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Shizuoka Travel Guide Home to Japan's most iconic landmark

Home to just under 100 golf courses and the world heritage site of Mt. Fuji,  Shizuoka Prefecture is located at the Pacific coast in the south of the Chubu Region, Japan. Well known for its green tea production, hot springs, and natural scenery, the prefecture is a must-see for anyone visiting the country. About 11% of the prefecture is designated as natural park land, including the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, Tenryu-Okumikawa Quasi-National Park, and Minami Alps National Park. Shizuoka is a popular tourist destination because of its easy access from Tokyo. You can reach the prefecture's capital, Shizuoka City, in about one hour by Shinkansen (bullet train) or three hours using local trains or a highway bus.

Photo: Mount Fuji at Dawn, Shizuoka Prefecture by miquitos, under cc https://flic.kr/p/6B7zvT

Things to Do

The list of things to do in Shizuoka is not short. The center of sightseeing fame in beautiful prefecture is, of course, Mt. Fuji. Standing 3,776 meters tall, Fuji-san is the highest peak in Japan. Climb from the 5th station of the mountain for the shortest route to the summit and enjoy a breathtaking view. The best season for climbing is between early July and late August. It is rare to play a golf course in Shizuoka that does not have some view of the towering giant, and on those lucky clear days Shizuoka is the most ideal location for a golf-selfie or group tee-box pic in the world.

For a far less strenuous - but just as enjoyable - pastime, you can visit Greenpia Makinohara and try your hand at tea-picking. Next to the tea field you can tour a factory where you can see how green tea is processed. You can even learn the best way to serve this famous beverage. The month for tea-picking is May.

After a strenuous day climbing Mount Fuji, playing golf or even picking tea leaves, there is no better way to relax than enjoying a bath in one of Shizuoka's many onsen (hot springs.) The Izu Peninsula offers a number of hot springs with spectacular views of the ocean.

Photo:Private outdoor onsen! by Kzaral, cc https://flic.kr/p/npAcPh

Flavors of Shizuoka

Shizuoka has its own delicious food specialties, as most places in Japan. When you're in Shizuoka and see "unagi no kabayaki" on the menu, make sure to taste it. For this dish, eel is dipped in a soy-based sauce and then broiled over a grill. Another must-try when visiting the prefecture is oden, a one pot winter dish of various ingredients, such as boiled eggs, potatoes, daikon, etc. slowly simmered in a light, soy-flavored dashi broth. Shizuoka's version has a stronger soy flavor and includes beef sinew in the stock. Last but not least, sakuraebi, or cherry shrimp, are one of the prefecture's most famous foods. These tiny shrimp are cooked and served in many different ways, so you will, without a doubt, be able to find a sakuraebi dish to your taste.

Photo: 由比記録 by BM iPhone, cc, https://flic.kr/p/87MQ4T

What to Bring Back

If you're looking for the perfect souvenir to bring back from Shizuoka, well we've already established that Shizuoka produces great tea, so bringing back a pack of green delight definitely won’t disappoint.

For those who like something a little stronger though, there are many famous sake, wine and craft beer producers in the area, and it is rumoured that the sacred meltwater and aquafurs fed by Fuji-San used to make the sake in particular, are more pure and rich in flavor than sake of other areas in Japan.

[Check out more information on what to look out for when buying sake in Japan HERE.]

For something a little different from Shizuoka try Unagi Pie. Despite not tasting like it, the sweet puff pastry actually contains eel, a specialty of the prefecture. You can even take a tour of the Unagi Pie factory complete with free tasting!

Photo: Baird Beer: Suruga Bay Imperial Ale by The Sampler, CC, https://flic.kr/p/BNamRR

Wrap up

Shizuoka Prefecture has a lot to offer, from the most iconic mountain in Japan to vast, verdant, green tea fields to some of the nicest hot springs of the country. If you want to explore a little bit more of Japan than just Tokyo without having to travel too far, Shizuoka is the place to go.

Getting there

From Tokyo:
1h by train (Tokyo Station to Mishima Station is a popular destination)
Allow  bewteen 1.5 -3 hours by car depending on where you go. (Take the Tomei or Shin-Tomei expressway)

From Osaka
2h by Shinkansen (Shin-Osaka Station to Mishima Station)
About 5 hours by car (Shin Tomei expressway)

Map

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