Shizuoka is a mid-sized Japanese city about an hour from Tokyo by bullet train, with a history shaped by Tokugawa Ieyasu - the founder of the shogunate that ruled Japan for over 250 years, who retired here in the early 1600s. The ruins of Sunpu Castle and their surrounding park sit in the heart of the city and make for an easy visit, as does the Shizuoka Sengen Shrine, a large atmospheric complex dedicated to Mount Fuji's guardian deity, set among old trees a short walk from the centre. For views of Fuji itself, the Nihondaira plateau offers sweeping panoramas across both the mountain and Suruga Bay, and can be combined with a ropeway ride down to the Kunozan Toshogu Shrine, one of the most important sites dedicated to Ieyasu.
The city has a strong food identity built around fresh seafood from Suruga Bay, locally grown wasabi, and grilled eel. The wasabi in particular bears little resemblance to what most visitors will have tried elsewhere, being fresh, green, and mild. The Shimizu district, now part of the city, adds a working port and fish market worth an afternoon. Shizuoka is also one of Japan's most important green tea-producing regions, and visits to working tea plantations, where you can see the terraced fields and try freshly brewed tea, are easily arranged from the city. Altogether, it suits travellers who want a genuine, unhurried Japanese city experience away from the crowds, and doubles as a practical base for day trips to Mount Fuji and the Izu Peninsula.