More Than Mt. Fuji! The Complete Travel Guide to Exploring Shizuoka

Day 1 of the model itinerary starts at JR Atami Station.
Take the JR Ito Line to Kinomiya Station. After an Approx. 5-minute walk, you’ll arrive at the first stop: Kinomiya Shrine.

A shrine long worshipped in Atami as a deity of good fortune and prosperity.
On the grounds stands a sacred camphor tree, a natural monument, and one of Japan’s most popular “power spots.”
The camphor tree, said to be 2,100 years old, is believed to be so full of vitality that walking once around its trunk can extend your lifespan by one year.
The shrine is also known for its water-drawing ritual: water said to bring blessings of health and good fortune when you drink it. The offering is 1,000 yen per time, and the water is believed to carry the purified energy of the shrine.
Offer your prayers and wish for a long, healthy life.

After visiting Kinomiya Shrine, walk back to JR Kinomiya Station and take the train to JR Atami Station.
From JR Atami Station, take a bus bound for the MOA Museum of Art and get off at the “MOA Museum of Art” bus stop.
The MOA Museum of Art is a museum with 3 floors above ground and 1 below, with a total floor area of 17,000 m², and a collection of Approx. 3,500 works, mainly Asian art such as paintings, calligraphy, and crafts.
From the garden Zuiunkyo, which showcases beautiful seasonal scenery, as well as the main lobby and MOA Square, the views are stunning, making this a modern museum with many ways to enjoy it.
Take in art pieces including National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties, the garden scenery, and Shizuoka’s breathtaking views.

After exploring the MOA Museum of Art, take the bus back to JR Atami Station.
From JR Atami Station, take the train to Numazu Station, then take a bus and get off at the “Numazu Port Shokudo-gai” bus stop.
The dining street at Numazu Port, facing Suruga Bay—Japan’s deepest bay—is lined with freshly landed seafood.
At Numazu Minato Shinsenkan near the fishing port entrance, you’ll find not only seafood but also many shops selling Shizuoka specialties like local vegetables, wasabi, and tea.
There are also sushi restaurants and set-meal spots where you can enjoy both food and shopping.
There’s plenty of seafood to try, but a top recommendation is the “Numazu Bowl” (numazu-don), generously topped with Suruga specialties like sakura shrimp, whitebait, and horse mackerel.
Be sure to enjoy this seafood rice bowl packed with the flavors of Suruga Bay for lunch.

After filling up with the Numazu Bowl, take a taxi to JR Numazu Station.
From JR Numazu Station, take the train to JR Fujinomiya Station. From there, it’s about a 10-minute walk to Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha Shrine.
Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha enshrines Konohanasakuya-hime no Mikoto, the deity of Mt. Fuji, and is the head shrine of more than 1,300 Sengen shrines across Japan.
Within its Approx. 17,000-tsubo grounds are many highlights, including the rare two-story main hall built in 1604 by Tokugawa Ieyasu in the “Sengen-zukuri” style and designated an Important Cultural Property, as well as the Romon Gate, a tangible cultural property designated by Shizuoka Prefecture.
You can also view Mt. Fuji itself—considered the shrine’s sacred object—from within the grounds, so don’t miss it.

After enjoying the historic buildings and Mt. Fuji at Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha Shrine, head to the next stop, the Shizuoka Prefectural Mt. Fuji World Heritage Center, about a 5-minute walk away.
In the exhibition building, where you can experience a simulated climb, you can learn about Mt. Fuji’s history, culture, and nature through exhibits and videos as you walk up a spiral slope.
At the top, you’ll reach an observation hall and terrace with beautiful Mt. Fuji views.
There’s also a cafe and museum shop on the first floor, where you can buy coffee made with Mt. Fuji spring water and Mt. Fuji-themed goods.

After enjoying the Shizuoka Prefectural Mt. Fuji World Heritage Center, walk to JR Fujinomiya Station.
Take the train to JR Shizuoka Station, and after getting off, take a taxi to Nihondaira Hotel, your accommodation for Day 1.
Nihondaira Hotel is set in an outstanding location, with Mt. Fuji—a World Cultural Heritage site—straight ahead and Suruga Bay spread out below.
Rooms on the Mt. Fuji side are spacious, and the view of Mt. Fuji through the large one-frame window looks just like a painting.
During the day, enjoy the hotel’s proud 15,000-tsubo garden filled with greenery; at dusk, Mt. Fuji glowing in the sunset; and at night, the city lights—beautiful scenery that changes with time.
Gaze out at Mt. Fuji, a symbol of Japan, and reflect on your first day’s memories.

On Day 2, take a taxi from Nihondaira Hotel to Nihondaira Station on the Nihondaira Ropeway.
From there, ride the ropeway to Kunozan Station, and after an Approx. 5-minute walk, you’ll arrive at the first stop of Day 2: Kunozan Toshogu Shrine.

Kunozan Toshogu Shrine was founded in 1617 by the second shogun, Tokugawa Hidetada, to enshrine Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun who opened the Edo shogunate.
It is said to have been built based on Ieyasu’s will: “After my death, bury me at Kunozan.”
The shrine buildings are in the gongen-zukuri style, connecting the main sanctuary and the worship hall with an ishinoma (stone-floored passage).
Lavishly decorated with full lacquer finishing, it is a representative early Edo-period structure and was designated a National Treasure building in 2010.
The adjacent Kunozan Toshogu Museum houses more than 2,000 cultural assets related to Tokugawa Ieyasu and the successive shoguns of the Edo shogunate.
With displays including armor of all 15 Tokugawa shoguns and more than 50 swords, be sure to visit the museum along with the shrine.

After exploring Kunozan Toshogu Shrine, take the ropeway from Kunozan Station to Nihondaira Station.
From Nihondaira Station, take a bus to JR Shizuoka Station. From there, it’s about a 15-minute walk to Sunpu Castle Park.
This park is built on the site of Sunpu Castle, constructed by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1585 and where he spent his later years as a retired shogun. The park features reconstructed structures such as the East Gate, Tatsumi Yagura, and Hitsujisaru Yagura.
Not only can you tour the inside of each, but there are also many other highlights, including Momijiyama Garden, beautiful with seasonal flowers, and Fujimiyama Plaza, where you can see Mt. Fuji.
Stroll the park and enjoy not only historic structures but also beautiful natural scenery.

After exploring Sunpu Castle Park, walk back to JR Shizuoka Station.
After lunch around JR Shizuoka Station, take the Tokaido Shinkansen to JR Hamamatsu Station.
Take a bus and get off at “Nakadashima Line / Nakadashima Sand Dunes,” then you’ll arrive right away at the Hamamatsu Festival Pavilion.
At the Hamamatsu Festival Pavilion, you can enjoy displays of giant kites and festival floats that let you feel Japanese culture.
At the Hamamatsu Festival, with over 450 years of history, large crowds fly kites high into the sky all at once in a “kite battle,” tangling the lines to cut and bring them down. At night, lavish palace-style floats color the streets along with festival music.
Feel the atmosphere and appeal of this long-running festival through the displayed giant kites and floats.

After enjoying the Hamamatsu Festival Pavilion, head to the Nakadashima Sand Dunes, about a 3-minute walk away.
Stretching 4 km east to west along the Enshu-nada coast, these dunes are known for beautiful wind ripples formed by seasonal winds and are counted among Japan’s three largest sand dunes.
After enjoying the spectacular, unobstructed views of the Enshu-nada shoreline, head to the final destination of your Shizuoka trip: Bentenjima Seaside Park.

After taking in the scenery at the Nakadashima Sand Dunes, head from the nearest bus stop, “Nakadashima Sand Dunes,” to JR Hamamatsu Station.
Take the JR Tokaido Main Line and get off at JR Bentenjima Station. After about a 3-minute walk, you’ll arrive at the last stop: Bentenjima Seaside Park.
This park stretches for about 500 m along Lake Hamana, lined with palm trees and filled with a tropical vibe.
The 18-meter-tall red torii gate floating on the lake is Bentenjima’s symbolic tower.
From around November to around January, you can see a limited-time view of the sun setting between the towers—mysterious and magical, and perfect as the final scene of your trip.