⭐ HIGHLIGHTS
Shizuoka highlights
Experiences the Wherebest team recommends — don't miss these on a first trip
One of the most beautiful angles on Mt Fuji is from this side; endless emerald tea fields; the Izu Peninsula full of seaside hot springs; and legendary Hamamatsu grilled eel — Shizuoka sits right between Tokyo and Nagoya, yet many people just ride the bullet train straight past it.
Honestly, Shizuoka is one of the most overlooked prefectures — even though it's just an hour from Tokyo by Shinkansen. Here you'll see Mt Fuji from an angle the Japanese rate among the very best (floating above green-tea fields or behind the Miho pine grove), drink tea from the country's biggest tea region, soak in seaside onsen on the Izu Peninsula (closer to Tokyo than Hakone), and eat Hamamatsu grilled eel that devotees travel for — mountains, sea, tea and hot springs, all in one prefecture.
Experiences the Wherebest team recommends — don't miss these on a first trip
At 3,776 m, Fuji looks superb from the Shizuoka side, rising over tea fields and pine groves. The Fujinomiya trail is the shortest climbing route (climbing season ~Jul-Sep).
🗻 UNESCOA long pine-clad spit on Suruga Bay with Fuji across the water; part of the Fujisan World Heritage site, and home to the legend of the angel's feather robe.
🆓 FreeJapan's largest tea-growing plateau — rolling green rows as far as you can see, with cafés and viewpoints that frame Fuji above the fields.
🍵 Tea tastingThe closest hot-spring resort to Tokyo (~50 min by train), with a beach, summer fireworks and the hilltop MOA Museum of Art.
🚆 Near TokyoAn old hot-spring town in the heart of the Izu Peninsula, with a temple, a red bridge and a bamboo-grove path — quiet and nostalgic.
🎋 Bamboo groveSunpu is the castle where Tokugawa Ieyasu spent his final years; Kunozan Toshogu is the shrine where he was first entombed, with lovely bay views.
🎫 AdmissionMain areas and cities that cover a trip — pick the base that fits your plan
Three sample stays · Luxury · Mid · Budget · compare 3 sites instantly
Shizuoka (静岡) is a long Pacific-coast prefecture in the Chubu region, sitting between Tokyo and Nagoya, with Shizuoka city as its capital. Its highlights are the south-side views of Mt Fuji, the green-tea fields that make it Japan's biggest tea producer, the onsen-filled Izu Peninsula, and famous seafood and eel.
The Tokaido Shinkansen runs the length of the prefecture — Shizuoka city is about an hour from Tokyo, and Atami just ~50 minutes, perfect for a day-trip soak, while Hamamatsu lies at the western end near Nagoya. Because the prefecture is long, choose a base by the zone you want to explore.
This page gathers stays by area, standout food, the main sights and a 3-day Shizuoka plan, with one-click hotel price comparisons across Agoda, Booking and Trip.com. Information is current for 2026, but please re-check prices, opening hours, the Fuji climbing season and transport schedules before you travel.
Find Shizuoka hotels in the right area · compare 3 sites instantly
Other prefectures in Chubu · every prefecture in Japan with a full prep guide
See Chubu → Japan overview →
