt. Fuji, so in this way it has a true Japanese feel. In many parts of the city, there are dynamic views of Mt. Fuji.
It is also close to the sea. A nice, hot day activity would be to hang out on a beach or at the ocean. At the port area of Shimizu, there is a ferry that runs out to the beach areas, and the 65-minute ride is full of spectacular views of Mount Fuji.
There are plenty of natural areas that are great for hiking and beachcombing and offer scenic views of Mt. Fuji.
Because of the city’s proximity to the ocean, the city is fabulous for eating seafood. The streets are full of sushi and many other kinds of seafood restaurants. Tuna is one of the prefecture’s specialties, as well as shirasu (the tiny white fish that is sprinkled on top of many dishes) and sakura ebi shrimp (a small shrimp that is popular among the Japanese).
Fresh seafood and sushi are one way that Shizuoka City provides an authentic Japanese experience.
Some other popular foods from the prefecture are the mikan tangerines, strawberries, and wasabi. If you come at the right season you can enjoy the fresh mikans and strawberries as well as go strawberry picking yourself.
Along with the food and setting, the history is another way the city offers a true Japanese experience. The city is deeply intertwined with Japanese history.
One of the key times in Japanese history is the Edo era. This era followed a time of feudalism, civil wars, and strife in the country. A man by the name of Ieyasu Tokugawa unified the country, brought peace to it, and started the Edo era. Tokugawa made a castle in Shizuoka City and ruled the nation from it.
In the immediate downtown, there are the remains of the Sumpu Castle, which was the castle that Tokugawa had built in 1585 and lived out his life in, is now a nice park with a few parts of the castle reconstructed and a statue dedicated to Tokugawa.
Around that area, there a few other places dedicated to Ieyasu Tokugawa and his descendants. But there is one more that is noteworthy because it is a national treasure. It is the Kumozan Toshogu Shrine. It is an ornate shrine that houses the grave of Ieyasu Tokugawa.
It is on a hilltop and can be reached by a ropeway or by climbing the 1,159 steps from the ocean shore below. Again, the area offers excellent views.
In April, there a couple of festivals dedicated to Tokugawa, the Shizuoka festival (on a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in April) or the Shizuoka Sengen Shrine Hastukae Festival (April 1–5). By visiting the city, it is easy to experience true Japanese history.
It is so easy to have a true Japanese experience in Shizuoka City. If just seeing Mount Fuji and the ocean is not enough, the food and history can also complete that experience. A trip to the city is one that will leave lots of memories to last forever. Therefore, come and enjoy Shizuoka City. There will be no regrets.
Access: From Tokyo, there are Shinkansen Bullet trains leaving from Tokyo Station, and the city is along the Tokaido Line. The trip takes between an hour and an hour and a half. Also, there are buses that run regularly, departing from Shibuya (taking three and a half hours) or Shinjuku Bus Terminal (taking four hours).
