Shizuoka City 静岡市, located in Shizuoka Prefecture, is one of the major cities between Tokyo and Nagoya. Many visitors may not be familiar with Shizuoka, as it’s not as well-known as Kyoto and Osaka. Yet this underrated city and prefecture is worth a visit.
Whether you want to see the majestic Mount Fuji, learn more about the shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu, try local seafood from Suruga Bay, or drink locally brewed green tea and matcha desserts, this city is waiting for you to visit.
Justin and I stayed in Shizuoka for 6 nights to explore the area and visit other cities in the prefecture. We enjoyed our visit as it wasn’t crowded and had a more relaxing pace. We would love to return.
Since there are many things to do in Shizuoka City as a first time visitor, you’ll need to think about how you want to spend your time. You can easily spend 1-2 days here.
To help with your planning, we put together this guide on what to do in Shizuoka City. Many of the attractions are within walking distance or a bus ride from Shizuoka Station.
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Map
Click on the image to see a larger view of this map. Credit: Map data: Google
Find colorful manhole covers.
Shizuoka City has some of the prettiest manhole covers that we’ve seen in Japan. Many of them are colored, so they brighten up the sidewalks and roads. Just keep an eye out for any covers that you encounter. There are a few covers right outside Shizuoka Station.
We loved seeing the colorful flower covers scattered throughout the city. Red azaleas and the pink hollyhocks are popular covers that you’ll see.
There are also other fun and exciting designs, such as:
Gundam – If you like the Gundam anime, there are two covers to check out. One is in front of Shizuoka Station North Exit; the second one is in front of the Shizuoka Hobby Square.
Gundam manhole cover in Shizuoka
Chibi Maruko Chan – Chibi Maruko Chan is an anime and manga that depicts everyday life of the main character, Momoko Sakura. The series is set in Irie District (now Shimizu area of Shizuoka City). So, the city has many colorful manhole covers of Momoko Sakura and friends, Tamae Honami and Kazuhiko Hanawa. Some of the locations are Shizuoka Station South Exit, S Pulse Dream Plaza, and Shizuoka City Hall.
There are several Chibi Maruko Chan manhole cover designs around Shizuoka.
Note: If you’re a fan of Maruko Chan, check out the Chibi Maruko Chan Land at S-Pulse Dream Plaza in Shizuoka. It’s a mini museum where you can meet Maruko-chan and her friends. Click here for details.
Pokémon Poke Lid – Located near the Sumpu Castle Park entrance, there is 1 Pokémon Lid with the two characters, Ivysaur and Staraptor.
A Pokemon manhole cover of Ivysaur and Staraptor
Download a copy of a PDF map of the Shizuoka City manhole cover locations here. (Map is in Japanese, but you can use a Translation app.)
Collect manhole cards.
Did you know that you can collect manhole cards in Japan? These cards showcase one of the manhole covers in the city and are a fun souvenir. Cards are free to pick up.
We’re obsessed with collecting these cards and wrote a blog post on how to get the manhole cover cards here.
Chibi Maruko Chan’s manhole covers are adorable. This one is located next to Shimizu Station
At the time of posting, there are two locations in Shizuoka City for pick up: 1) Shizuoka City Waterworks Bureau Building, 6th floor, and 2) Shimizu Station Tourist Information Center (next to JR Shimizu Station). We didn’t have any issues with obtaining the cards.
Run Shizuoka Marathon.
Do you have a marathon on your travel bucket list? Consider running the Shizuoka Marathon.
It’s a medium-sized race with 12,000 participants and occurs annually on the second Sunday of March. The 42 km (26.2 mile) course starts at Shizuoka Sumpu Castle area ends at Shimizu Station.
Some main draws of this race include the chance to see Mount Fuji and the mostly flat course. It’s the perfect race for first-time and seasoned marathoners. So you may get a personal best (PB) time here.
Justin had the chance to run the 2025 Shizuoka Marathon. He loved the experience, especially the chance to refuel by eating locally grown strawberries at the hydration station. He also received a PB too!
Justin still had lots of energy as he was close to the finish line
Walk around Sumpu Castle Park.
Located 15 minutes away from the Shizuoka Station by walking, Sumpu Castle Park 駿府城公園 is a former castle ground for Tokugawa Ieyasu. He was the first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate (Edo shogunate) from March 1603 to April 1605.
The Castle Park is open to the public for free, so you can wander through it. This area is very popular during the spring season for the cherry blossoms. We only had a chance to walk through the park as the castle area was closed in the late evening.
This is what the Sumpu Castle Park looks like at night
There are a few landmarks that require a small fee. The cost is 360 yen for adults and 120 yen for children (elementary or junior high students) to see the below:
- Higashi Gomon/Tatsumi Yagura is on the eastern side of the castle. It’s a gate that was restored in 1996. The original use of the gate was to defend against enemies, such as dropping stones or firing arrows.
- Hitsujisaru Yagura is located in the southwest area of the castle. There are five rooms to explore, and you can see a replica of Tokugawa Ieyasu’s armor.
- Momijiyama Garden is a beautiful garden with seasonal plants and a small pond. Check out the seasonal plants such as cherry blossoms in the spring, hydrangeas in the summer, fall leaves in autumn, and camellias in winter.
For more information, check out the official website.
Address: 1-1 Sunpujokoen, Aoi Ward, Shizuoka, 420-0855, Japan
Eat delicious seafood at Shimizu Fish Market.
Hungry for fresh seafood or the daily catch of the day? Visit Shimizu Fish Market (Kashi-no-Ichi Market) located next to Shizuoka’s Shimizu Station.
It’s one of our memorable experiences in Shizuoka, as we had fresh tuna bowls and seafood bowls almost every day during our trip.
Justin and I chose our five fresh fish of the day at Donbei restaurant
There are two buildings – one is the seafood market, and the other is restaurants only. We recommend visiting the building with just the restaurants. There are two floors where you can pick whatever looks delicious to you.
Some of the local specialties are whitefish (shirasu), sakura shrimp (sakura ebi), and fresh tuna (meguro). Yum!
If the options overwhelm you, check out our blog post for Shimizu Fish Market restaurant recommendations. We went to all the restaurants that we wrote about.
Address: 149 Shimazakicho, Shimizu Ward, Shizuoka, 424-0823, Japan
Eat matcha desserts or drink green tea.
Did you know that Shizuoka Prefecture is the largest producer of green tea in Japan? It may surprise you that this prefecture produces about 40% of the national total.
We recommend enjoying matcha dessert or sit down at a cafe to enjoy a nice cup of green tea. Sencha is the most grown tea in the area. It’s chopped green tea with a hint of sweetness and umami (savory).
In Shizuoka City, we went to two places for matcha desserts – 1) Nanaya Shizuoka ななや 静岡店 for the matcha gelato, and 2) Japanese Tea Kimakura Saryo ASTY Shizuoka Branch 日本茶きみくら茶寮 ASTY静岡店 at the Asty Shopping Center. Both places are worth a visit to experience the delicious matcha gelatos and the desserts. We loved Kimakura’s beautifully decorated parfait.
Check out our blog post on where to eat in Shizuoka City to learn more about our experiences at these two dessert places.
The matcha gelatos are worth trying at Nanaya Shizuoka
Take a ferry from Shimizu Port to Toi Port.
Interested in taking a ferry across the Surugu Bay from Shimizu Port to Toi Port (also called the Prefectural Route 223)? It’s a 75 minute ferry that travels between Shimizu and Izu area, and you get the chance to see Mount Fuji.
One of the coolest parts about taking this ferry is trying these blue food items on board: 1) original Surugawan blue gelato made with 100% sea salt from Surugu Bay, and 2) blue bamkuchen made with blue jelly from butterfly pea tea, 3) other fun items with “223” on it.
Once you’re in Toi, you can spend the day walking to nearby sites or take the bus to sites in the outer area. Click here to see ideas on how to spend your time in Toi.
We originally wanted to take this ferry as it was included in the 3-day Japan Railways (JR) Mt. Fuji Shizuoka Area Tourist Pass Mini that we used to travel around Shizuoka Prefecture. Unfortunately, Shimizu Port was closed for several months due to maintenance. So, we’ll need to visit again to take the cruise.
For more information on the ferry and cost, check out the website.
Address (to Shimizu Marine Terminal for departure): Japan, 〒424-0922 Shizuoka, Shimizu Ward, Hinodecho, 10−80 清水マリンターミナル
Visit a plastic model kit museum.
Did you know that Shizuoka Prefecture produces the most plastic model kits in the country? Thus, it’s called “The Model City.”
The model kits are made out of injected plastic, and the parts are connected. Thus, hobbyists punch out each part and connect them with glue or by snapping them together.
I loved seeing the model kit art installations around Shizuoka City
The top companies in the area are Tamiya, Hasegawa, Aoshima, Fujimi Mokai, and Bandai.
If you’re interested in visiting a museum, check out Tamiya Head Office 株式会社タミヤ本社. It’s free to visit, but reservations are required in advance. You can view the Archive Room to see vintage and current toys, see life size vehicles on display, and go shopping at the official store. Click here for more information.
Unfortunately, we didn’t have a chance to visit Tamiya. But we saw the plastic model kits art installations when walking around Shizuoka City. Koko Hotel (formerly Hotel Wing) also had an art display at the entrance.
Visit Miho no Matsubara (Pine Grove).
Miho no Matsubara 三保の松原 is a beautiful place in Shizuoka’s coastal area. It received recognition as one of the “New Three Views of Japan.” Visitors love seeing the row of pine trees along the coast. On a clear day, you can see Mount Fuji and across the water to Izu Peninsula. It’s free to visit.
Hagoromo Pine Tree (Third Generation) 羽衣の松 (三代目) is an important landmark in the area. It’s the location of the Hagoromo (feather robe) story, where a fisherman meets a celestial maiden. She placed her hagoromo on a tree and swam in the water. The fisherman found the hagoromo and thought it was abandoned. He demanded that she give a celestial dance to get the hagoromo back.
Nearby is the Shimizu Lighthouse and Miho Misaki Beach. The beach has black sand due to the volcanic activity that formed the area.
We didn’t have a chance to visit the Pine Grove, but we’ll visit this area on a return trip.
Learn more about Miho no Matsubara on the website here.
Address: 1338-45 Miho, Shimizu Ward, Shizuoka, 424-0901, Japan
Visit Shizuoka Sengen Shrine.
Shizuoka Sengen Shrine 駿河國総社 静岡浅間神社 encompasses three shrines: Kambe Shrine, Sengen Shrine, and Ohtoshimioya Shrine. It was considered the place of prayer for the Tokugawa Ieyasu and clan.
We enjoy checking out the architecture and details of shrines, especially the gorgeous sculptures and wood carvings.
Click here for more information about the shrine. Website is in Japanese.
TIP: This place is 15 minutes away from Sumpu Castle Park by walking, so you can combine both this shrine and the Castle Park on the same visit.
Address: 102-1 Miyagasakicho, Aoi Ward, Shizuoka, 420-0868, Japan
Visit Kunozan Toshogu Shrine either by taking the ropeway or walking.
Interested in visiting Nihondaira area and seeing the Kunozan Toshogu Shrine 久能山東照宮? There are two ways to reach the shrine – by ropeway (cable car) or by walking.
The Nihondaira Ropeway 日本平ロープウェイ is only a 5-minute cable car ride from Nihondaira to Kunozan Toshogu Shrine. There is a fee to take the ropeway. Click here for ropeway updates.
For the outdoor adventurers and hikers, you can walk (climb) to the shrine. It’s a great way to get exercise and fresh air. There is a set of stairs from the bottom of Konozan mountain that will lead you directly to the shrine. It’s 1159 steps and will take 20 minutes.
Kunozan Toshogu Shrine is dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Tokugawa period. Before his death, he ordered his retainer to bury his remains at Kunozan.
The shrine was built one year after his death. Nasai Masakiyo, the master craftman, designed the shrine. Nasai Masakiyo created other important landmarks in Japan such as Nagoya Castle, Nijo Castle, and Kyoto Ninnaji Temple.
Due to Kunozan Toshogu Shrine’s craftsmanship and historical significance, it was recognized as one of Japan’s National Treasures in 2010.
The shrine has a fee – 700 yen for adults (includes high school students) and 300 yen for children.
If you want to see the shrine and museum (which has artifacts, swords, and other historical objects from the Tokugawa Ieyasu’s time), the cost is 1200 yen for adults and 500 yen for children.
Learn more about the shrine on the official website here.
Address (for Nihondaira Ropeway): 597-8 Kusanagi, Shimizu Ward, Shizuoka, 424-0886, Japan
See beautiful views from Nihondaira Yume Terrace.
To maximize your time in the Nihondaira area, consider visiting the Nihondaira Yume Terrace 日本平夢テラス. It’s a beautiful area to get 360° views of Mount Fuji, Suruga Bay, Izu Peninsula, Southern Alps. It’s free to visit.
This terrace has three floors:
- 1st floor has Information and a small museum with informative displays of Nihondaira area.
- 2nd floor has lounge seating for resting. Check out the cafe for locally brewed Shizuoka green teas and sweets.
- 3rd floor is the Observation area, which includes an outdoor garden and a deck to view the surrounding area.
Unfortunately, we didn’t have a chance to visit, yet it’s on our bucket list.
Learn more about this place on the official website here.
Address: 600-1 Kusanagi, Shimizu Ward, Shizuoka, 424-0886, Japan
Final Thoughts
Where are the top places that you want to visit in Shizuoka? We hope this post gave you inspiration on the fun things to do and places to check out on your next trip. You’ll have new memories after seeing the gorgeous scenery and trying the local cuisine.
Looking for more blog posts on Shizuoka? Check out what we’ve written:
- Mount Fuji Shizuoka Area JR Tourist Pass Review
- Delicious Places to Eat in Shizuoka City
- Recommended Places to Eat in Shimizu Fish Market
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