12 Best Things to Do in Shizuoka
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Shizuoka is a long, elongated prefecture, not one compact city, so “things to do” here really splits into a Shizuoka City core plus three separate directions: north to Mount Fuji, east to the Izu Peninsula, and west to Hamamatsu. These 12 cover all four, with the honest travel time between them factored in.
12 things to do, at a glance
| Activity | Area | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Sumpu Castle Park | Shizuoka City | Ieyasu’s retirement castle, 1607-1616 |
| Miho no Matsubara | Shizuoka City | ~7km pine coast, Fuji UNESCO component |
| Nihondaira + Kunozan Toshogu | Shizuoka City | Ropeway, ~5 min, ~¥1,250 return |
| Toro Ruins | Shizuoka City | Yayoi-period rice-paddy archaeology |
| A tea-picking or tasting session | Tea country | Book locally, no single citywide operator |
| Obuchi Sasaba tea rows | Fuji City | Best photo window late April-May |
| Mishima Skywalk | Mishima | Japan’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge, 400m |
| Climb Fuji (3 Shizuoka trails) | Fujinomiya/Subashiri/Gotemba | Summer only, FUJI NAVI permit |
| An Izu onsen soak | Atami/Ito/Shuzenji | Ryokan day-use or an overnight stay |
| Jogasaki coast + Kadowaki bridge | Izu Peninsula | Lava cliffs |
| Oigawa Railway SL ride | Oigawa | Steam trains, plus a Thomas and Percy service |
| Hamamatsu Museum of Musical Instruments | Hamamatsu | Yamaha and Kawai’s home city |
Shizuoka City’s own core
Start at Sumpu Castle Park, Tokugawa Ieyasu’s retirement castle, where he ruled as retired shogun from 1607 to 1616. The original keep is gone, but the reconstructed turrets and Momijiyama Garden are worth an hour. From there, Miho no Matsubara is a roughly 7km crescent of pine trees on Suruga Bay framing Mount Fuji, carrying the Hagoromo feather-robe legend and counting as a genuine component of Fuji’s UNESCO listing. Ride the Nihondaira Ropeway (about 5 minutes, roughly ¥1,250 return) from the Yume Terrace observation deck down to Kunozan Toshogu, Ieyasu’s original 1617 shrine and a National Treasure that actually predates the more famous Toshogu at Nikko. Toro Ruins, a Yayoi-period rice-paddy site, and Shimizu’s waterfront round out a full day in the city.
Fuji, viewing or climbing
If you’re not climbing, Obuchi Sasaba’s tea-rows-with-Fuji photo (best late April-May) and the Mishima Skywalk, a 400m pedestrian suspension bridge at roughly ¥1,100, both frame the mountain without a permit. If you are climbing, the Shizuoka side holds three of Fuji’s four trails; the full 2026 rules, fees, and permit process are in our Shizuoka guide and travel tips .
Izu Peninsula and the west
An onsen soak is the Izu Peninsula’s own reason to visit, Atami, Ito, and Shuzenji each anchor a different pace of stay. Pair it with the Jogasaki coast’s lava cliffs and the Kadowaki suspension bridge, or a wasabi farm around Amagi, Shizuoka grows roughly 80% of Japan’s real hon-wasabi using a terraced-streambed method recognized as a GIAHS heritage system. West of the city, ride the Oigawa Railway’s SL steam trains, and in Hamamatsu, the Museum of Musical Instruments covers the city’s own Yamaha and Kawai heritage before a lunch of charcoal-grilled unagi.
Do I need a full week to see all of this?
No. Two days covers the Shizuoka City core alone; add a third or fourth for Fuji or Izu, pick one direction rather than zigzagging, and stretch to 6-7 days to combine both plus Hamamatsu. Our itineraries break down the day-by-day version for each length.
What should I book ahead rather than decide on the day?
The Fuji climb permit (through the FUJI NAVI app) and any Izu ryokan with its own onsen, both fill up well before a summer or shoulder-season weekend.
One concrete tip: pick Fuji or Izu for a short trip rather than trying to fit both in under four days, the two pull in opposite directions and rushing either one defeats the point of going.