Shizuoka Transportation

3 more images

The outer moat of the Sumpu (Shizuoka) castle runs opposite of Shizuoka Municipal Hall. Usually Shizuoka residents cross the bridge to Prefectural Government Offices and go through the passage between the prefectural office buildings. Then you see the bridge to cross the central moat. When you get inside the park, you will encounter the circular road. Either way you will reach the garden. If you would like to visit the statue of Iyeyasu and the site of Donjon Base, turn left. If you would like to see the East gate and Tatsumi Tower first turn right.

4 more images

Sunpu Park is built upon the ruins of Sunpu(Shizuoka) castle and it takes about 15 minutes on foot from JR Shizuoka station. After getting brochures at the north exit office of the tourist information get under the office by getting down the stairs. When you go straight ahead you will first see the underground floor of Matsuzakaya then turn the leftward passage and follow the direction for Sunpu castle. At the end of underground passage go up and follow along the busy street then you will find the underground passage again(Photo #4) then after going up on the road, look for the Shizuoka Municipal Hall building(photo #5). If you can see the building you are on the right road. Then you begin to see the outer moat of the castle. Follow along the outer moat and you will be able to get inside the castle ruins easily.

These little green and red busses take you around shizuoka city area in a 40 minutes fix route...(6 km)

It cost 100 yen for adult and 50 yen for kids.Its called the SUMPU ROMAN BUS....During the WEEKDAYS its from 10am to 4:20pm and WEEKENDS from 10 am to 4:15pm..You can hop on and off where you see these special stop sign...BUT you have to pay for every get off and on...

It a great away to see a bit of the city...The only stops I will recomend is the #4HIGASHI GOMON , where sumpu castle is...or #10 SENGEN JINJA, for the great site of sengen jinja shrine...or #12 sengen dori nibangai, but this one you can walk it from the shrine...

there is a RED route...."WEEKDAYS"
1...SHIZUOKA EKI MAE...just outside on of the exit from Matsuzakaya department store
2..shin shizuoka
3...shakai fukushi kaikan mae
4....higashi gomon
5..houmukyoku gotochoya
6...chuo taikukan mae
7...chuo kominkan mae
8..hase dori
9...shizuoka koko iriguchi
10..sengen jinja
11..aka dori
12..sengen dori nibangai
13...sengen dori
14..naka cho tenmangu mae
15..gofuku cho 1 chome
There is skip here on the red route from 16-18-19
17...gofuko cho 2 chome
20...miyuki cho

On the BLUE route..".WEEKENDS"
1SHIZUOKA EKI MAE...just outside on of the exit from Matsuzakaya department store
2.....shin shizuoka
3...shakai fukushi kaikan mae
4....higashi gomon
5..houmukyoku gotochoya
6...chuo taikukan mae
7...chuo kominkan mae
8..hase dori
9...shizuoka koko iriguchi
10..sengen jinja
11..aka dori
12..sengen dori nibangai
13...sengen dori
14..naka cho tenmangu mae
15.. NONE
16..hon tori 3 chome
17NONE
18...shichiken cho
19...koya machi
20...miyuki cho

The Shinkansen, the fastest train in the country is divided into two kinds of trains, depending on their speed:

1) The "Hikari" ("Light"), the fastest one, usually DOES NOT often stop in Shizuoka Prefecture. When it does it occasionally serves Shizuoka and very rarely Hamamatsu and Atami.

2) The "Kodama" ("Echo") serves all Shinkansen stations at: Atami, Mishima, Shi-Fuji (not to be confused with Fuji), Shizuoka, Kakegawa and Hamamatsu

The Shinkansen is by far the most convenient way to travel around Japan. Unfortunately it isn't very cheap! Luckily there is a Japan JR Rail Pass available to foreign travellers. See the JR East website for details:

It must be bought abroad and stamped in Japan before you can use it. There are several options including one week (unlimited JR travel except for the super fast Nozomi service), two week, JR East and JR West passes. Check with your local travel agent for the best option or click on the link to see for yourself!

Here is a link to a very cool page that lets you see the routing between cities/stations/ports within Japan. It will tell you the route and includes the cost and time. http://www.jorudan.co.jp/english/norikae/.

Shizuoka has convenient traffic systems. Tomei Highway and Shinkansen superexpress railway run through the prefecture. Shizuoka City is situated at just the middle point between Tokyo and Nagoya. It takes about 1.5 hours to Shizuoka City by Shinkansen superexpress from either of the cities.


I live in Mishima City where it takes 1 hour from Tokyo by Shinkansen.
The picture shows Shizuoka City, Izu Peninsula, and stations in the peninsula.