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Located mid-way between Tokyo and Nagoya, Shizuoka is a reprieve from the megacity and is a good base to explore Mount Fuji. While you may need to pay an arm and a leg for a Fuji-view hotel in Tokyo, the same can be had here at a fraction of the price, and even at a budget hotel.
This region is famous for its green tea, which has been grown since the 13th century. Roughly 40% of the country's supply comes from here.
While the city has its own international airport, regional connections are very limited, so your best bet is to fly into Tokyo. Consider the Mount Fuji - Shizuoka Area Tourist Pass, which provides free access to JR trains and Fujikyuko Bus services in the area, including Lake Kawaguchi in the Mount Fuji area.
An Analysis of the Mount Fuji - Shizuoka Area Tourist Pass
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Shuzenji Onsen
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Shuzenji Onsen is nestled deep in the mountains that turns into a magical wonderland at night with tasteful lighting and sparse foot traffic so you can get that exclusive photo with nobody else in it. This is one of the oldest resort towns on the Izu Peninsula.
The legend of this onsen town says back in the 8th century, a monk induced a rock to produce a sacred hot spring after seeing a young boy wash his sick father in the river, teaching them to use the hot water for healing.
Opened Feb 27, 2026 
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Numazu
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I picked Numazu to be my base in the area thanks to easy access to Shizuoka, Fuji Five Lakes, and Tokyo. Hotels were cheaper in this town yet I also get Fuji views and a decent fish market.
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Port
Start your morning at the port and check out the fish market. You have plenty of restaurants to choose from for a fresh sashimi rice bowl, or stock up on some groceries to bring home. Numazu is on the coast of a deep bay, with the catch yielding some surprising creatures.
Opened Feb 24, 2026
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View-O
After visiting the port, climb up the tsunami defences for an epic view of the city and Mount Fuji. It's only 100 yen to go up to the observation deck!
Opened Feb 24, 2026
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Atami
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Atami had its heyday up to the late 1980s when Japan was booming and the corporates had deep wallets to splash in this resort just a short train ride from Tokyo. As the country's economy came crashing down, so did this place. However, in recent years, they've tried hard to revive tourism with lots of fireworks festivals throughout the year as well as the country's earliest cherry blossoms.
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Waterfront
Today's Atami sits on the crater of an extinct volcano, with a beach in the city centre and a long waterfront promenade around it. It is nicely manicured with a line of palm trees and very clean - it's Japan after all!
Opened Feb 23, 2026
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Jukkoku Pass
Jukkoku means '10 countries', referring to the 10 ancient provinces that could be seen from the 771m-high summit. A cable car makes the short 316m-long ascent in 3 minutes to the panoramic terrace which opened in 2022. It's about a 40-minute bus journey from the city, making it a good side trip from Atami.
Opened Feb 21, 2026
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City Centre Shopping Arcades
Most Japanese cities have covered shopping arcades and Atami is no exception. Come and enjoy local specialities such as kaisendon, a sashmi rice bowl from the area's fresh catch, custard pudding, matcha, fish cake, and more.
Opened Feb 20, 2026
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Kinomiya Shrine
Come to see the huge camphor tree that is believed to be over 2100 years old. Visitors can walk around the massive trunk counter-clockwise to pray for an extra year of longevity and your wish to come true.
Opened Feb 20, 2026
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Castle
Atami's castle is not historic at all - built in 1959 on a hill overlooking the city with a Disneyland-type set of attractions. However, it's still worth taking a cable car up to enjoy the views.
Opened Feb 20, 2026
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Shizuoka
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S-Pulse Dream Plaza
S-Pulse Dream Plaza is a huge shopping mall south of Shimizu's train station. Opened in 1999, I came looking for the Sushi Museum hoping to be enlightened by its history and facts about the national cuisine. However, I left disappointed but instead got a decent sushi meal after leaving the museum.
Opened Mar 10, 2026
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Harbour Cruise
Take a 40 minute harbour cruise from Shimizu to see the port in action as well as Mount Fuji.
Opened Mar 10, 2026
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Around Shizuoka Station
Shizuoka is a fairly linear city and is divided into 2 main areas. The area around the main train station is in the western side of the city and there is another secondary centre to the east around Shimizu port. Explore the downtown shopping streets, go up to a viewpoint for a peek of the elusive Mount Fuji, and try some traditional foods in a themed alley.
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Shimizu
The city's fishing port sees a massive tuna haul, and there is a fish market here selling fresh fare with a view of the bay.
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Nihondaira
Mount Fuji features quite prominently in the city's attractions, and a trip to this plateau above the city offers another chance to see this mountain. There is also a historic shrine in the hill behind it dedicated to a ruler who brought prosperity to the region centuries ago.
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Other Towns
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Fujinomiya - Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha Shrine
Fujinomiya is the temple town of Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha Shrine, which worships Mount Fuji to calm its fury. Past eruptions have frightened and displaced residents, and the 11th emperor established this temple to pacify it. In the 9th century, the emperor ordered to build a new grand shrine at the current site.
Opened Mar 9, 2026
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Fujinomiya - Mount Fuji World Heritage Centre
South of Mount Fuji and far less known to international tourism, Fujinomiya offers just as good views of the sacred mountain and also a museum at the World Heritage Centre.
Opened Mar 7, 2026
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Kakegawa
Under an hour away from Shizuoka, explore this small castle without the tourist crowds. While the castle's original tower was destroyed by earthquake in 1854, there is a restored one on show now from the 1990s.
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A Day Exploring the Fuji Five Lakes Area
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