Until it was incorporated into Shizuoka City in 2003, Shimizu (清水) was a city of its own centered around its port. Shimizu Port has a number of attractions but is most famous for being among Japan's most scenic ports thanks to views of Mount Fuji on clear days.

There were references to Shimizu Port already in Japan's oldest historical texts, which were compiled in the Nara Period (710-784). After Tokugawa Ieyasu chose Sumpu Castle as his place of retirement in 1605, the port increased in importance considerably. In the early 1900s the port was used extensively for exporting Shizuoka's tea, while in modern times the port handles a variety of cargo including raw materials, container shipments, natural gas and fish.

The S-Pulse Dream Plaza is a four story shopping mall along the waterfront that includes museums, movie theaters, a food court and a Ferris wheel. The mall is named after the local soccer team, Shimizu S-Pulse, whose stadium is located on the nearby Nihondaira plateau. The mall's most unique attraction is the Shimizu Sushi Museum with informative displays and models about sushi (unfortunately in Japanese only) and several sushi restaurants.

About a kilometer north of the S-Pulse Dream Plaza, not far from JR Shimizu Station, is the Kashi-no-Ichi Market, the local fish market where some of the port's fresh seafood is sold. A short walk in the opposite direction from the mall is the Verkehr Museum with displays about the history of Shimizu Port and boats and ports in general.

Getting there and around

Shimizu Port stretches for many kilometers along the waterfront. Access is provided from both JR Shimizu Station (a short walk from Kashi-no-Ichi Market) and the Shizuoka Railway Shin-Shimizu Station (a 15 minute walk from S-Pulse Dream Plaza). There are a number of bus lines that travel along the main road parallel to the waterfront.

Another way to travel around the port is by water bus. These boats travel once per hour from the Ejiri Pier at Kashi-no-Ichi Market to the Hinode Pier beside the S-Pulse Dream Plaza and the Miho Pier near Miho Beach before returning to Ejiri Pier. The fare is 400 yen per ride.

How to get to and around Shizuoka

Hours and Fees

S-Pulse Dream Plaza

Hours

Closed

Shimizu Sushi Museum

Hours

Closed

Admission

Verkehr Museum

Hours

Closed

Admission

Kashi-no-Ichi Market

Hours

Closed

Hotels around Shizuoka

Top rated in Shizuoka
Budget:
    • HOTEL OLE INN
      Mid-range
      In a prime location in the Aoi Ward district of Shizuoka, HOTEL OLE INN is located 19 km from Rengejiike Park Fuji Festival, less than 1 km from Shizuoka Station and 12 km from Shimizu Station. This 3-star hotel offers a 24-hour front desk. Private parking is available on site. At the hotel, every room has a desk. All units will provide guests with air conditioning, a safety deposit box and a flat-screen TV. Jyoko-ji Temple is 100 metres from HOTEL OLE INN. The nearest airport is Shizuoka Airport, 32 km from the accommodation.
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    • Hotel Celeste Shizuoka
      Mid-range
      Located in Shizuoka within 1.2 km of Shizuoka Station and 12 km of Shimizu Station, Hotel Celeste Shizuoka features rooms with free WiFi. Attractively set in the Aoi Ward district, this hotel is set 300 metres from Passage Takajo. The property is non-smoking and is situated 20 km from Rengejiike Park Fuji Festival. All guest rooms in the hotel are equipped with a kettle. Complete with a private bathroom fitted with free toiletries, the rooms at Hotel Celeste Shizuoka have a flat-screen TV and air conditioning, and certain rooms are equipped with a balcony. At the accommodation rooms are fitted with bed linen and towels. Shizuoka Airport is 33 km from the property.
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    • Guesthouse Hitoyado
      Budget-friendly
      Well set in the Aoi Ward district of Shizuoka, Guesthouse Hitoyado is located 19 km from Rengejiike Park Fuji Festival, 1.2 km from Shizuoka Station and 13 km from Shimizu Station. This guest house is 300 metres from Tokiwa Park and 200 metres from Jyoko-ji Temple. The accommodation provides a shared kitchen, and luggage storage for guests. All units in the guest house are equipped with a kettle. Featuring a shared bathroom with a shower and slippers, units at the guest house also provide guests with free WiFi. The units include bed linen. There is a coffee shop and lounge. A bicycle rental service is available at the guest house. The nearest airport is Shizuoka Airport, 32 km from Guesthouse Hitoyado.
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    • Hotel Associa Shizuoka
      Luxury
      Boasting a 15th-floor Italian restaurant, massage services and a spa, Hotel Associa is right next to JR Shizuoka Train Station. Rooms offer free wired internet, video-on-demand movies and a minibar. The air-conditioned rooms at Hotel Associa Shizuoka feature wood furnishings and a flat-screen satellite TV. The en suite bathroom includes a bathtub and hairdryer. Shizuoka Sengen-jinja Shrine and the Toro Iseki Village Ruins are a 10-minute drive away. Sunpu Park is a 15-minute walk. Shizuoka Prefectural Office is 1 km away, and has a free 21st-floor observation deck with Mount Fuji views. KYOTO TSURUYA Restaurant serves Kyoto-style Japanese specialities, and Lin-Ka offers a Chinese menu. Seafood and meat are freshly grilled before your eyes at Nakotei Teppanyaki. Pergola has coffee and light meals, while Estmare Bar offers drinks and top-floor views.
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    • Garden Hotel Shizuoka
      Budget-friendly
      Set in Shizuoka, 700 metres from Shizuoka Station, Garden Hotel Shizuoka features views of the city. With free WiFi, this 2-star hotel offers a 24-hour front desk and luggage storage space. The property is non-smoking and is situated 19 km from Rengejiike Park Fuji Festival. The hotel will provide guests with air-conditioned rooms offering a desk, a kettle, a fridge, a safety deposit box, a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom with a bidet. At Garden Hotel Shizuoka the rooms include bed linen and towels. Guests at the accommodation can enjoy a buffet breakfast. Shimizu Station is 12 km from Garden Hotel Shizuoka, while Saigo Yamaoka Conference Monument is 400 metres from the property. Shizuoka Airport is 32 km away.
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    • Hotel Quest Shimizu
      Luxury
      Set in Shizuoka, 35 km from Rengejiike Park Fuji Festival, Hotel Quest Shimizu offers accommodation with free bikes, private parking and a restaurant. This 4-star hotel offers a 24-hour front desk, luggage storage space and free WiFi. Shimizu Station is 1 km from the hotel and Shizuoka Station is 12 km away. Myoren-ji Temple is 500 metres from the hotel. Shizuoka Airport is 45 km from the property.
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    • Hotel Wing International Shizuoka
      Mid-range
      Located in Shizuoka, 19 km from Rengejiike Park Fuji Festival, Hotel Wing International Shizuoka provides air-conditioned rooms and a restaurant. Set in the Aoi Ward district, the hotel is within 13 km of Shimizu Station. Guest rooms in the hotel are equipped with a kettle. Each room is equipped with a private bathroom with a shower, free toiletries and a hairdryer. At Hotel Wing International Shizuoka all rooms are equipped with a desk and a flat-screen TV. A buffet breakfast is available daily at the accommodation. Hotel Wing International Shizuoka can conveniently provide information at the reception to help guests to get around the area. Popular points of interest near the hotel include Shizuoka Station, Jyoko-ji Temple and Tokiwa Park. Shizuoka Airport is 33 km away.
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    • HOTEL GRAND HILLS SHIZUOKA
      Luxury
      Conveniently situated just a 1-minute walk from JR Shizuoka Station, Hotel Grand Hills Shizuoka offers comfortable guestrooms with great views, all located above 18th floor. Free Wi-Fi is provided throughout the property. Fitted with large windows and modern simple d?cor, each room features a flat-screen TV with pay-per-view programmes, a fridge and an electric kettle. The en suite bathroom includes a bath tub and toiletries. While staying at Hotel Grand Hills Shizuoka, guests can request in-room massages or laundry services at an extra charge. A range of items like DVD player and air humidifier can be borrowed from the 24-hour front desk. Rental laptops are available, and coin-operated internet PCs can be used in the lobby. Hotel Grand Hills Shizuoka is a 5-minute walk from Shizuoka City Museum of Art and a 15-minute walk from Sumpu-jo Park. Nihondaira Zoo is a 20-minute drive away. A hearty Western breakfast buffet is offered at THE TABLE, an all day dining restaurant, on the ground floor. Keyaki restaurant serves delicious Teppanyaki dishes, while Hisuikyu offers sophisticated modern Chinese cuisine. Cocktails and whiskies can be enjoyed at the Email bar lounge on the top floor.
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    • Shizutetsu Hotel Prezio Shizuoka Ekinan
      Mid-range
      Featuring free WiFi, wired internet and bicycle rentals, Shizutetsu Hotel Prezio Shizuoka Ekinan is conveniently located just a 2-minute walk from JR Shizuoka Shinkansen (bullet train) Station. Coin launderette and free-use PCs are available in the public area. Fitted with chic colours, all rooms come with air conditioning and a flat-screen TV. An air purifier/humidifier is also provided in each room. The bathroom has a massage shower head, a bathtub and free toiletries. The Prezio Hotel provides drinks vending machines and a mini shop on site. The 24-hour front desk offers luggage storage services. The hotel is a 15-minute walk from Sunpu Castle Park. Guests can enjoy a healthy breakfast buffet what includes homemade Japanese dishes and local specialities.
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    • Hotel Citio Shizuoka
      Budget-friendly
      Hotel Citio Shizuoka features air-conditioned rooms with flat-screen TV in the Aoi Ward district of Shizuoka. This 2-star hotel offers a 24-hour front desk, luggage storage space and free WiFi. Rengejiike Park Fuji Festival is 19 km from the hotel and Shizuoka Station is less than 1 km away. The rooms in the hotel are fitted with a kettle. At Hotel Citio Shizuoka rooms come with bed linen and towels. Shimizu Station is 12 km from the accommodation, while Saigo Yamaoka Conference Monument is a few steps from the property. Shizuoka Airport is 33 km away.
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