Mt. Fuji from the Subashiri side
Less crowded than the Yoshida (Yamanashi) trail; Shizuoka is also the only side with views of Fuji rising from the Pacific.
Open in Maps ↗Prefecture profile · 都道府県
Shizuoka 静岡県
Mt. Fuji on one shoulder, the Izu Peninsula on the other — Shizuoka grows about 40% of Japan's tea, hosts the founding plants of Yamaha, Suzuki and Honda, and stretches its coastline from Atami's onsen ryokan to the southern Izu surf breaks.
Capital
Shizuoka City
Population
3.6 million
Area
7,777 km²
Region
Chūbu
History
Sunpu Castle (modern Shizuoka City) was Tokugawa Ieyasu's preferred residence both before and after his shogunate — he is buried at Kunōzan Tōshōgū overlooking the Pacific, before his remains were moved to Nikkō.
Hamamatsu, in western Shizuoka, became the unlikely birthplace of three of Japan's most successful 20th-century manufacturers: Yamaha (organs, 1887), Suzuki (looms then motorcycles, 1909), and Honda (motorcycles in nearby Hamamatsu workshops, 1948).
Postwar Shizuoka has split into three sub-economies: Hamamatsu's manufacturing west, Shizuoka City's administrative center, and Atami/Izu's hospitality east — tied together by the Tōkaidō Shinkansen, which makes Shizuoka the most-passed-through but second-least-stopped-at Shinkansen-line prefecture.
Economy & business
Shizuoka's prefectural GDP is around ¥18 trillion (US$122 billion), Japan's 10th-largest. Heavy concentration in transportation equipment (Suzuki, Yamaha, Honda), musical instruments (Yamaha and Roland together make ~50% of the world's pianos), tea agriculture, paper manufacturing, and the Izu hospitality economy.
Key industries
Transportation equipment
Suzuki (HQ Hamamatsu), Yamaha Motor (HQ Iwata), Honda (founded in Hamamatsu) — Hamamatsu still leads Japan in motorcycle production.
Musical instruments
Yamaha Corporation and Roland combined produce ~50% of the world's pianos; Yamaha's Hamamatsu HQ runs the global piano-tuning standards.
Tea
~40% of Japanese green tea is grown in Shizuoka; the Makinohara plateau is the country's biggest contiguous tea field.
Paper & pulp
Mt. Fuji groundwater feeds the Fuji City paper-and-pulp belt — Nippon Paper, Daio Paper, and ~150 smaller mills.
Tourism
Atami, Izu Peninsula, Mt. Fuji (south side), the Shimoda US-treaty ports, surfing at Shirahama and Imaihama.
Notable companies
Suzuki MotorYamaha CorporationYamaha MotorHonda (founding)Tokai Bank (Hamamatsu)Maruzen PetrochemicalTokai Pulp & Paper
Trade partners
United StatesChinaThailandIndonesiaGermany
Tourism highlights
Atami Onsen
Cliff-front hot-spring resort 35 minutes from Tokyo on the Shinkansen; still has the original Sun Beach where geisha sang for the postwar tycoons.
Open in Maps ↗Izu Peninsula
Surf coast, jungle waterfalls, Geo Park designation; Shimoda is where Commodore Perry's second visit forced open Japanese ports in 1854.
Open in Maps ↗Kakegawa Castle
Faithfully rebuilt 16th-century castle in original timber (no concrete) — one of the few traditional reconstructions.
Open in Maps ↗Makinohara tea fields
Largest contiguous tea plantation in Japan; June pickers wear traditional kimono for the shincha (new tea) season.
Open in Maps ↗Mishima Skywalk
Japan's longest pedestrian suspension bridge (400 m); on clear days, the view of Fuji and Suruga Bay is among the country's best.
Open in Maps ↗Did you know
Yamaha Corporation and Suzuki and Honda were all founded in the Hamamatsu area; the Yamaha Music History Museum in central Hamamatsu doubles as a city heritage museum.
Roughly 40% of all Japanese green tea is grown in Shizuoka; the prefecture's tea ceremony heritage is so dense that elementary-school children learn formal tea preparation as a regular subject.
Shinkansen 'pass-through' statistics: Shizuoka has six Tōkaidō Shinkansen stations but the lowest combined Nozomi-stop count of any line-on-prefecture combination — most travelers see Mt. Fuji from Shizuoka through a train window without stopping.
About Shizuoka — Frequently asked
What is the capital of Shizuoka?
The capital of Shizuoka is Shizuoka City.
What region of Japan is Shizuoka in?
Shizuoka is part of the Chūbu region of Japan.
What are Shizuoka's main industries?
Shizuoka's key industries include Transportation equipment, Musical instruments, Tea, Paper & pulp.
What are the top tourist attractions in Shizuoka?
Top attractions in Shizuoka include Mt. Fuji from the Subashiri side, Atami Onsen, Izu Peninsula, Kakegawa Castle.
What major companies are based in Shizuoka?
Notable companies headquartered in Shizuoka include Suzuki Motor, Yamaha Corporation, Yamaha Motor, Honda (founding), Tokai Bank (Hamamatsu).
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