Shizuoka (city)

Coordinates: 34°58′32″N 138°22′58″E / 34.97556°N 138.38278°E / 34.97556; 138.38278
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Shizuoka
静岡市
Kunozan Toshogu
Symbols 
• TreeFlowering dogwood
• FlowerHollyhock
• BirdCommon kingfisher
Phone number054-254-2111
Address5-1 Ōtemachi, Aoi-ku, Shizuoka-shi, Shizuoka-ken 420-8602
WebsiteOfficial website
Shizuoka
"Shizuoka" in kanji
Japanese name
Kanji静岡
Hiraganaしずおか

Shizuoka (静岡市, Shizuoka-shi, [ɕizɯꜜoka]) is the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, and the prefecture's second-largest city in both population and area. It has been populated since prehistoric times. As of 1 September 2023, the city had an estimated population of 677,867 in 106,087 households,[2] and a population density of 480 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,200/sq mi).

Overview

The city's name is made up of two kanji, 静 shizu, meaning "still" or "calm"; and 岡 oka, meaning "hill(s)".[3] In 1869, Shizuoka Domain was first created out of the older Sunpu Domain, and that name was retained when the city was incorporated in 1885. In 2003, Shizuoka absorbed neighboring Shimizu City (now Shimizu Ward) to create the new and expanded city of Shizuoka, briefly becoming the largest city by land area in Japan. In 2005, it became one of Japan's "designated cities".

Cityscapes

  • Gallery
  • Sunpu Castle (2014)
  • CBD of Shizuoka City (2020)
    CBD
    of Shizuoka City (2020)
  • Skyline of Shizuoka City (2021)
    Skyline of Shizuoka City (2021)
  • Downtown of Shichikenchō (2021)
    Downtown of Shichikenchō (2021)
  • Konyachō (2021)
    Konyachō (2021)
  • Ryōgaechō (2021)
    Ryōgaechō (2021)
  • Port of Shimizu (2022)
    Port of Shimizu (2022)
  • Sunrise of Shizuoka City (2020)
    Sunrise of Shizuoka City (2020)

Geography

Shizuoka City lies in central Shizuoka Prefecture, about halfway between Tokyo and Nagoya along the Tōkaidō Corridor, between Suruga Bay to the south and the Minami Alps in the north. Shizuoka had the largest area of any municipality in Japan after merging with Shimizu City in April 2003, until February 2005, when Takayama in Gifu Prefecture superseded it by merging with nine surrounding municipalities.

The total area of the city is 1,411.90 km2 (545.14 sq mi).

Kitami. It is also the 2nd largest city in Shizuoka Prefecture in terms of both geographic area and population after Hamamatsu, but ranks higher as an Urban Employment Area,[5] and leads as a metropolitan area
and business region.

The fan-like shape of the Shizuoka Plain and Miho Peninsula were formed over the ages by the fast-flowing Abe River, carrying along collapsed sand and earth. These areas form the foundations of the city today.[6]: 242  The isolated Mount Kunō separates the Suruga coastline from the Shimizu coastline.

Basic data

  • Area of densely populated region
    • 103.99 km2 (40.15 sq mi)
  • Urban planning area
    • 234.80 km2 (90.66 sq mi)
  • Area zoned for urbanization
    • 104.0 km2 (40.2 sq mi)

Nature

Photograph of Mount Aino
Mount Aino, one of the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains, and the fourth tallest peak in Japan
Photograph of Hatanagi-I Dam
The hydroelectric Hatanagi-I Dam—tallest concrete gravity dam in the world

Mountains

  • Mount Aino (間ノ岳, Aino-dake)
  • Mount Shiomi (塩見岳, Shiomi-dake)
  • Mount Warusawa (悪沢岳(荒川岳), Warusawa-dake (Arakawa-dake))
  • Mount Akaishi (赤石岳, Akaishi-dake)
  • Mount Hijiri (聖岳, Hijiri-dake)
  • Mount Tekari (光岳, Tekari-dake)
  • Mount Yanbushi (山伏, Yanbushi)
  • Mount Daimugen (大無間山, Daimugen-zan)
  • Mankan Pass (満観峠, Mankan-tōge)
  • Mount Mafuji (真富士山, Mafuji-san)
  • Mount Jūmai (十枚山, Jūmai-san)
  • Mount Ryūsō (竜爪山, Ryūsō-zan)
  • Mount Shizuhata (賤機山, Shizuhata-yama)
  • Mount Yatsu (谷津山, Yatsu-yama)
  • Mount Yahata (八幡山, Yahata-san)
  • Mount Udo (Nihondaira) (有度山(日本平), Udo-san (Nihondaira))
  • Mount Kajiwara (梶原山, Kajiwara-yama)
  • Mount Satta (Satta Pass) (薩埵山(薩埵峠), Satta-yama (Satta-tōge))
  • Mount Hamaishi (浜石岳, Hamaishi-dake)
  • Mount Ōmaru (大丸山, Ōmaru-yama)
  • Mount Ōhira (大平山, Ōhira-yama)

Rivers

  • Ōi River (大井川, Ōi-gawa) (upstream)
  • Abe River (安倍川)
  • Warashina River (藁科川, Warashina-gawa)
  • Mariko River (丸子川, Mariko-gawa)
  • Tomoe River (巴川, Tomoe-gawa)
  • Ōya River Drainage Ditch (大谷川放水路, Ōya-gawa Hōsui-ro)
  • Nagao River (長尾川, Nagao-gawa)
  • Fuji River (富士川, Fuji-kawa)
  • Okitsu River (興津川, Okitsu-gawa)
  • Ōzawa River (大沢川, Ōzawa-gawa)
  • Ihara River (庵原川, Ihara-gawa)
  • Yamakiri River (山切川, Yamakiri-gawa)
  • Nakagōchi River (中河内川, Nakagōchi-gawa)
  • Ōhashi River (大橋川, Ōhashi-gawa)
  • Kogōchi River (小河内川(興津川支流), Kogōchi-gawa)

Lakes

  • Lake Ikawa (井川湖, Ikawa-ko) (Ikawa Dam)
  • Lake Hatanagi (畑薙湖, Hatanagi-ko) (Hatanagi-I Dam)
  • Asahata Marsh (Asahata Anti-flood Pond) (麻機沼(麻機遊水地), Asahata-numa (Asahata Yūsuichi))
  • Kujira Pond (鯨ヶ池, Kujira-ike)
  • Udosaka Pond (有東坂池, Udosaka-ike)
  • Futatsu Pond (Oshika Pond) (二ツ池(小鹿池), Futatsu-ike (Oshika-ike))
  • Funakoshi Dike (船越堤, Funakoshi-tsutsumi)

Climate

On the south-central Pacific coast Shizuoka has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa), which is hot and humid in the summer, and rarely snows in the winter.[7] It is close to the warm Kuroshio Current and is wet even by Japanese standards with only slightly less precipitation than Kanazawa on the opposite side of Honshū, but it is paradoxically the sunniest of Japan's major cities owing to the absence of summer fog and its sheltered location from the northwesterly winds off the Sea of Japan. Further north, the mountainous Ikawa area is part of the Japanese snow country, where there are ski areas.

Climate data for Shizuoka (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1940−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 25.7
(78.3)
26.2
(79.2)
28.0
(82.4)
33.3
(91.9)
33.9
(93.0)
38.3
(100.9)
38.4
(101.1)
38.7
(101.7)
37.1
(98.8)
33.9
(93.0)
28.0
(82.4)
24.5
(76.1)
38.7
(101.7)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 11.7
(53.1)
12.6
(54.7)
15.5
(59.9)
19.8
(67.6)
23.5
(74.3)
26.1
(79.0)
29.9
(85.8)
31.3
(88.3)
28.4
(83.1)
23.6
(74.5)
18.8
(65.8)
14.1
(57.4)
21.3
(70.3)
Daily mean °C (°F) 6.9
(44.4)
7.7
(45.9)
10.7
(51.3)
15.2
(59.4)
19.2
(66.6)
22.4
(72.3)
26.1
(79.0)
27.4
(81.3)
24.5
(76.1)
19.4
(66.9)
14.3
(57.7)
9.3
(48.7)
16.9
(62.4)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 2.1
(35.8)
2.9
(37.2)
6.0
(42.8)
10.6
(51.1)
15.1
(59.2)
19.2
(66.6)
23.1
(73.6)
24.2
(75.6)
21.1
(70.0)
15.6
(60.1)
9.9
(49.8)
4.6
(40.3)
12.9
(55.2)
Record low °C (°F) −6.8
(19.8)
−5.8
(21.6)
−4.6
(23.7)
−1.4
(29.5)
5.1
(41.2)
12.5
(54.5)
15.4
(59.7)
16.9
(62.4)
10.6
(51.1)
3.9
(39.0)
−1.7
(28.9)
−5.1
(22.8)
−6.8
(19.8)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 79.6
(3.13)
105.3
(4.15)
207.1
(8.15)
222.2
(8.75)
215.3
(8.48)
268.9
(10.59)
296.6
(11.68)
186.5
(7.34)
280.6
(11.05)
250.3
(9.85)
134.2
(5.28)
80.7
(3.18)
2,327.3
(91.63)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.5 mm) 5.8 6.5 10.2 10.5 10.9 13.6 12.9 10.6 12.8 10.9 7.6 6.1 118.3
Average
relative humidity
(%)
57 57 62 65 71 77 79 76 75 71 67 60 68
Mean monthly sunshine hours 207.9 187.5 189.9 189.7 192.0 135.9 157.9 201.8 157.3 157.7 173.3 200.5 2,151.5
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[8]

Area

Coloured map
Wards of Shizuoka

Wards

Aoi Ward (葵区, Aoi-ku)
Administrative center, made up of the former Shizuoka north of the Tōkaidō Main Line excluding Osada district
Suruga Ward (駿河区, Suruga-ku)
Former Shizuoka south of the Tōkaidō Main Line and Osada district
Shimizu Ward (清水区, Shimizu-ku)
Former city of Shimizu and towns of Kanbara and Yui.

Administrative district "image colours"

On 22 December 2006, colours and logos were established for each of the wards.[9]

Aoi Ward Aoi Ward Green
Suruga Ward Suruga Ward Red
Shimizu Ward Shimizu Ward Blue

Demographics

As of August 2019, the city had an estimated population of 704,989 in 286,013 households[2] and a population density of 507 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,310/sq mi).

Shizuoka City seen from the South
Demographic Population As of
Male 343,339 August 2019[2]
Female 361,651
Households 286,013[2]
Foreign 9,389 May 2019[2]
Total 704,989 August 2019[2]

Historic population

Per Japanese census data,[10] the population of Shizuoka has been declining slowly since 1990.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1940 395,189—    
1950 467,782+18.4%
1960 576,482+23.2%
1970 681,797+18.3%
1980 727,260+6.7%
1990 739,300+1.7%
2000 729,980−1.3%
2010 716,328−1.9%
2020 693,389−3.2%

Bordering municipalities

History

Reconstructed building at the Toro archeological site
Suruga Kokubunji
Reconstructed Tatsumi yagura of Sunpu Castle

Ancient history

The area that is now the city of Shizuoka has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Numerous kofun have been found within the city limits, and the Toro archaeological site indicates that a major Yayoi period (circa 400 BC–300 AD) settlement existed in what is now part of the central city area.

Numazu, to a more central location on the banks of the Abe River
at a location named Sunpu (駿府) (a contraction of "Suruga no Kokufu" (駿河の国府)) or alternatively "Fuchū" (府中).

Pre-modern Shizuoka

During the Muromachi period, Sunpu was the capital of the Imagawa clan. The Imagawa were defeated at the Battle of Okehazama, and Sunpu was subsequently ruled by Takeda Shingen, followed by Tokugawa Ieyasu. However, Toyotomi Hideyoshi relocated Ieyasu, and installed Nakamura Kazutada to rule Sunpu. After the Toyotomi were defeated in the Battle of Sekigahara, Ieyasu recovered Sunpu, reassigning it to his own retainer, Naitō Nobunari in 1601. This marked the start of Sunpu Domain.

In April 1606, Ieyasu officially retired from the post of

shōgun, and retired to Sunpu, where he established a secondary court, from which he could influence Shōgun Tokugawa Hidetada from behind the scenes. Subsequently, aside for brief periods, Sunpu was tenryō (territory under direct administration by the Shogunate), ruled by the Sunpu jōdai
(駿府城代), an appointed official based in Sunpu.

From the Meiji period to World War II

In 1869, after the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate, the former shogunal line, headed by Tokugawa Iesato was sent to Sunpu and assigned the short-lived Sunpu Domain. The same year, Sunpu was renamed "Shizuoka". Shizuoka Domain became Shizuoka Prefecture with the abolition of the han system in 1871, which was expanded in 1876 through merger with the former Hamamatsu Prefecture and western portions of Ashigaru Prefecture in 1876. Shizuoka Station on the Tōkaidō Main Line was opened on 1 February 1889. The same day, a fire burned down most of downtown Shizuoka.

The modern city was founded on 1 April 1889. At the time, the population was 37,681, and Shizuoka was one of the first 31 cities established in Japan.

An electric tram service began in 1911. In 1914, due to heavy rains caused by a typhoon, the Abe River flooded, inundating the downtown area.[11] In the national census of 1920, the population of Shizuoka was 74,093. The area of the city continued to expand through the 1920s and 1930s through merger with outlying towns and villages. In 1935, the city was struck by a 6.4 magnitude earthquake, resulting in much damage. Although soon rebuilt, a large fire in 1940 again destroyed much of the center of the city.

During World War II, Shizuoka lacked targets of major military significance, and was initially only lightly bombed during several American air raids. However, in a major firebombing raid of 19 June 1945, the city suffered an extreme amount of damage with high civilian casualties.

Post-war Shizuoka

The area of the city continued to expand through the 1950s and 1960s through merger with outlying towns and villages. On 1 October 1964, the

Tōkaidō Shinkansen began services to Shizuoka, and on 25 April 1969 the city was connected to the Tōmei Expressway. On 7 July 1974, the Abe River flooded, and landslides occurred during heavy rains, killing 23 people.[citation needed
] On 16 August 1980, a major gas leak in an underground shopping center near Shizuoka Station resulted in an explosion, killing 15 people and seriously injuring 233 others. The Shizuoka City Hall moved to new premises in 1986. On 1 April 1992, Shizuoka was designated a core city by the central government, giving it increased autonomy.[12]

The 1 April 2003 merger with Shimizu City (current Shimizu Ward) greatly expanded the area and population of Shizuoka,[13] which then became a designated city on 1 April 2005,[14] and was divided into three wards.[citation needed]

Despite being somewhat geographically isolated from the rest of the city, the town of Kanbara (from Ihara District) was merged into Shizuoka on 31 March 2006,[15] becoming part of Shimizu-ku. On 1 November 2008, the town of Yui (also from Ihara District) was also merged into Shimizu-ku, resulting in the dissolution of Ihara District.[16]

Government

Shizuoka Prefectural Government Office
Shizuoka City Hall

Shizuoka has a

Japanese Diet
.

Mayors

Former Shizuoka city from 1889 to 2003

Former Shimizu city from 1924 to 2003

Since 2003 merger

Mayors of Shizuoka
Term Name Start Finish
1–2 Zenkichi Kojima 14 April 2003 12 April 2011
3–6 Nobuhiro Tanabe 13 April 2011 12 April 2023
7 Takashi Namba 13 April 2023 current

Administration

Ward offices

  • Shizuoka City Office/Aoi Ward Office:
    5-1 Ōtemachi, Aoi-ku, Shizuoka-shi 420-8602
    • Aoi Ward Ikawa Branch Office:
      656-2 Ikawa, Aoi-ku, Shizuoka-shi 428-0504
  • Suruga Ward Office:
    10-40 Minamiyahata-chō, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka-shi 422-8550
    • Suruga Ward Osada Branch Office:
      13-1 Kami-Kawahara Suruga-ku, Shizuoka-shi 421-0132
  • Shimizu City Office/Shimizu Ward Office:
    6-9 Asahi-chō, Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka-shi 424-8701
    • Shimizu Ward Kanbara Branch Office:
      1-21-1 Kanbara Shinden, Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka-shi 421-3211

External relations

Twin towns – Sister cities

Shizuoka has twin and friendship relationships with several cities.[17][18]

International

Sister cities
City Country State since
Stockton United StatesUnited States California October 16, 1959
Omaha United StatesUnited States Nebraska April 1, 1965
Shelbyville United StatesUnited States Indiana November 3, 1989
Cannes FranceFrance Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur November 5, 1991[19]
Friendship cities
City Country State since
Huế VietnamVietnam Thừa Thiên Huế province April 12, 2005

National

Sister cities
City Prefecture region since
Muroran
HokkaidoIburi Hokkaidō region December 24,1976
Jōetsu Niigata PrefectureNiigata Chūbu region October 12, 1995
Friendship cities
City Prefecture region since
Saku Nagano PrefectureNagano Chūbu region October 12, 1989

Economy

A map showing Shizuoka Metropolitan Employment Area
Mount Fuji and Shizuoka City
Bank of Japan Shizuoka Branch
Downtown Shizuoka City
Bandai Hobby Center
Miyukicho

Shizuoka has 35,579 businesses as of 2012.[4]

Employment by industry: Agriculture 0.1%, Manufacturing: 26.9%, Service 73.0%

Greater Shizuoka, Shizuoka Metropolitan Employment Area, has a GDP of US$45.8 billion as of 2010.[20][21]

Shizuoka's GDP per capita (PPP) 2014 was US$41,472.[22]

Fuji Dream Airlines is headquartered in Aoi-ku, Shizuoka.[23]

Agriculture

Green tea
Varieties such as Motoyama and Yabukita are grown in all corners of the city, and the varieties grown especially in the Warashina area in Aoi Ward and the Ryōgōchi area of Shimizu Ward are known for their high quality
Strawberries
"Stonewall strawberries" (石垣いちご, ishigaki ichigo) are strawberries that grow in holes on inclined stone walls, grown especially along an 8 km (5 mi) stretch of Kunō Kaidō (route 150), also known as "Strawberry Road", along the coast of Suruga Bay.[24]
Wasabi
especially in areas such as Utōgi in Aoi Ward
Mandarin orange and other citrus fruits
especially Satsuma, a seedless and easy-peeling citrus mutant, known as mikan (みかん) or formally unshū mikan (ウンシュウミカン)[25][26][27][28]
Lotus roots
especially in the Asahata area of Aoi Ward
Roses
especially in the Ihara and Okitsu areas in Shimizu Ward
Peaches
especially in the Osada area:::
Potatoes
Especially the Sebago potato. Originally exported to Crookwell

Fishery

Shimizu Port boasts the largest haul of tuna in all Japan.[citation needed] Kanbara Harbour enjoys a prosperous haul of sakura ebi, and Mochimune Harbour enjoys a prosperous haul of shirasu sardines.

Products

Abekawa Mochi is a type of rice cake (or mochi) made with kinako soy flour that is a specialty of Shizuoka.

Shizuoka has a long history of being involved in the craft industries going back over 400 years ago, using trees, including

balsa, but following the war, with the importation of US built scale models, many companies either turned to plastic models to compete or went under.[29][30]

The town has since become internationally notable for its plastic

Gundam models exclusively at its Bandai Hobby Center plant in the city.[32] The city hosts the long-running Shizuoka Hobby Show annually in May at Twin Messe Shizuoka.[33]

Media

Photograph of SBS/Shizuoka Shimbun building
The headquarters of Shizuoka Broadcasting System (SBS) and the Shizuoka Shimbun newspaper

Print media

The Shizuoka Shimbun is the area's primary newspaper.

The book trilogy “Paper Gods” by Amanda Sun takes place in this city.

Broadcast media

Television

Cable television

Shizuoka Cable Television (Dream Wave Shizuoka)

Radio

  • NHK1 882 kHz
  • NHK2 639 kHz
  • NHK-FM 88.8 MHz
  • SBS 1404 kHz / 93.9 MHz
  • K-MIX 79.2 MHz
  • FM-Hi!76.9 MHz
  • Marine Pal (FM Shimizu) 76.3 MHz
  • Guzen Media Japan—A podcast and vidcast based in Shizuoka, Japan[34]

Education

Photograph of Shizuoka University
The main campus of Shizuoka University
Shizuoka Prefectural University

Colleges and universities

National university, founded 1949. Main campus in Suruga Ward
. Abbreviated to 静大 (Shizudai).
Public university whose main campus is in Suruga Ward, close to Kusanagi Station.
Shimizu campus of the Tokyo-based private university
  • Tokoha Gakuen University
Private university founded in 1946
Co-educational
Methodist Church of Canada with the support of the Shizuoka prefectural government. First institution in Shizuoka Prefecture to offer secondary education
for girls, it became a four-year coeducational university in 2002.
Junior college in Suruga Ward, affiliated with University of Shizuoka.
Junior college in Aoi Ward, affiliated with Tokai University.
Tokoha Gakuen University
.

Primary and secondary education

Shizuoka has 91 elementary schools, 57 middle schools and 27 high schools. In addition there are 29 vocations schools and 12 public libraries.

Transportation

Shizuoka Airport
Shizuoka Station North exit
Shin-Shizuoka Cenova

Airways

Airports

The nearest airport is

Makinohara and Shimada
.

Railways

Shizuoka lies on the

Shizuoka Railway, administered by the Shizuoka Railway Co., Ltd. at Shizuoka Station. The under construction Chūō Shinkansen
will pass through the mountainous area in the northern tip of the city. However, the line is not planned to have a station in Shizuoka.

High-Speed Rail

Central Japan Railway Company (JR Tōkai)

Conventional lines

Central Japan Railway Company (JR Tōkai)
Shizuoka Railway (Shizutetsu)
Ōigawa Railway (Daitetsu)

Buses

Buse terminal

Roads

Expressway

Japan National Route

Seaways

Sea port

The Port of Shimizu-ku, in Shimizu City (now

Shimizu Ward), is a long established mid-size sea port, catering to container ships, dry bulk ships and cruise ships.[35]

It is well located, being in between the two major port areas of Japan, i.e. the Tokyo Bay ports of Tokyo, Kawasaki and Yokohama (Keihin ports) and the Osaka Bay ports of Osaka and Kobe (Hanshin ports). The Port of Shimizu has a water depth of about 12 metres (39 ft); its attractiveness has been enhanced over the past years by the construction of new road and rail links which contribute to expanding its commercial hinterland.

In tonnage, imports (about 6.5 million tonnes (6,400,000 long tons; 7,200,000 short tons)) are close to twice export volumes, but in trade value exports are twice as valuable as imports.

The Port of Shimizu container traffic is about balanced, with over 250,000 TEU in each direction, with auto parts and chemicals amongst the main cargo types. Major international container lines provide weekly services on major trade routes, including North America, Europe and Asia, with about 110 calls per months on 28 trade routes.

The port of Shimizu also includes a terminal to receive

LNG
).

The Port of Shimizu is also connected to other Japan ports. In particular, it is served by a Roll-on/roll-off service serving the port of Ōita, on the north-east coast of the southern island of Kyushu. This service, which sails three times a week and has a transit time of 20 hours, has enabled a modal shift of freight trucks from road to sea, thereby contributing to decreasing congestion and pollution on roads.

Tourism

Kunōzan Tōshō-gū
Photograph of Shizuoka Sengen Shrine
Shizuoka Sengen Shrine
Hiroshige's Mariko-juku

Local attractions

Museums

Major attractions

Historic spots

In Aoi Ward

Shizuoka Sengen Shrine
A collection of Shinto shrines that was patronised by powerful warrior clans since ancient times, most notably the Tokugawa clan.
Sunpu Park/Sunpu Castle ruins
The castle of the Imagawa and Tokugawa clans, originally built in 1599, was destroyed in 1869. Today, only the moats remain. The rest was turned into a park, and is now a popular place for hanami.

In Suruga Ward

Toro
Late Yayoi archaeological site notable as the first archaeological site excavated in Japan in which remains of a 1st-century AD Yayoi-era wet-rice Paddy fields were found.
Kunōzan Tōshō-gū
Shōgun Tokugawa Ieyasu, and the oldest of the Tōshō-gū shrines in Japan. The main festival of the shrine is held annually on 17 April, although its spring festival from 17–18 February is a larger event.[36]
Mariko-juku
Twentieth of the fifty-three stations of the old Tōkaidō road, an old travel route during the Edo period.

In Shimizu Ward

Miho Peninsula
Famous for the scenic
pine trees and white sands spanning over seven kilometers, designated as one of New Three Views of Japan (新日本三景, Shin Nihon Sankei). Also known as the scene of the legend of Hagoromo, which is based on the traditional swan maiden
motif.

Culture

Festivals

Daidogei World Cup (大道芸ワールドカップ, Daigougei Waarudo kappu)
The
street performers' festival, held over various locations around the city in November over four days. It was first held in 1992.[37]
Shizuoka Festival (静岡まつり, Shizuoka Matsuri)
The festival, which begun in 1957 but whose origins date back to traditions hundreds of years old, takes place in April, during the high point of the year for
daimyōs (feudal lords) to Sengen Shrine to view the cherry blossoms in the 17th century.[38]
Abekawa Fireworks (安倍川花火, Abekawa Hanabi)
A gigantic fireworks display held upstream on Shizuoka's
Abekawa River in late July. It was first held 1953, to remember those who died during World War II and to pray for a national revival. Today, around 15,000 fireworks are .[39]

Cuisine

Oden
a Japanese dish consisting of several ingredients such as boiled eggs,
aonori
powder (edible seaweed) are sprinkled on top before eating.
Gyoza
Soba noodles
Seafood
Zōni soup
rice cakes in a broth cooked with vegetables, popular at New Year
Tororo-jiru
A grated yam soup. Chojiya, a tororo-jiru restaurant founded in 1598 in Mariko-juku area of Shizuoka, west of the Abe River, was made famous by Hiroshige when he depicted it in his series of ukiyo-e prints of the 53 stops along the Tōkaidō.

Shizuoka Performing Arts Center

The Shizuoka Performing Arts Center (SPAC) was founded in 1995 by the Shizuoka Prefecture.[40] The building was designed by architect Arata Isozaki[41] and was opened in 1999 for the second Theatre Olympics.[42]

The

Artistic Director, appointed in 1997 and staying in the position until March 2007, after which Miyagi Satoshi took up the appointment.[40] SPAC has organised the World Theatre Festival Shizuoka each year since 2011,[43] as well as creating its own theatre productions (some of which tour abroad), having students to learn at the center, and other theatrical activities.[40]

The World Theatre Festival Shizuoka was formerly called the Shizuoka Spring Festival (2000-2010[43]), being changed to "World Theater Festival Shizuoka under Mt. Fuji" in 2012 by the artistic director of the centre, Miyagi Satoshi. His intention was "to connect Shizuoka to the world through theater", to have performances from every corner of the world, for "people to see that the world isn't a set and finished quantity and there is still plenty of room for change. I wanted to communicate that theater is a window to the world".[41] The festival includes stage plays, puppetry, film, dance and other performance arts.[43]

In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was announced on 3 April that the festival, scheduled to begin from 25 April to 6 May, would be cancelled. Instead, Miyagi staged an online version of the festival.[44]

Sport

With the Shimizu merger,

football club in the city. Recently, however, a new rival club, Fujieda MYFC (from nearby Fujieda), has been rising in the regional league ranks as a contender for a place in the Japan Football League
. The city hosted the official
1999
.

Club Sport League Venue Established
Chanson V-Magic Basketball W.League Konohana Arena 1961
Shimizu S-Pulse
Football
J.League IAI Stadium Nihondaira 1991
Veltex Shizuoka Basketball B.League Shizuoka City Central Gymnasium 2018

Notable people

City song

Watashi no Machi, Shizuoka (わたしの街 静岡)[46]

  • Written: 13 April 2005
  • Lyrics: Citizen competition entry
  • Music, additions: Kei Ogura
  • Arranged: Shin Kawabe
  • Eri Itō sang on the CD release

References

  1. ^ "Foreign Languages". City of Shizuoka (in Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, and Portuguese). Public Relations Section, Mayor's Office, General Affairs Bureau. 10 September 2019. Archived from the original on 18 October 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Tsukibetsu jinkō dēta(Shizuoka shi no jinkō setaisū" 月別人口データ(静岡市の人口・世帯数 [Monthly population data (population and number of households in Shizuoka City)]. City of Shizuoka (in Japanese). Shizuoka City Planning Bureau, Planning Division, Statistics Section. 10 October 2020. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  3. .
  4. ^ a b "Shizuoka statistics" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  5. ^ Kanemoto, Yoshitsugu. "Urban Employment Area Population Data, Metropolitan Employment Area (MEA) (2015 Standards)" (CSV). Center for Spatial Information Science (in Japanese and English). University of Tokyo. Archived from the original on 22 March 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
  6. .
  7. ^ "Monthly total of snowfall depth (cm)". Japan Meteorological Agency. 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  8. ^ 気象庁 / 平年値(年・月ごとの値). Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  9. ^ District Image Colours and Logo Marks Archived 28 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ Shizuoka population statistics
  11. .
  12. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20130629153438/http://www.soumu.go.jp/main_content/000215647.pdf List of Core Cities, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
  13. ^ Shizuoka city home page, Shimizu merger documents
  14. .
  15. ^ City mergers seen tailing off as the initial excitement fades | The Japan Times
  16. ^ http://www.city.shizuoka.jp.e.qv.hp.transer.com/000_001670.html Shizuoka city home page, Yui merger documents
  17. ^ International Sister Cities & Friendship Cities ‐ 静岡市 Archived 12 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine Shizuoka website retrieved 8 July 2008
  18. ^ Domestic Sister Cities & Friendship Cities ‐ 静岡市 Archived 17 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine Shizuoka website retrieved 8 July 2008
  19. ^ "International Exchange". List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures. Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). Archived from the original on 13 January 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  20. ^ Yoshitsugu Kanemoto. "Metropolitan Employment Area (MEA) Data". Center for Spatial Information Science, The University of Tokyo.
  21. ^ Conversion rates - Exchange rates - OECD Data
  22. ^ "Global Metro Monitor". 30 November 2001.
  23. ^ "会社概要." Fuji Dream Airlines. Retrieved on 20 May 2009.
  24. ^ What is cool and hot in this season – Strawberry Picking around Kuno
  25. .
  26. .
  27. ^ "Plant Name Details: Rutaceae Citrus unshiu Marcow". International Plant Names Index.
  28. ^ "Citrus unshiu". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  29. ^ Amazon.co.uk: Master Modeler: Creating the Tamiya Style: Shunsaku Tamiya, Giles Murray: Books
  30. ^ 田宮模型の仕事: Creating the Tamiya Style By Shunsaku Tamiya
  31. ^ Business & Industry
  32. ^ Tour of Gundam Model Factory "Bandai Hobby Center" in Shizuoka - GIGAZINE
  33. ^ "Record of Past International Conferences". Archived from the original on 16 February 2008. Retrieved 8 February 2008.
  34. ^ "Home". guzenmediajapan.com.
  35. ^ "Port of Shimizu". Shimizu Port Authority. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  36. .
  37. ^ "Daidogei World Cup 2022". JapanTravel. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  38. ^ "Origin of the Shizuoka Festival". Shizuoka Festival. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  39. ^ "Abekawa River Fireworks Festival Details". Japan Travel by Navitime. 13 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  40. ^ a b c "What's SPAC". SPAC. 5 March 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  41. ^ a b Miyagi, Satoshi (29 October 2012). "Artist Interview: Satoshi Miyagi (Artistic Director of Shizuoka Performing Arts Center)". Performing Arts Network Japan (Interview). Interviewed by Yamaguchi, Hiroko. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  42. ^ Kennedy, Gilles (16 June 1999). "A Triumphant 'Olympics' in Japan". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  43. ^ a b c "World Theatre Festival Shizuoka". SPAC (in Latin). 19 March 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  44. ^ Tanaka, Nobuko (5 June 2020). "World Theatre Festival Shizuoka heads online in desperate times". The Japan Times. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  45. ^ Parkin, Simon (31 March 2015). "Bloodborne creator Hidetaka Miyazaki: 'I didn't have a dream. I wasn't ambitious'". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  46. ^ 市歌 [City Song] (in Japanese). City of Shizuoka. 2007. Archived from the original on 9 June 2011. Retrieved 9 May 2011.

External links