Shizuoka City
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Shizuoka City is the capital of Shizuoka Prefecture. The prefecture itself is known for its sunny and mild climate, as well as being home of Mount Fuji. More of an “inaka” (countryside) capital, Shizuoka City is not as bustling as Yokohama or Osaka. However, it has great food options, cute cafes & boutiques, and most major Japanese stores.
Places of Interest
Nihondaira: Nihondaira is an elevated area in Shizuoka City with an amazing panoramic view of Mount Fuji. From the hilltop, you can see tea plantations, Shimizu Harbor, Izu Peninsula, and the Japanese Southern Alps. It is one of the best views in Japan! The Nihondaira Ropeway connects the peak with the historically significant Kunozan Toshogu Shrine.
Kunozan Toshogu Shrine: This shrine sits on the edge of a hillside that overlooks Suruga Bay. The infamous emperor Ieyasu Tokugawa is buried here. To access Kunozan Toshogu, you can either hike up a large set of steep stairs from the base of the hill or opt for the ropeway trip from Nihondaira. Admission to the shrine grounds costs 300 JPY (~$2.50 USD).
Strawberry Road: Shizuoka is famous for its strawberries. Many strawberry farms lie at the foot of Mount Kunozan and face Suruga Bay. This area is called Strawberry Road, which hugs the coastal area of Shizuoka City. There are buses you can take, but having a car is best because it is a tad out of the way. This is the perfect place to go strawberry picking in late winter.
Kajiwarayama: Mount Kajiwara is a short bus ride away from Kusanagi Station and takes about 45 minutes to hike. At the top, there’s a park that has a shaded gazebo, several picnic tables, and a 360-degree view of the surrounding area. On a clear day, you can see Mount Fuji in the distance with the Pacific Ocean and city below, too.
Sumpu Castle Park: This beautiful, spacious park is approximately 15 minutes by foot from Shizuoka Station. It’s a historical site of shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, and the site of a former castle. There are various events held on the park grounds throughout the year, including the Daidogei World Cup in November. Daidogei is a must-see if you’re in Shizuoka, as street performers from around the world travel to Japan to show their stuff! There’s also a variety of food stalls at the festival.
Aoba Oden Street: Shizuoka boasts the largest number of oden shops and restaurants in all of Japan. Tucked away from the rest of the city is Oden Street, a 1960’s-style area where you can find numerous oden shops. Shizuoka Oden must satisfy all five criteria: kuro hanpen (black fishcake) is included on the menu; the oden is prepared in dark broth; ingredients are skewered; they’re garnished with furikake and dried bonito flakes; and it’s served in an old-time shop. I love the vibe here and recommend everyone visit whether or not you’re a fan of oden.
Shimizu Fish Market: Right outside of Shimizu Station you’ll find the Shimizu Fish Market. This fresh market is lined with vendors selling the day’s catch as well as other seafood products. There is also a two-floor restaurant area where some of the freshest sashimi is sold.
Travel tip #1: Shizuoka Prefecture is known as being home to Mount Fuji. If you’re looking to hike Fuji-san, you can access the Fujinomiya Trail–one of the four trails leading up to the summit–from Fujinomiya Station. Climbing season is usually July through the first week of September. Check a tourism and hikers page for more information about climbing Mount Fuji.
Food
สบายดีหรือ Shizuoka: The best place in Shizuoka for tasty Thai food. The restaurant is a little difficult to find, as it’s located on the second floor of a building up a narrow flight of stairs and the sign is in Thai. At the top awaits some magical Thai dishes, such as green curry, pad kee mao, and tom yum soup. They have a fantastic lunch spread with an appetizer plate, soup, main dish, rice, a drink, and dessert for about 1,400 JPY. I love this Thai place–very authentic, especially for Japan.
Upper Lounge at Nihondaira Hotel: This small cafe and bar space overlooks Suruga Bay and has a gorgeous view of Mount Fuji. The Upper Lounge serves cocktails, cafe foods, and desserts. The food is decent, but the view is the true selling point. I recommend dining here on a clear day to fully appreciate some of Shizuoka’s best scenery.
Sakura ebi odango: If you’re at the Nihondaira Ropeway, you must stop by the little pop-up stall near the stairway to purchase the sakura ebi odango. This odango (dense rice cake) is flavored with locally caught sakura ebi (sakura shrimp), which are special to Suruga Bay. The odango itself is a pretty light pink color, but the flavor is elevated as the entire stick is deep-fried to perfection, brushed with shoyu (soy sauce), and sprinkled with fish flakes.
Yoakemae Burrito: A hole-in-the-wall place that specializes in Tex-Mex cuisine. The owner and chef learned how to cook in California and Mexico, and he returns every year or so to freshen up on his skills and visit friends. Considering proper ingredients are hard to come by in Japan, this place is a good option for those craving Tex-Mex food. I personally love the green salsa he makes!
Gemminy’s: If you’re craving American deli-style sandwiches, Gemminy’s is the place to get your fix! They serve up some delicious sandwiches on tasty bread, made with very fresh ingredients, too. Like most Japanese eateries, they offer set meals which come with wedge fries and a drink. Their BLAT (bacon, avocado, lettuce, tomato) is piled generously and is quite good.
Melon de Melon: Melon pan is a favorite sweet treat throughout Japan. If you’re in Shizuoka City, definitely try one from Melon de Melon. Located on the side of Tokyo Square, this tiny corner shop sells fresh melon pan in various flavors. They close once they sell out for the day, so be sure to get there earlier rather than later to snag one of these fluffy gems.
El Pollito: Another place for Mexican cuisine in Shizuoka City is El Pollito. This small restaurant has a pretty extensive menu that includes wet burritos, taquitos, enchiladas, and even chicken molé. They offer Mexican beers and liquor, as well. The food is good, but I prefer Yoakemae Burrito for the price, vibe, and green salsa.
Cherry Beans: A cute little diner near Cenova, Cherry Beans offers American-style burgers and fries. Although I haven’t eaten their burgers, their fries are delicious and so is the chicken karaage. This is a great spot to go with a couple friends because you can share a mountain of fries for only 800 JPY!
Tea and Sweets: Kinzaburo is a café and shop with a warm atmosphere. The first floor is where you order dessert items from the café and also includes an assortment of tea goods. Upstairs, they offer samples of their teas for those who purchase something from the menu. There is lots of sitting space in the upstairs tatami room and the desserts are delectable.
Yakiniku: Japanese barbecue, yakiniku, is a fun and enjoyable dining experience. Similar to Korean barbecue, you can order various types of meats and/ or veggies that you grilled yourself at your table. Some of the higher-end restaurants will grill your food for you, but part of the experience is the do-it-yourself aspect. There are several places in Shizuoka City, but Mou Icchou is one of my favorites–their all-you-can-eat in 70 minutes 3,000 JPY menu is awesome: the food and service are both good quality.
Odeco: The decor and overall ambience of this café is super hip and cute. It feels like a chill coffee café with tons of trendy and vintage-looking items artfully scattered throughout the space. My favorite part about Odeco is how the kitchen is in the center of the restaurant and you can watch them prepare the meals. I recommend going here for lunch rather than dinner.
Mifuku Cafe: This gorgeous café has phenomenal food. What I especially love about Mifuku is the dish ware: all are unique pieces of traditional Japanese pottery. In my opinion, this detail makes the experience so much better. Their pastas are quite good, as well as the black sesame ice cream. Check out the bathroom if you have the chance, as it’s truly beautiful!
HUG Coffee: A quirky and hip coffee cafe with a solid offering of coffees and teas, served hot or cold. There are a couple locations scattered throughout the city center, all with a different splash of personality. Their Blended Latte is a great way to cool down.
Unsui: Located in the basement floor of the Matsuzakaya near Shizuoka Station and Shin-Shizuoka Station you’ll find this corner tea and boba shop. They serve some pretty tasty milk teas and smoothies with chewy boba (tapioca pearls/ tapioca). Seeing good boba and milk tea is semi-difficult to come by, Unsui fills that gap with their’s.
Golden Nectar: This spot has tons of awesome craft beers on draft, as well as a small menu of food and other drinks. They feature different brews on a rotating basis, some of them coming from as far as America! The quality and selection are great, but the prices are a bit high if you’re used to American craft beer prices.
Travel tip #2: Throughout the year, there are various places to go fruit picking in Shizuoka. Strawberries and mikan (tangerines) are some of the most popular. The prefecture is also known for producing a special melon, musk melon. These melons fetch a high price, as only one melon is grown on each plant. Unfortunately you cannot pick melons, but they are quite tasty!
Accommodation
Shizuoka City has numerous hotels to choose from near the station, but there are also a few outside of the city center with stunning views of Mount Fuji. Booking.com is a great place to start!