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.
- Public
- The Tokaido Shinkansen and JR Tokaido Main Line form a fast east-west spine through Shizuoka Prefecture, linking Atami, Mishima, Numazu, Shizuoka City, Kakegawa, and Hamamatsu; the Izukyu Line and Izuhakone Railway branch south into the Izu Peninsula, while local operators like Shizuoka Railway and Enshu Railway serve the two largest cities
- Taxi
- Widely available at every station and in resort towns such as Atami, Ito, and Shimoda, but rural Izu roads and mountain climbs to onsen ryokan make fares add up quickly; most drivers do not speak English so having an address written in Japanese helps
- Rental
- Very useful for the Izu Peninsula's hot spring villages, the Fuji foothills, and the Lake Hamana/Enshu area, where train and bus coverage thins out; Shizuoka City and Hamamatsu centers are better handled on foot or by tram/rail
- Walking
- Shizuoka City and Hamamatsu have compact, walkable downtown cores around their stations, but the prefecture is long and narrow with mountainous terrain, so most sightseeing beyond city centers requires a train, bus, or car
Transport at a glance
Transportation details
Full breakdown of how to get around.
Shizuoka Prefecture stretches roughly 155 km along Japan's Pacific coast between Mt Fuji and Lake Hamana, so travel here means covering long east-west distances efficiently while also reaching into the mountainous Izu Peninsula to the south. The Tokaido Shinkansen and parallel JR Tokaido Main Line are the backbone, connecting Atami, Mishima, Shizuoka City, and Hamamatsu in well under two hours end to end. For the Izu Peninsula's hot spring towns and beaches, travelers switch to the Izukyu Line (Ito to Izukyu-Shimoda) or the Izuhakone Railway Sunzu Line (Mishima to Shuzenji), both of which connect smoothly with JR services. A rental car is the best way to reach Mt Fuji's Fujinomiya 5th station, inland Izu onsen villages, and the Lake Hamana/Enshu region, while Shizuoka City and Hamamatsu each have compact, walkable centers served by local rail (Shizuoka Railway and Enshu Railway respectively).
Airports
Mt. Fuji Shizuoka Airport
Transport tips
Travel smarter, not harder.
Buy the JR Tokai Tours or regional Izu Free Pass for unlimited rides on the Izukyu Line, Izu Hakone buses, and connecting JR sections if visiting several Izu Peninsula towns in a few days
Nozomi Shinkansen trains do not stop in Shizuoka Prefecture - only Hikari and Kodama services call at Atami, Mishima, Shin-Fuji, Shizuoka, Kakegawa, and Hamamatsu, so check the train type before booking
The Odoriko and Saphir Odoriko limited express trains run directly from Tokyo Station to Ito and Izukyu-Shimoda, avoiding a change at Atami
IC cards (Suica, TOICA, Pasmo) work on JR lines, the Izukyu Line, Izuhakone Railway, Shizuoka Railway, and Enshu Railway, but rural buses in inland Izu sometimes require exact cash fare
Rent a car in Mishima or Shuzenji for the Izu Skyline toll road and the mountain onsen villages that trains cannot reach
Shizuoka Airport (FSZ) sits between Shizuoka City and Kakegawa, roughly midway along the prefecture, making it a viable arrival point for the western half of the prefecture
Winter weekday mornings can bring fog on the Izu Skyline and mountain roads around Mt Fuji's 5th station - check road conditions before driving up