Fujieda
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Fujieda is a small city approximately twenty kilometers outside of Shizuoka Prefecture’s capital, Shizuoka City. The city is named after the fujihana (wisteria), which reach their peak mid-spring. It’s mostly known for its love of soccer, which is proudly displayed throughout the city. Even though Fujieda is not a typical city to stop in while in Japan, it’s a wonderful place to live with its kind and friendly people.
Places of Interest
Rengeji-Ike Park: Rengeji is the highlight of Fujieda with its large pond, walking path, scenic views, and giant slide. Late March to early April, the sakura trees that line most of the park are in full-bloom. The wisteria follow shortly after at the end of April to early May. In the summer, lotus grow out of the muddy pond water. Fall brings orange, yellow, and red foliage. During the winter months, the park is decorated with illumination lights. There is also a fairly new Starbucks adjacent to the park’s main entrance, making for a popular destination throughout the year.
Gyokuro-no-Sato: This traditional teahouse and restaurant is gorgeous, but its beauty is heightened by the surrounding natural scenery. For only 510 JPY, you can enjoy tasting the region’s special Gyokuro green tea in a Japanese teahouse, which sits in a beautiful Japanese garden, complete with a koi pond. I would recommend going here to experience Japanese culture and to appreciate Fujieda’s natural beauty.
Kashibaya: In the Edo era of Japan, the Yamauchi family, who were powerful landowners in Okabe, built Okabesyuku Ohatago Kashibaya. The current inn was rebuilt in 1836 and had to be again after two fires struck Okabe. Now, the entire place is a walk-through museum, where you can go from room to room and experience the building’s significant history as the 21st Station along the Old Tokaido Route.
Travel tip #1: Fujieda was a historic stop along the Old Tokaido Road, a trading route that connected major Japanese cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo. There are small historical sites sprinkled throughout the city. You can learn more about these at the Fujieda Information Center on Fujieda Station’s North Exit.
Food
Nanaya: This Shizuoka Prefecture specialty serves homemade matcha gelato in seven different “levels.” Level 7 is the strongest, but I recommend Level 4 because although it is heavily matcha flavored, it is not too overwhelming. For those who love the bitter taste of matcha, Level 5 or above would be a good place to start sampling. The original shop is in Fujieda, but there is also one in Shizuoka City.
This is Café: There are several locations throughout Shizuoka Prefecture, but the cutest is in Fujieda—it totally lives up to the online photos. The wait staff is incredibly kind and helpful, and the food is delicious. I recommend ordering one of their sets, as it comes with an appetizer plate, main entrée, and one of their many delicious drinks for about 1,300 JPY.
Hachibee: Hachibee is a lovely restaurant near Fujieda City Hall that specializes in handmade soba noodles. It has small gardens throughout the restaurant’s wooden interior. In addition to the restaurant’s visual charm, you can watch the chefs make the soba by hand through glass windows. They have different flavored soba noodles, which I highly recommend trying along with their tempura. There is also a location in Shizuoka City.
Gyokuro soft cream: Gyokuro-no-Sato makes their own soft cream using the gyokuro tealeaves. It’s one of the best green tea flavored ice creams I have ever tried, as the gyokuro’s unique flavor helps balance the ice cream’s milky-ness.
Indian curry and naan: EF Curry is a small restaurant outside of Fujieda Station’s north exit. They serve up some tasty Indian curry and naan, as well as other Indian favorites. I love their tikka masala curry, and how you can choose the spice level of your dish. Their delicious naan is made using a traditional naan oven. EF Curry has a take-out window, too—very convenient!
Izakaya Okamura Roman: An unsuspecting izakaya off a main street heading out of the city center. The staff is very friendly and the food is phenomenal! They serve several types of yakitori, fresh sashimi, tempura-fried cheese, fried shrimp with Japanese mayonnaise, diced filet mignon with seared onions, special grilled cheese with a creamy roe dipping sauce, Spanish-style hotpot, fried octopus, and more. A little on the expensive side, but very worthwhile if you want a classy izakaya meal in a beautiful setting.
Travel tip #2: Fujieda is an older city and some of the restaurants don’t look too inviting from the exterior. However, the food inside is amazing and the shop owners are kind. If you’re in Fujieda, you will need to use your Japanese skills, as English or other languages are rarely spoken.
Accommodation
There are hotels next to Fujieda Station, which include a Route Inn and Hotel Ole. Both are nice options if you plan on doing sightseeing in the Fujieda area, but Hotel Ole is the trendier choice of the two and includes an impressive indoor spa. You can check booking.com for several other options and preview the properties.