Shizuoka Hidden Gems
8 spots
Lake Hamana Eel Farming — Tour Japan's Eel Aquaculture
Lake Hamana (浜名湖) is Japan's eel farming center, producing 40% of the nation's farmed unagi (freshwater eel) using tradi…
Nihondaira Tea Plantations — Terraced Green Tea Fields
Nihondaira (日本平) is a hillside plateau overlooking Suruga Bay and Mt. Fuji, covered in perfectly manicured green tea pla…
Kunozan Toshogu Shrine — Cliff-Edge Shrine for Tokugawa Ieyasu
Kunozan Toshogu Shrine (久能山東照宮) is a lavishly decorated Shinto shrine dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the shogun who unifi…
Sunpu Castle Park — Tokugawa Ieyasu's Retirement Residence
Sunpu Castle (駿府城) was Tokugawa Ieyasu's retirement residence after he passed the shogunate to his son in 1605. Ieyasu g…
Shizuoka Oden — Dark Soy-Braised Skewered Hot Pot
Shizuoka oden (静岡おでん) is the prefecture's regional variation of oden (おでん, hot pot of simmered ingredients) distinguishe…
Sakura Shrimp — Sweet Pink Shrimp from Suruga Bay
Sakura shrimp (桜海老, sakura-ebi) measure 4-5 centimeters and glow translucent pink like cherry blossoms, which is poetic…
Mariage Frères Tea Tasting — French Tea House in Tea Capital
Mariage Frères opened in Paris in 1854 selling tea to French aristocrats who wanted to cosplay British high society, and…
Shizuoka Matcha Experience — Traditional Tea Ceremony in Tea Capital
Shizuoka grows 40% of Japan's green tea, which means doing a matcha ceremony here is like learning to make cheese in Wis…