More Than Just Mt. Fuji and Tea! A PR Representative Introduces Shizuoka City’s Must-Visit Power Spots, Gourmet Cuisine, and Sake for 2026

Hello! I’m Hirata from SUNNY SIDE UP.

As we feel the warmth of spring day by day, many people are planning trips during extended holidays. Have you ever thought of “Shizuoka City” as a travel destination?

About an hour from Tokyo by Shinkansen, Shizuoka City is surrounded by a mild climate and tranquil nature. It features the World Cultural Heritage site “Miho no Matsubara,” the “Shizuoka Sengen Shrine” associated with Tokugawa Ieyasu, and seafood from Suruga Bay including sakura shrimp, as well as mountain delicacies like wasabi from the Oku-Shizuoka area (nicknamed Okushizu), which is gaining popularity as a summer retreat.

Beyond the glamour of tourist destinations like Mt. Fuji and tea, the city offers a harmonious blend of history and nature where time flows leisurely, making it home to numerous spots and culinary experiences that adults can truly appreciate.

SUNNY SIDE UP has a specialized team called the “Regional Revitalization Unit” dedicated to solving challenges faced by local governments and businesses, and we handle PR for Shizuoka City’s tourism. This time, as the PR representative who engages with Shizuoka City’s appeal daily, I will introduce the gourmet cuisine, sake, and power spots you should experience in Shizuoka City this year!

Recharge Your Spiritual Energy at the World Heritage Site Miho no Matsubara

Located about 30 minutes by car from central Shizuoka City, Miho no Matsubara is known as a scenic spot overlooking Mt. Fuji and has been cherished by many people since ancient times.

The magnificent view of the pine forest stretching approximately 7 km, Suruga Bay, and Mt. Fuji beyond is one of Japan’s iconic landscapes. Registered as a component asset of a World Cultural Heritage site, its beauty is highly acclaimed both domestically and internationally.

Of particular note is the “Path of the Gods” leading to Miho Shrine. This path, connected to the legend of the celestial robe, offers a sense of physical and mental alignment as you walk through the sacred space enveloped by pine trees. The moment you emerge from the pine forest to encounter the view of the sea and Mt. Fuji feels as if your fortune is opening up. It is a place that brings quiet inspiration and positive energy to visitors.

What Are “Nanasha-mairi” and “Kanae-uma”? Shizuoka Sengen Shrine

Known as a site associated with Tokugawa Ieyasu, Shizuoka Sengen Shrine is the collective name for three shrines: Kambe Shrine, Sengen Shrine, and Ohtoshi Mioya Shrine, commonly called Osengensama.

A major attraction is the presence of seven shrines within the grounds, allowing visitors to perform “Nanasha-mairi” (visiting all seven shrines). By visiting each shrine and receiving their respective blessings, it is said you can comprehensively enhance your fortune. The shrine buildings adorned in vivid colors are impressive and convey the vibrant culture of the Edo period to the present day.

Currently, a “Great Renovation of the Heisei and Reiwa Eras” spanning 20 years is underway to preserve the beauty of the shrine buildings for future generations. This is a valuable opportunity to witness up close the process of carefully maintaining these historic structures.

Furthermore, this Year of the Horse, be sure to pay attention to the “Kanae-uma”! This auspicious item is believed to deliver your wishes when you entrust them to it, and is popular as a symbol that supports improved fortune and wish fulfillment. As you leisurely explore the grounds where historical gravitas and splendor coexist, you will surely be enveloped in a refreshing feeling that naturally straightens your posture.

Kunozan Toshogu Shrine: A Power Spot Reached by Climbing 1,159 Stone Steps

Kunozan Toshogu Shrine is a historic shrine founded in 1617 as a mausoleum enshrining Tokugawa Ieyasu. As a representative structure of the early Edo period, the main shrine building is designated as a National Treasure, and its magnificent splendor overwhelms visitors. Beyond the shrine buildings adorned in vivid colors, after climbing approximately 40 more stone steps from the Byomon gate, the mausoleum where Ieyasu rests stands quietly.

Additionally, Mt. Kuno is considered a terrain that enhances career advancement, competitive fortune, and upward momentum from a feng shui perspective, making it known as a power spot to visit during life’s turning points or when pursuing goals.

While access by ropeway is available, climbing the 1,159 stone steps from the base step by step is also recommended. The journey is by no means easy, but the sense of accomplishment felt upon reaching the top may bring even greater fortune enhancement.

Craft Beer, Whisky, and Sake! Shizuoka City’s Distinctive Fine Beverages

Supported by a mild climate and abundant water from the Southern Alps, Shizuoka City is home to multiple breweries, and in recent years has emerged as an area with a thriving craft beer culture full of individuality.

“West Coast Brewing,” located near Mochimune Fishing Port, is a craft beer brewery that started in 2019.

They produce diverse styles of beer with pronounced hop aromas, and amazingly, new releases appear every week! A pint enjoyed in the open atmosphere of a port town is sure to be exceptional. At “Shizuoka Brewing,” established within the traditional craft experience facility “Sunpu no Kobo Takumijuku,” you can enjoy beer made using the lager method, which deliberately takes time for fermentation and aging, despite the small-scale equipment with a brewing capacity of 250L.

The “Honey Pilsner,” made with honey from Mariko’s specialty products, has a gentle aroma and mellow flavor, and is a particular favorite of mine.

Additionally, Eikun Brewery, founded in 1881, brews sake with a gentle flavor utilizing Shizuoka yeast, enjoyed as a food-pairing sake. Sanwa Brewery’s “Garyubai” combines rich aroma with crisp finish and is beloved both domestically and internationally.

Furthermore, craft whisky production is thriving in the Okushizu area. At Gaiaflow Shizuoka Distillery and Ikawa Distillery, distinctive whiskies are created utilizing the rich nature and water.

Japan’s Largest Frozen Tuna Landing Volume! Exquisite Set Meals at “Totosuke”

Shimizu Port, facing Suruga Bay, is located in Japan’s deepest bay with a depth of approximately 2,500 meters, and is counted among the “Three Great Beautiful Ports of Japan” for its stunning scenery surrounded by Mt. Fuji and Miho no Matsubara.

It also has Japan’s largest frozen tuna landing volume! Approximately half of the tuna consumed in Japan passes through Shimizu Port.

Right by the port is the fish market “Kashi no Ichi.” Beloved as a facility where intermediate wholesalers sell directly, you can enjoy fresh seafood and marine products at great prices. The facility has “Ichiba-kan,” focused on sales, and “Maguro-kan,” focused on dining. The “Maguro Toro Sanmi Set Meal” at “Totosuke” in Maguro-kan is the No. 1 popular dish, luxuriously featuring bluefin tuna, bigeye tuna, and albacore toro! You can fully savor the ocean’s bounty unique to Shimizu.

“Ishigaki Strawberries”: A Sustainable Cultivation Method with 130 Years of History

Ishigaki strawberries are cultivated using a unique method where seedlings are planted in gaps between stones stacked on slopes. The characteristic feature is an environmentally friendly farming method that grows strawberries without relying on heating, utilizing sunlight, reflected light from the sea, and heat stored in the stone walls. Growing in well-drained conditions apparently results in strawberries with concentrated sweetness.

“Kuno Kaido Ichigo Kaigan-dori” features greenhouses lined along Suruga Bay, where over 20 farms offer strawberry picking experiences for ishigaki strawberries until early May.

The history of ishigaki strawberries spans approximately 130 years, and this traditional, sustainable cultivation method inherited from the Meiji era is still carefully preserved today.Enjoying strawberries such as “Beni-hoppe” and “Akihime” with a view of Suruga Bay is exceptional.

Shizuoka City is overflowing with many more recommended spots and gourmet experiences.Please visit for a short trip during your next holiday!

Since 2023, SUNNY SIDE UP has established the “Regional Revitalization Unit” to support solving challenges faced by local governments, businesses, and communities through the power of PR and communication.

We will continue to communicate the appeal of Shizuoka City and various locations throughout Japan through SUNNY SIDE UP. What can be achieved through the power of communication? We welcome inquiries starting from such questions. Please feel free to contact us using the “CONTACT” button below.

※Images provided by: Shizuoka City