6 Best Areas to Stay in Shizuoka
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Because Shizuoka is a base-hop prefecture rather than one city, where you stay depends entirely on which direction you’re headed that day. Here are the 6 areas that actually work, by type and location rather than a list of specific properties, since ryokan and hotel names turn over and a search link gets you current rates faster than a fixed recommendation would.
6 areas, at a glance
| Area | Best for | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Shizuoka City / Shimizu | First and last nights | Transit hub, Fuji views |
| Atami | Izu onsen, closest and best value | Nearest Izu town to Tokyo |
| Ito | Izu onsen, quieter | Historic Tokaikan bathhouse |
| Shuzenji | Izu onsen, most atmospheric | ~1,200-year onsen history, “Little Kyoto of Izu” |
| Fujinomiya / Gotemba | Fuji access | Sengen Taisha, Gotemba Premium Outlets |
| Hamamatsu / Kanzanji | West side, Lake Hamana | Onsen plus unagi and music history |
The signature stay: a ryokan with its own onsen
The defining Shizuoka stay is a ryokan with a private or shared onsen, and Izu is where that happens best. Atami is closest to Tokyo and generally the best value of the three main bases, a workable choice even for a short add-on trip. Ito is quieter, with the historic Tokaikan bathhouse as its own sightseeing stop. Shuzenji, “the Little Kyoto of Izu,” has roughly 1,200 years of onsen history and the Chikurin-no-Komichi bamboo path along the Katsura River, the most atmospheric of the three but also the furthest from Tokyo. Compare Izu ryokan rates once your dates are set.
Shizuoka City and Shimizu, the transit-hub option
If your trip is built around the city core, Sumpu Castle, Miho no Matsubara, Nihondaira, base here for the Shinkansen access (Hikari or Kodama, not Nozomi) and easy day-trip range in every direction. Shimizu adds Fuji views across Suruga Bay and a shorter hop to the Nihondaira Ropeway.
Fujinomiya and Gotemba, for the Fuji side
Staying near Fujinomiya puts Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha and Shiraito Falls within easy reach, and it’s the practical base if you’re climbing one of the Shizuoka side’s three trails. Gotemba adds the Premium Outlets alongside Fuji access, worth an evening if outlet shopping is on the list.
Hamamatsu and Kanzanji, the western option
West of the city, Hamamatsu covers unagi and the Yamaha/Kawai music history, while Kanzanji, on Lake Hamana, has its own onsen scene without the crowds of the Izu towns. This area works best as an add-on for a 7-day trip rather than a first stop.
Should I book one hotel for the whole trip, or move around?
Move around. Shizuoka’s own logic is base-hopping, one hotel radiating out to everything doesn’t work given the distances involved, our itineraries show exactly where to switch bases by trip length.
How far ahead should I book a Shuzenji or Atami ryokan?
Well ahead, especially around spring cherry blossom season, shincha new tea season in late April-May, or Atami’s sea fireworks dates. The best onsen properties fill first.
One concrete tip: book the Izu ryokan leg before anything else on the trip, it’s the piece most likely to sell out, then build the rest of your stops in our main Shizuoka guide around it.