Shizuoka is situated perfectly (in our opinion) in the middle of Honshu, so it’s an ideal place for a few days of your trip to Japan. It’s less than an hour on the Shinkansen from Tokyo, and just over an hour to Osaka and Kyoto. For those who have bought the JR pass, you can go anywhere! But today, we’ll be sharing 6 suggestions for what to do while you’re in Shizuoka city.
Kunouzan and Kunouzan Toushougu- Nihon Daira
You have to take a bus or taxi to get to Kunozan and Nihon Daira from Shizuoka city centre, but it’s well worth the trip. Kunozan Toshogu shrine is impressive, and Nihon Daira’s newly opened Yume Terrace is the perfect spot for viewing Mount Fuji. Click the link below to read our post about the area:
Where to go in Shizuoka: Kunozan Toshogu
Drink Green Tea in Chamachi
Shizuoka is famous for its’ green tea, and in the Chamachi area of Shizuoka you’ll find lots of tea wholesalers, retailers, and the Tea Market. Spend a morning walking around the area and you’ll find plenty to see- it’s also the perfect place to pick up some Omiyage souvenirs for people back home! We recommend Kinzaburo for their green tea parfait which you can eat in their washitsu room upstairs. Also worth a look is Kojima Chaten- who stock a large variety of different types of Shizuoka tea.
Shimizu and Miho no Matsubara– the perfect place to see mount Fuji, Miho no Matsubara’s pine trees and black volcanic sands have been immortalised in art such as woodblock prints by Utagawa Hiroshige. Beautiful and peaceful.
Shimizu- Shimizu is a port, so you’ll find yummy seafood and sushi, and it’s also the home of Chibi Maruko chan land, and S-Pulse Dream Plaza. There are also lots of independent cafes and shops.
Sunpu castle park Shizuoka city was once a post town on the Tokaido route from Tokyo to Kyoto in the Edo Period. Although the castle itself burnt down and was not reconstructed, the walls remain and the park itself is lovely. Momijiyama Teien, the traditional Japanese garden within the park is well worth a visit too, although you have to pay an entrance fee. You can also visit the tea room where you can drink Shizuoka tea and eat Wagashi Japanese sweets for around 500 yen.
Shizuoka Sengen Jinja- Shizuoka Sengen Jinja is large and impressive, and it is often fairly peaceful (apart from when they have matsuri- then it’s packed with people and yatai food stands). Climb up the steps and the hill for a beautiful view of Mount Fuji when the weather is clear. There is also a hike from Sengen Jinja into the surrounding hills and tea fields.
We have loads more suggestions for things to do in Shizuoka, so make sure you check our blog again. We’ll be uploading suggestions and things to do over here, and on our instagram @myhotel_ryugu ♡
