Numazu · 沼津市

In the early morning, the day's catch goes up for auction in Numazu, and on clear days Mount Fuji rises above the harbor with its white cap. A trip to Numazu, where Suruga Bay meets the Izu Peninsula, leads to fresh seafood, pine-lined beaches, an imperial summer retreat, and locations from a popular anime.

Numazu Port

The heart of the city beats at the fishing port. Dozens of restaurants line the area around the market, serving kaisen-don, rice bowls topped with sashimi, including horse mackerel, shrimp, and deep-sea fish from Suruga Bay, the deepest bay in Japan. The Byuo water gate, a huge floodgate built to guard against tsunamis, has an observation deck with views over the harbor and the bay all the way to Mount Fuji. Next door, the Numazu Port Deep Sea Aquarium displays preserved coelacanths, considered living fossils, along with creatures from the ocean depths. If you're looking for a seafood souvenir, try himono: Numazu is Japan's most important production center for dried horse mackerel.

Things to See in Numazu

Along the coast runs Senbon Matsubara, a pine forest several kilometers long that, according to legend, was planted by a monk to protect the fields from wind and salt. The poet Wakayama Bokusui lived here and campaigned to preserve the pines; a small museum commemorates him. The Numazu Imperial Villa Memorial Park was the imperial family's summer residence from 1893; in its wooden buildings with gardens facing the sea, you can get a sense of life at court. Off the coast of Uchiura lies the small island of Awashima with a marine park where you can see dolphins and penguins.

Numazu in Anime

Since 2016, many young visitors have come for "Love Live! Sunshine!!", an anime series about a girl band from Uchiura, a fishing village in the south of the city. Buses are painted with characters, shops display posters in their windows, and fans follow the filming locations from the beachfront promenade to the harbor. The city has embraced the phenomenon, so you'll also come across the characters on manhole covers and station signs.

Eating in Numazu

Besides fresh sashimi and himono, sakura ebi, tiny pink shrimp from Suruga Bay, are a specialty in spring and fall, served deep-fried as kakiage or raw over rice. In the city center around the station you'll find izakaya serving Shizuoka oden, simmered in a dark broth and sprinkled with fish powder, accompanied by green tea from the prefecture.

Getting There, Excursions, and Best Time to Visit

From Tokyo, take the Shinkansen to Mishima, then ride the Tōkaidō Line a few minutes to Numazu. Buses connect to the port and onward to the Izu Peninsula, for example to the hot springs of Shuzenji or the west coast. The best time to visit is from October to May, when the air is clear and Mount Fuji is most often visible; winters are mild. In summer, beaches and fireworks draw visitors, but the mountain often hides behind haze.