Shizuoka Prefecture stretches along Japan's Pacific coast between Tokyo and Nagoya, framed by the southern slopes of Mount Fuji, the hot-spring resorts of the Izu Peninsula, and the deep waters of Suruga Bay. Home to Japan's largest green tea harvest, its top eel-producing city, and the closest classic views of Mount Fuji outside Yamanashi, Shizuoka pairs UNESCO World Heritage scenery with feudal-era castles and coastal onsen towns across 7,777 square kilometres of the Chubu region.
Best souvenirs
Authentic items worth bringing home.
Shizuoka Sencha Green Tea
Loose-leaf green tea from Shizuoka's terraced hillsides, sold in vacuum-sealed bags or decorative tins; the prefecture produces close to 40% of Japan's green tea and sencha is the everyday variety
Price: ¥500-3,000 per 100-200g bag (approx. $3-19)
Where: Tea specialty shops in Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Station's Parche shopping mall, roadside tea farms in the Kawane and Makinohara areas
Amagi Wasabi Products
Fresh wasabi rhizomes, wasabi paste, wasabi pickles (wasabi-zuke), and wasabi-flavored snacks from the Amagi mountains of the Izu Peninsula, one of Japan's premier wasabi-growing regions
Price: ¥400-2,500 depending on product (approx. $3-16)
Where: Michi-no-Eki Amagigoe roadside station shops, Izu farm stands, souvenir counters in Shuzenji and Kawazu
Sakura Ebi Senbei (Sakura Shrimp Crackers)
Crisp rice crackers studded with whole sakura ebi, the tiny pink shrimp caught almost exclusively in Suruga Bay off Yui and Yaizu; a classic Shizuoka omiyage that travels well
Price: ¥300-800 per bag (approx. $2-5)
Where: Shops along Sakura Ebi Street in Yui, Yaizu fishing port shops, Shizuoka Station gift counters
Hamamatsu Gyoza Souvenir Sets
Frozen or vacuum-packed gyoza dumplings modeled on Hamamatsu's famous pan-fried, cabbage-heavy style, often sold with a dipping vinegar-soy sauce and bean-sprout garnish included
Price: ¥600-1,500 per set (approx. $4-9)
Where: Hamamatsu Station shopping concourse, Act City Hamamatsu basement food hall, gyoza specialty shops near the station's Gyoza Street
Matcha and Tea-Flavored Confectionery
Matcha Baumkuchen, tea-leaf cookies, and green tea Kit Kats produced using local Shizuoka tea, widely sold as a lighter, shareable souvenir
Price: ¥500-1,800 per box (approx. $3-11)
Where: Shizuoka Isetan department store, Parche and Cenova shopping malls, station kiosks
Suruga Lacquerware and Bamboo Crafts
Suruga-nuri lacquerware and Suruga take-sensuji zaiku (fine bamboo strip craft), traditional handicrafts developed in the Sunpu Castle era for the Tokugawa court and still hand-produced by local artisans
Price: ¥1,500-30,000 depending on piece (approx. $9-189)
Where: Craft shops in central Shizuoka City near Aoba-dori, Shizuoka Prefectural Governor's Mansion craft gallery
Traditional markets
Where locals shop and travellers find treasures.
Shizuoka Station Building Parche
Tea shops, souvenir counters, fashion and food court under Shizuoka's main train station
Where: Directly connected to JR Shizuoka Station, Aoi-ku, Shizuoka City
Hours: Shops 10AM-8:30PM; restaurants until 10PM daily
Shin-Shizuoka Cenova
Multi-floor shopping complex with fashion, homeware, tea specialty shops and a rooftop garden
Where: Above Shin-Shizuoka Station (Shizutetsu line), Aoi-ku, Shizuoka City
Hours: Shops 10AM-9PM daily
Atami Ginza Shopping Street
Souvenir strip of dried seafood, onsen manju sweets, pickles, and hot-spring bathing goods near the Atami station and seafront
Where: Central Atami, a short walk downhill from JR Atami Station
Hours: Individual shops vary, generally 9AM-6PM; some evening food stalls open later