On the south-central Pacific coast Shizuoka has a humid subtropical climate

Humid subtropical climate

A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...

, which is hot and humid in the summers and rarely snows in winter. Being closer to the warm Kuroshio current, Shizuoka is wet even by Japanese standards with only slightly less precipitation than Kanazawa

Kanazawa, Ishikawa

is the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan.-Geography, climate, and population:Kanazawa sits on the Sea of Japan, bordered by the Japan Alps, Hakusan National Park and Noto Peninsula National Park. The city sits between the Sai and Asano rivers. Its total area is 467.77 km².Kanazawa's...

 on the opposite side of Honshu, 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

Sea of Japan

The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...

. Further north, however, the mountainous Ikawa

Ikawa, Shizuoka

was a village located in Abe District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.On January 1, 1969 Ikawa joined with neighboring Shizuoka city. It is now part of Aoi-ku, Shizuoka....

 area is part of the Japanese snow country

Snow country (Japan)

Snow country refers to areas in Japan characterized by heavy, long-lasting snowfalls....

, and there are ski areas.

Nature

Mountains

Rivers (upstream)

Lakes (Ikawa Dam

Ikawa Dam

The is a dam on the Ōi River in Aoi-ku, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture on the island of Honshū, Japan. It was the first hollow core concrete gravity dam to be constructed in Japan, and has a hydroelectric power generating station owned by the Chubu Electric Power Company.-History:The potential of...

) (Hatanagi-I Dam)

Demographics

As of March 2011, the city has an estimated population

Population

A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...

 of 724,140 and a population density

Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 of 507 persons per km².

Demographic	Population		As of
Male	352,	896	2011-09
Female	371,	244
Households	299,	802
Foreign	8,	441	2009
Total	724,	026	2011-03

Wards

Administrative center, made up of the former Shizuoka north of the Tōkaidō Main Line

Tokaido Main Line

The is the busiest trunk line of the Japan Railways Group , connecting Tōkyō and Kōbe stations. It is long, not counting its many freight feeder lines around the major cities...

 excluding Osada district

Former Shizuoka south of the Tōkaidō Main Line and Osada district

Former city of Shimizu and towns of Kanbara

Kanbara, Shizuoka

was a town located in Ihara District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.On March 31, 2006 Kanbara was merged into the Shimizu-ku ward of the city of Shizuoka and thus no longer exists as an independent municipality....

 and Yui

Yui, Shizuoka

was a town located in Ihara District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.On November 1, 2008, Yui was merged into Shimizu-ku, a ward in the city of Shizuoka. Because of this and another merger, Ihara District dissolved....

.

Administrative District "Image Colours"

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

Aoi Ward Aoi-ku, Shizuoka is one of three wards of Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan, located in the northern part of the city. Aoi-ku borders Suruga-ku in the south and Shimizu-ku to the southeast; the west faces Shimada, Fujieda and Kawanehon and its northern tip extends into the border between Nagano Prefecture and Yamanashi...	Aoi Ward Green
Suruga Ward Suruga-ku, Shizuoka is one of three wards of Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan, located in the southern part of the city. The north east of Suruga-ku faces Aoi-ku; the north west faces Shimizu-ku; the south west faces Yaizu city and south east faces Suruga Bay....	Suruga Ward Red
Shimizu Ward Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka is one of three wards of the city of Shizuoka, in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, located in the eastern part of the city.-Geography:Shimizu is located on the coast of Suruga Bay of the Pacific Ocean and covers a wide area from a coastal plain to the hills...	Shimizu Ward Blue

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

Mayors (since 2003 merger)

Term	Name	Start	Finish
1-2	Zenkichi Kojima Zenkichi Kojima was the mayor of Shizuoka, Shizuoka in Japan until April, 2011, when he was succeeded by Tanabe Nobuhiro. A graduate of the University of Tokyo, he was first elected mayor in 1998 after serving in the assembly of Shizuoka Prefecture for three terms....	14 April 2003	12 April 2011
3	Nobuhiro Tanabe	13 April 2011	current

Ancient history

The area that is now the city of Shizuoka has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Numerous kofun

Kofun

Kofun are megalithic tombs or tumuli in Japan, constructed between the early 3rd century and early 7th century. They gave their name to the Kofun period . Many of the Kofun have a distinctive keyhole-shaped mound , unique to ancient Japan...

 have been found within the city limits, and the Toro

Toro (archaeological site)

is the name of a Late Yayoi archaeological site in Suruga Ward in the city of Shizuoka, south of Tokyo, Japan.-Background:Toro is 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...

 archaeological site

Archaeological site

An archaeological site is a place in which evidence of past activity is preserved , and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology and represents a part of the archaeological record.Beyond this, the definition and geographical extent of a 'site' can vary widely,...

 indicates that a major Yayoi period

Yayoi period

The is an Iron Age era in the history of Japan traditionally dated 300 BC to 300 AD. It is named after the neighbourhood of Tokyo where archaeologists first uncovered artifacts and features from that era. Distinguishing characteristics of the Yayoi period include the appearance of new...

 (circa 400 BC-300 AD) settlement existed in what is now part of the central city area.

Suruga

Suruga Province

was an old province in the area that is today the central part of Shizuoka prefecture. It was sometimes called . Suruga bordered on Izu, Kai, Sagami, Shinano, and Tōtōmi provinces; and had access to the Pacific Ocean through Suruga Bay.-History:...

 was established as a province of Japan in the early Nara period

Nara period

The of the history of Japan covers the years from AD 710 to 794. Empress Gemmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō . Except for 5 years , when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the capital of Japanese civilization until Emperor Kammu established a new capital, Nagaoka-kyō, in 784...

. At some point between the year 701 and 710, the provincial capital was relocated from what is now Numazu

Numazu, Shizuoka

is a city located in eastern Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of 2009, the city has an estimated population of 205,636 and a population density of 1,100 persons per km². The total area was 187.11 km².- Geography:...

, to a more central location on the banks of the Abe River

Abe River

The is a river in Shizuoka Prefecture of central Japan. It is long and has a watershed of .The river rises from Akaishi Mountains which stretch over the border between Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures, and flows into Suruga Bay in the Pacific Ocean)...

 at a location named (a contraction of ) or alternatively .

Pre-modern Shizuoka

During the Muromachi period

Muromachi period

The is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate, which was officially established in 1338 by the first Muromachi shogun, Ashikaga Takauji, two years after the brief Kemmu restoration of imperial...

, Sunpu was the capital of the Imagawa clan

Imagawa clan

The was a Japanese clan that claimed descent from Emperor Seiwa . It was a branch of the Minamoto clan by the Ashikaga clan.-Origins:Ashikaga Kuniuji, grandson of Ashikaga Yoshiuji, established himself in the 13th century at Imagawa and took its name.Imagawa Norikuni received from his cousin the...

. The Imagawa were defeated at the Battle of Okehazama

Battle of Okehazama

The took place in June 1560. In this battle, Oda Nobunaga defeated Imagawa Yoshimoto and established himself as one of the front-running warlords in the Sengoku period.-Background:...

, and Sunpu was subsequently ruled by Takeda Shingen

Takeda Shingen

, of Kai Province, was a preeminent daimyo in feudal Japan with exceptional military prestige in the late stage of the Sengoku period.-Name:Shingen was called "Tarō" or "Katsuchiyo" during his childhood...

, followed by Tokugawa Ieyasu

Tokugawa Ieyasu

 was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara  in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...

. However, Toyotomi Hideyoshi

Toyotomi Hideyoshi

was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...

 relocated Ieyasu, and installed Nakamura Kazutada to rule Sunpu. After the Toyotomi were defeated in the Battle of Sekigahara

Battle of Sekigahara

The , popularly known as the , was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 which cleared the path to the Shogunate for Tokugawa Ieyasu...

, Ieyasu recovered Sunpu, reassigning it to his own retainer, Naitō Nobunari

Naito Nobunari

was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period through early Edo period, who served the Tokugawa clan; he later became a daimyo.Nobunari is believed to have been the illegitimate son of Matsudaira Hirotada . He was later adopted by Naitō Kiyonaga...

 in 1601. This marked the start of Sunpu Domain

Sunpu Domain

' was a Japanese feudal domain intermittently during the Edo period. It was centered in Suruga Province, in what is now the city of Shizuoka, but at times included Kai and parts of Tōtōmi Provinces. In 1869 the domain was renamed .-History:...

.

In April 1606, Ieyasu officially retired from the post of Shogun

Shogun

A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...

, and retired to Sunpu, where he established a secondary court, from which he could influence Shogun Tokugawa Hidetada

Tokugawa Hidetada

was the second shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, who ruled from 1605 until his abdication in 1623. He was the third son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate.-Early life :...

 from behind the scenes. Subsequently, aside for brief periods, Sunpu was tenryō

Tokugawa shogunate

The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...

(territory under direct administration by the Shogunate), ruled by the , an appointed official based in Sunpu.

From the Meiji period to World War II

In 1869, after the fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate

Tokugawa shogunate

The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...

, the former shogunal line, headed by Tokugawa Iesato

Tokugawa Iesato

Prince was the first head of the Tokugawa clan after the overthrow of the Tokugawa bakufu, and a figure in Japanese politics during the Meiji, Taishō and early Shōwa period Japan.-Early life:...

 was sent to Sunpu and assigned the short-lived Shizuoka Domain. The same year, Sunpu was renamed "Shizuoka". Shizuoka Domain became Shizuoka Prefecture

Shizuoka Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.- History :Shizuoka prefecture was formed from the former Tōtōmi, Suruga and Izu provinces.The area was the home of the first Tokugawa Shogun...

 with the abolition of the han system

Abolition of the han system

The was an act, in 1871, of the new Meiji government of the Empire of Japan to replace the traditional feudal domain system and to introduce centralized government authority . This process marked the culmination of the Meiji Restoration in that all daimyo were required to return their authority...

 in 1871, which was expanded in 1876 through merger with the former Hamamatsu Prefecture and western portions of Ashigaru Prefecture in 1876. Shizuoka Station

Shizuoka Station

is a major railway station on the Tōkaidō Main Line of Central Japan Railway Company in Shizuoka, Japan, on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen and Tōkaidō Main Line. The station is 180.2 rail kilometers from Tokyo.-History:...

 on the Tōkaidō Main Line

Tokaido Main Line

The is the busiest trunk line of the Japan Railways Group , connecting Tōkyō and Kōbe stations. It is long, not counting its many freight feeder lines around the major cities...

 was opened on February 1, 1889. The same day, a fire burned down most of downtown Shizuoka.

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

An electric tram

Tram

A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...

 service began in 1911. In 1914, due to heavy rains caused by a typhoon, the Abe River

Abe River

The is a river in Shizuoka Prefecture of central Japan. It is long and has a watershed of .The river rises from Akaishi Mountains which stretch over the border between Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures, and flows into Suruga Bay in the Pacific Ocean)...

 flooded, inundating the downtown area. 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

Earthquake

An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...

, 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

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, Shizuoka lacked targets of major military significance, and was initially only lightly bombed during several American air raids

Japan campaign

The Japan Campaign was a series of battles and engagements in and around the Japanese Home Islands, between Allied forces and the forces of Imperial Japan during the last stages of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. The Japan Campaign lasted from around June 1944 to August 1945.-Air war:Periodic...

. However, in a major firebombing

Firebombing

Firebombing is a bombing technique designed to damage a target, generally an urban area, through the use of fire, caused by incendiary devices, rather than from the blast effect of large bombs....

 raid of June 19, 1945

Bombing of Shizuoka in World War II

The on June 19, 1945 was part of the strategic bombing campaign waged by the United States of America against military and civilian targets and population centers during the Japan home islands campaign in the closing stages of World War II.-Background:...

, 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 October 1, 1964, the Tokaido Shinkansen began services to Shizuoka, and on April 25, 1969 the city was connected to the Tomei Expressway

Tomei Expressway

The is a national expressway on the island of Honshū in Japan. It is operated by Central Nippon Expressway Company. It is a part of Asian Highway Network -Naming:The word Tōmei is an acronym consisting of two kanji characters...

. On July 7, 1974, the Abe River flooded, and landslides occurred during heavy rains, killing 23 people.

On August 16, 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 April 1, 1992, Shizuoka was designed a core city

Core city

A is a class of Japanese city created by the first clause of Article 252, Section 22 of the Local Autonomy Law of Japan. Core cities are delegated many functions normally carried out by prefectural governments, but not as many as designated cities...

 by the central government, giving it increased autonomy.

The April 1, 2003 merger

Merger and dissolution of municipalities of Japan

Municipal mergers and dissolutions carried out in Japan can take place within one municipality or between multiple municipalities and are required to be based upon consensus.- Merger policy:...

 with Shimizu city (current Shimizu Ward

Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka

is one of three wards of the city of Shizuoka, in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, located in the eastern part of the city.-Geography:Shimizu is located on the coast of Suruga Bay of the Pacific Ocean and covers a wide area from a coastal plain to the hills...

) greatly expanded the area and population of Shizuoka, which then became a designated city on April 1, 2005, and was divided into three wards.

Kanbara

Kanbara, Shizuoka

was a town located in Ihara District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.On March 31, 2006 Kanbara was merged into the Shimizu-ku ward of the city of Shizuoka and thus no longer exists as an independent municipality....

 merged with Shizuoka on March 31, 2006, becoming part of Shimizu Ward. On November 1, 2008, Yui

Yui, Shizuoka

was a town located in Ihara District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.On November 1, 2008, Yui was merged into Shimizu-ku, a ward in the city of Shizuoka. Because of this and another merger, Ihara District dissolved....

 also merged into Shimizu Ward.

Economy

• Shizuoka has 39,237 businesses as of 2004, placing it first in the prefecture
  Prefecture
  A prefecture is an administrative jurisdiction or subdivision in any of various countries and within some international church structures, and in antiquity a Roman district governed by an appointed prefect.-Antiquity:...
  
  .
• Employment by industry: Agriculture 0.1%, Manufacturing: 26.9%, Service 73.0%

Fuji Dream Airlines

Fuji Dream Airlines

is a domestic airline headquartered in Makinohara, Shizuoka, Japan, with its main hub at Shizuoka Airport. The airline commenced operations on July 23, 2009, from its home town of Shizuoka.- History :...

 is headquartered in Aoi-ku, Shizuoka

Aoi-ku, Shizuoka

is one of three wards of Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan, located in the northern part of the city. Aoi-ku borders Suruga-ku in the south and Shimizu-ku to the southeast; the west faces Shimada, Fujieda and Kawanehon and its northern tip extends into the border between Nagano Prefecture and Yamanashi...

.

Agriculture

Green tea

Green tea

Green tea is made solely from the leaves of Camellia sinensis that have undergone minimal oxidation during processing. Green tea originates from China and has become associated with many cultures throughout Asia. It has recently become more widespread in the West, where black tea is traditionally...

: 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: 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

Suruga Bay

Suruga Bay is a bay on the Pacific coast of Honshū in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It is situated north of an imaginary line joining Omaezaki Point and Irōzaki Point at the tip of the Izu Peninsula and surrounded by Honshū to the southwest and west and the Izu Peninsula to the east.-Geology:Suruga...

.
Wasabi

Wasabi

, also known as Japanese horseradish, is a member of the Brassicaceae family, which includes cabbages, horseradish, and mustard. Its root is used as a condiment and has an extremely strong flavor. Its hotness is more akin to that of a hot mustard rather than the capsaicin in a chili pepper,...

 :especially in areas such as Utōgi in Aoi Ward
Mandarin Orange

Mandarin orange

The orange, also known as the ' or mandarine , is a small citrus tree with fruit resembling other oranges. Mandarin oranges are usually eaten plain or in fruit salads...

s and other citrus fruits:especially Satsuma, a seedless and easy-peeling citrus mutant, known as or formally
Lotus roots: especially in the Asahata area of Aoi Ward
Rose

Rose

A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers are large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows...

s: especially in the Ihara and Okitsu areas in Shimizu Ward
Peach

Peach

The peach tree is a deciduous tree growing to tall and 6 in. in diameter, belonging to the subfamily Prunoideae of the family Rosaceae. It bears an edible juicy fruit called a peach...

es: especially in the Osada area

Fishery

Shimizu Port boasts the largest haul of tuna

Tuna

Tuna is a salt water fish from the family Scombridae, mostly in the genus Thunnus. Tuna are fast swimmers, and some species are capable of speeds of . Unlike most fish, which have white flesh, the muscle tissue of tuna ranges from pink to dark red. The red coloration derives from myoglobin, an...

 in all Japan. Kanbara Harbour enjoys a prosperous haul of sakura ebi, and Mochimune Harbour enjoys a prosperous haul of shirasu

Whitebait

Whitebait is a collective term for the immature fry of fish, typically between 25 and 50 millimetres long. Such young fish often travel together in schools along the coast, and move into estuaries and sometimes up rivers where they can be easily caught with fine meshed fishing nets...

sardines.

Products

Abekawa Mochi

Mochi

Mochi is a Japanese rice cake made of glutinous rice pounded into paste and molded into shape. In Japan it is traditionally made in a ceremony called mochitsuki. While also eaten year-round, mochi is a traditional food for the Japanese New Year and is commonly sold and eaten during that time...

is a type of rice cake (or mochi) in kinako

Kinako

, also known as soybean flour, is a product commonly used in Japanese cuisine. Kinako is produced by finely grinding roasted soybeans into powder.Kinako, being composed of soybeans, is a healthy topping and flavoring which contains B vitamins and protein....

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 hinoki cypress

Cypress

Cypress is the name applied to many plants in the cypress family Cupressaceae, which is a conifer of northern temperate regions. Most cypress species are trees, while a few are shrubs...

. The model industry goes back to the late 1920s when wood was used to produce model toys, using sashimono

Sashimono

Sashimono were small banners historically worn by soldiers in feudal Japan, for identification during battles.-Description:The sashimono poles were attached to the backs of the chest armor by special fittings. Sashimono were worn by common soldiers, known as ashigaru, to elite samurai, and in...

 woodworking joinery techniques, purely for educational purposes. Craftsmen later moved on to lighter woods including balsa

Balsa

Ochroma pyramidale, commonly known as the balsa tree , is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is a large, fast-growing tree that can grow up to tall. It is the source of balsa wood, a very lightweight material with many uses...

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

The town has since became internationally notable for its plastic

Plastic

A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids used in the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce production costs...

 scale model

Scale model

A scale model is a physical model, a representation or copy of an object that is larger or smaller than the actual size of the object, which seeks to maintain the relative proportions of the physical size of the original object. Very often the scale model is used as a guide to making the object in...

 kits and is resident to its long established companies such as Aoshima, Fujimi, Hasegawa

Hasegawa (model company)

The is a company that manufactures plastic model kits of a variety of vehicles, including model aircraft, model cars, model ships, model armor, model space craft and science fiction kits...

 and the most renowned of them all, Tamiya

Tamiya Corporation

is a Japanese manufacturer of plastic model kits, radio controlled cars, battery- and solar-powered educational models, sailboat models, acrylic and enamel model paints, and various modeling tools and supplies...

. The city hosts the long-running Shizuoka Hobby Show annually in May at Twin Messe Shizuoka, which attracts visitors from around the world.

Cuisine

Oden

Oden

Oden is a Japanese winter dish consisting of several ingredients such as boiled eggs, daikon radish, konnyaku, and processed fish cakes stewed in a light, soy-flavoured dashi broth. Ingredients vary according to region and between each household...

a Japanese dish consisting of several ingredients such as boiled eggs, daikon

Daikon

Daikon , Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus, also called White Radish, Japanese radish, Oriental radish, Chinese radish, lo bok and Mooli , is a mild flavoured, very large, white East Asian radish...

radish, konnyaku, and processed fish cakes stewed in a light, soy

Soy sauce

Soy sauce is a condiment produced by fermenting soybeans with Aspergillus oryzae or Aspergillus sojae molds, along with water and salt...

-flavoured dashi

Dashi

Dashi is a class of soup and cooking stock, considered fundamental to Japanese cooking. In 1980, Shizuo Tsuji wrote: "Many substitutes for dashi are possible, but without dashi, dishes are merely à la japonaise and lack the authentic flavor." Dashi forms the base for miso soup, clear broth, noodle...

broth.

Oden in Shizuoka uses a dark coloured broth flavoured with beef stock and dark soy sauce. All ingredients are skewered. Dried, ground fish (sardine, mackerel, or katsuobushi

Katsuobushi

is the Japanese name for dried, fermented, and smoked skipjack tuna .Shaved Katsuobushi and dried kelp - kombu - are the main ingredients of dashi, a broth that forms the basis of many soups and sauces in Japanese cuisine.Katsuobushi's distinct umami flavor comes from its high...

) and aonori

Aonori

, also known as green laver, is a type of edible green seaweed, including species from the genera Monostroma and Enteromorpha of Ulvaceae. It is commercially cultivated in some bay areas in Japan, such as Ise Bay...

powder (edible seaweed) are sprinkled on top before eating.

Gyoza
Soba

Soba

is the Japanese name for buckwheat. It is synonymous with a type of thin noodle made from buckwheat flour, and in Japan can refer to any thin noodle . Soba noodles are served either chilled with a dipping sauce, or in hot broth as a noodle soup...

 noodles
Seafood

Seafood

Seafood is any form of marine life regarded as food by humans. Seafoods include fish, molluscs , crustaceans , echinoderms . Edible sea plants, such as some seaweeds and microalgae, are also seafood, and are widely eaten around the world, especially in Asia...

Zoni soup

Zoni soup

, often with the honorific "o-" as o-zōni, is a Japanese soup containing mochi rice cakes. The dish is strongly associated with the Japanese New Year and its tradition of osechi ceremonial foods....

rice cakes in a broth cooked with vegetables, popular at New Year

New Year

The New Year is the day that marks the time of the beginning of a new calendar year, and is the day on which the year count of the specific calendar used is incremented. For many cultures, the event is celebrated in some manner....

's

Tororo

Dioscorea opposita

Dioscorea opposita is a type of yam that may be eaten raw....

A grated yam soup. Chojiya, a tororo restaurant founded in 1598 in Mariko-juku

Mariko-juku

was the twentieth of the fifty-three stations of the Tōkaidō. It is located in what is now part of Suruga Ward in Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It can also be written as 丸子宿 .-History:...

 area of Shizuoka, west of the Abe River

Abe River

The is a river in Shizuoka Prefecture of central Japan. It is long and has a watershed of .The river rises from Akaishi Mountains which stretch over the border between Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures, and flows into Suruga Bay in the Pacific Ocean)...

, was made famous by Hiroshige

Hiroshige

was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist, and one of the last great artists in that tradition. He was also referred to as Andō Hiroshige and by the art name of Ichiyūsai Hiroshige ....

 when he depicted it in his series of ukiyoe prints of the 53 stops along the Tōkaidō

Tokaido (road)

The ' was the most important of the Five Routes of the Edo period, connecting Edo to Kyoto in Japan. Unlike the inland and less heavily travelled Nakasendō, the Tōkaidō travelled along the sea coast of eastern Honshū, hence the route's name....

.

Culture

There are three main festivals on Shizuoka's calendar.

: The City's April festival during the high point of the year for Cherry Blossoms. A flower-viewing procession imitates the shogun

Shogun

A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...

 Tokugawa Ieyasu

Tokugawa Ieyasu

 was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara  in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...

's custom of taking daimyo

Daimyo

is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...

 (feudal lords) to Sengen Shrine

Shizuoka Sengen Shrine

is the name for a collective group of three Shinto shrines now forming a single religious corporation, located at Mount Shizuhata in Aoi-ku, Shizuoka in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. These shrines are the Kambe Jinja , Sengen Jinja , and Ohtoshimioya Jinja...

 to view the cherry blossoms.

: A gigantic fireworks display held upstream on Shizuoka's Abe River in late July.

: Street Performance World Cup. Probably the biggest event on Shizuoka's Calendar, it is an annual international busker's festival, held in November. It includes various shows such as juggling, pantomime, magic, etc. Performers come from around the world and perform throughout the central part of the city as well as in some peripheral locations. From 2005, it expanded from a 3-day to a 4-day festival.

Sports

With the Shimizu merger, Shimizu S-Pulse

Shimizu S-Pulse

is a professional Japanese association football club. Located in Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, S-Pulse currently competes in the J. League Division 1 . Formed as recently as 1991, S-Pulse are one of the youngest professional teams in Japan, but are among only five to have competed in...

 became the major soccer

Football (soccer)

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...

 club in the city. Recently, however, a new rival club, Shizuoka F.C. from Suruga, has been rising in the regional league ranks as a contender for a place in the Japan Football League

Japan Football League

The is the 3rd tier of the Japanese association football league system, following J. League Division 1 and J. League Division 2. Also known as the JFL, it is generally considered as the top amateur league in Japan although in reality it is a semi-professional league as many full-time footballers...

.

Rail

Shizuoka lies on the Tōkaidō Main Line

Tokaido Main Line

The is the busiest trunk line of the Japan Railways Group , connecting Tōkyō and Kōbe stations. It is long, not counting its many freight feeder lines around the major cities...

, the JR

Central Japan Railway Company

The is the main railway company operating in the Chūbu region of central Japan. It is officially abbreviated in English as JR Central and in Japanese as . Its headquarters are located in the JR Central Towers in Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture.The company's operational hub is Nagoya Station...

 main rail line from Tokyo to Osaka, and is well-served by the Tōkaidō Shinkansen, limited express and regional trains. The central station of Shizuoka is in the city centre. Shizuoka also has an LRT

Light rail

Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...

 line, the Shizuoka Railway

Shizuoka Railway Shizuoka-Shimizu Line

is a　LRT railway line in Shizuoka Prefecture, between Shin-Shizuoka in Aoi Ward and Shin-Shimizu in Shimizu Ward, all within the city of Shizuoka. Presently this is the only one railway Shizuoka Railway operates. The line was made to link previous Shimizu City and Shizuoka cities, until the former...

, administered by the Shizuoka Railway

Shizuoka Railway

The , also known as “Shizutetsu” is a private railway in Shizuoka Prefecture Japan. In addition to its railway business, the Shizuoka Railway Company owns large bus and taxi services, a department store, supermarkets, a construction company and real estate holdings....

 Co., Ltd. at Shizuoka Station

Shizuoka Station

is a major railway station on the Tōkaidō Main Line of Central Japan Railway Company in Shizuoka, Japan, on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen and Tōkaidō Main Line. The station is 180.2 rail kilometers from Tokyo.-History:...

.

Airport

The nearest airport is Shizuoka Airport

Shizuoka Airport

, also called Mt. Fuji Shizuoka Airport, is located in Shizuoka Prefecture Japan. Opened on June 4, 2009, the airport has domestic service to Sapporo, Fukuoka, Naha , Komatsu, Kumamoto, and Kagoshima. International routes connect it to Seoul and Shanghai.The airport is located in Makinohara and...

, between Makinohara

Makinohara, Shizuoka

is a city located in western Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 48,745 and a density of 436 persons per km². The total area was 111.68 km².-Geography:...

 and Shimada

Shimada, Shizuoka

is a city in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2010, the city has an estimated population of 100,846 and a population density of 319 persons per km². The total area is 315.88 km².-Geography:...

. The more distant Tokyo International Airport

Tokyo International Airport

, commonly known as , is one of the two primary airports that serve the Greater Tokyo Area in Japan. It is located in Ōta, Tokyo, south of Tokyo Station....

 (Haneda), Narita International Airport

Narita International Airport

is an international airport serving the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is located east of Tokyo Station and east-southeast of Narita Station in the city of Narita, and the adjacent town of Shibayama....

, and Chūbu Centrair International Airport

Chubu Centrair International Airport

is an airport on an artificial island in Ise Bay, Tokoname City in Aichi Prefecture, south of Nagoya in central Japan.Centrair is classified as a first class airport and is the main international gateway for the Chūbu region of Japan...

 are commonly used.

Colleges and universities

Shizuoka University

Shizuoka University

Shizuoka University isa national university in Shizuoka, Japan.The university consists of six faculties; Humanities and Social Sciences, Education, Informatics, Science, Engineering and Agriculture...

National university

Japanese national university

As of 2008, there were 87 , 89 public universities and 580 private universities in Japan. National universities, tend to be held in higher regard in higher education in Japan than private or public universities....

, founded 1949. Main campus in Suruga Ward

Suruga-ku, Shizuoka

is one of three wards of Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan, located in the southern part of the city. The north east of Suruga-ku faces Aoi-ku; the north west faces Shimizu-ku; the south west faces Yaizu city and south east faces Suruga Bay....

. Abbreviated to 静大 (Shizudai).

University of Shizuoka

University of Shizuoka

The , is a public university in Shizuoka, Japan.- Overview :The Japanese name of the university is Shizuoka Kenritsu Daigaku , which translates, literally, the "Prefectural University of Shizuoka." Since the English version of the Japanese term for province is unfamiliar to many English speakers,...

Public university

Public university

A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...

 whose main campus is in Suruga Ward

Suruga-ku, Shizuoka

is one of three wards of Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan, located in the southern part of the city. The north east of Suruga-ku faces Aoi-ku; the north west faces Shimizu-ku; the south west faces Yaizu city and south east faces Suruga Bay....

, close to Kusanagi Station

Kusanagi Station (JR Central)

is a train station in Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by Central Japan Railway Company . The station is 174.2 rail kilometers from Tokyo Station.-Station history:...

.

Tokai University

Tokai University

is a private university in Tokyo, Japan. It was established in 1943 by Shigeyoshi Matsumae, who had formerly been the engineering president of the Ministry of Communications...

Shimizu

Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka

is one of three wards of the city of Shizuoka, in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, located in the eastern part of the city.-Geography:Shimizu is located on the coast of Suruga Bay of the Pacific Ocean and covers a wide area from a coastal plain to the hills...

 campus of the Tokyo-based private university

Tokoha Gakuen University

Tokoha Gakuen University

is a private university in the Aoi ward of Shizuoka City, Japan.The predecessor of the school was founded in 1946, and it was chartered as a university in 1980. The university is operated by the foundation that also operates Tokoha Gakuen Junior College....

Private university founded in 1946

Shizuoka Eiwa Gakuin University

Shizuoka Eiwa Gakuin University

is a co-educational private university in Shizuoka city, Shizuoka Prefecture Japan.-History:The Shizuoka Eiwa Girls’ School was founded in 1887 by missionaries from the Methodist Church of Canada with the support of the Shizuoka prefectural government, and continues to be affiliated with the...

Co-educational private university

Private university

Private universities are universities not operated by governments, although many receive public subsidies, especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grants. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities are...

 founded by missionaries from the Methodist Church of Canada

Methodist Church of Canada

The Methodist Church of Canada was a united church formed in 1884 and comprising most former Methodist denominations in Canada including some that had been active along Canada's eastern coast and north of the St...

 with the support of the Shizuoka prefectural government. First institution in Shizuoka Prefecture

Shizuoka Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.- History :Shizuoka prefecture was formed from the former Tōtōmi, Suruga and Izu provinces.The area was the home of the first Tokugawa Shogun...

 to offer secondary education

Secondary education

Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...

 for girls. Two-year Shizuoka Eiwa College was established in 1966, and Eiwa became a four year coeducational university in 2002.

Television

• NHK
  NHK
  NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
  
   Shizuoka (Analogue Channel 9; Digital Channel 1)
• NHK Shizuoka Educational Channel (Analogue Channel 2; Digital Channel 2)
• Shizuoka Broadcasting System
  Shizuoka Broadcasting System
  Shizuoka Broadcasting System, Inc. is a Japanese broadcaster in Shizuoka. Its radio station is affiliated with Japan Radio Network and National Radio Network , and its TV station is affiliated with JNN .-Supplement:* Shizuoka Broadcasting System has no connection with the South Korean network...
  
   (SBS) (Analogue Channel 11; Digital Channel 6)
• TV Shizuoka
  TV Shizuoka
  is a television station in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.-External links:*...
  
   (Analogue Channel 35; Digital Channel 8)
• Shizuoka Daiichi Television
  Shizuoka Daiichi Television
  Shizuoka Daiichi Television is a TV station broadcasting to the Shizuoka Prefecture. An abbreviated designation is SDT. It is a subsidiary of Nippon Television.- Links :*...
  
   (Analogue Channel 31; Digital Channel 4)
• Shizuoka Asahi Television (Analogue Channel 33; Digital Channel 5)

Radio

• NHK1 882 kHz
• NHK2 639 kHz FM88.8 MHz
• SBS 1404 kHz
• 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.

In Aoi Ward

Shizuoka Sengen Shrine

Shizuoka Sengen Shrine

is the name for a collective group of three Shinto shrines now forming a single religious corporation, located at Mount Shizuhata in Aoi-ku, Shizuoka in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. These shrines are the Kambe Jinja , Sengen Jinja , and Ohtoshimioya Jinja...

A collection of Shinto shrines that was patronised by powerful warrior clans since ancient times, most notably the Tokugawa clan

Tokugawa clan

The was a powerful daimyo family of Japan. They nominally descended from Emperor Seiwa and were a branch of the Minamoto clan by the Nitta clan. However, the early history of this clan remains a mystery.-History:...

.

Sunpu Park/Sunpu Castle

Sunpu Castle

was a Japanese castle in Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture in Japan. The sobriquet of this feudal fortress was the "Castle of the Floating Isle." It was also referred to as or .-History:...

 ruins

The castle of the Imagawa

Imagawa clan

The was a Japanese clan that claimed descent from Emperor Seiwa . It was a branch of the Minamoto clan by the Ashikaga clan.-Origins:Ashikaga Kuniuji, grandson of Ashikaga Yoshiuji, established himself in the 13th century at Imagawa and took its name.Imagawa Norikuni received from his cousin the...

 and Tokugawa clan

Tokugawa clan

The was a powerful daimyo family of Japan. They nominally descended from Emperor Seiwa and were a branch of the Minamoto clan by the Nitta clan. However, the early history of this clan remains a mystery.-History:...

s, 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

Hanami

is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the beauty of flowers, "flower" in this case almost always meaning cherry blossoms or ume blossoms. From the end of March to early May, sakura bloom all over Japan, and around the first of February on the island of Okinawa...

.

In Suruga Ward

Toro

Late Yayoi

Yayoi period

The is an Iron Age era in the history of Japan traditionally dated 300 BC to 300 AD. It is named after the neighbourhood of Tokyo where archaeologists first uncovered artifacts and features from that era. Distinguishing characteristics of the Yayoi period include the appearance of new...

 archaeological site

Archaeological site

An archaeological site is a place in which evidence of past activity is preserved , and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology and represents a part of the archaeological record.Beyond this, the definition and geographical extent of a 'site' can vary widely,...

 notable as the first archaeological site excavated in Japan in which remains of a 1st century AD Yayoi-era wet-rice Paddy field

Paddy field

A paddy field is a flooded parcel of arable land used for growing rice and other semiaquatic crops. Paddy fields are a typical feature of rice farming in east, south and southeast Asia. Paddies can be built into steep hillsides as terraces and adjacent to depressed or steeply sloped features such...

s were found.

Kunōzan Tōshōgū

Shintō shrine that was the original burial place of Shōgun

Shogun

A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...

 Tokugawa Ieyasu

Tokugawa Ieyasu

 was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara  in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...

, and the oldest of the Tōshō-gū shrines in Japan. The main festival of the shrine is held annually on April 17, although its spring festival from February 17–18 is a larger event.

Mariko-juku

Mariko-juku

was the twentieth of the fifty-three stations of the Tōkaidō. It is located in what is now part of Suruga Ward in Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It can also be written as 丸子宿 .-History:...

Twentieth of the fifty-three stations

53 Stations of the Tokaido

The are the rest areas along the Tōkaidō, which was a coastal route that ran from Nihonbashi in Edo to Sanjō Ōhashi in Kyoto.-Stations of the Tōkaidō:...

 of the old Tōkaidō

Tokaido (road)

The ' was the most important of the Five Routes of the Edo period, connecting Edo to Kyoto in Japan. Unlike the inland and less heavily travelled Nakasendō, the Tōkaidō travelled along the sea coast of eastern Honshū, hence the route's name....

 road, an old travel route during the Edo period

Edo period

The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....

.

In Shimizu Ward

Miho Peninsula

Famous for the scenic , renowned as a seashore with beautiful green pine trees and white sands spanning over seven kilometers, designated as one of . Also known as the scene of the legend of Hagoromo

Hagoromo (play)

is among the most-performed Japanese Noh plays. It is an example of the traditional swan maiden motif.-Sources and history:The earliest recorded version of the legend dates to the eighth century. The play however apparently combines two legends, one concerning the origins of the Suruga Dance and...

, which is based on the traditional swan maiden motif.

Notable people

• Princess Akishino
  Princess Akishino
  , formerly is the wife of Prince Akishino, the second son of the Emperor Akihito and the Empress Michiko of Japan. The daughter of a university professor, she became the second commoner to marry into the imperial family; her mother-in-law, the Empress, was the first in 1959...
  
  princess
  Princess
  Princess is the feminine form of prince . Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or his daughters....
  
   in the Japanese Imperial Family
• Yoshitaka Amano
  Yoshitaka Amano
  is a Japanese artist. He began his career as an animator and has become known for his illustrations for the anime Vampire Hunter D and for his character designs, image illustrations and title logo designs for the Final Fantasy video game series developed by Square Enix . His influences include...
  
  illustrator and animator, designed the artwork for the original Final Fantasy
  Final Fantasy
  is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
  
  video game
• Masafumi Goto
  Masafumi Goto
  is the lead vocalist, main songwriter and rhythm guitarist of the Japanese rock band Asian Kung-Fu Generation. Masafumi met fellow band members Kensuke Kita and Takahiro Yamada while attending a music club of Kanto Gakuin University. The three formed Asian Kung-Fu Generation in 1996, with drummer...
  
  lead vocalist
  Lead vocalist
  The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
  
  /rhythm guitarist of the J-rock band Asian Kung-Fu Generation
  Asian Kung-fu Generation
  , typeset as ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION, is a Japanese rock band formed in Yokohama, Japan in 1996. For nearly its entire career, the band has consisted of vocalist Masafumi Gotō, guitarist Kensuke Kita, bassist Takahiro Yamada, and drummer Kiyoshi Ijichi...
  
  
• Koji Gyotoku
  Koji Gyotoku
  is a former Japanese football player. He is also the head coach of the Bhutan national football team.-Early years:Koji Gyotoku was born January 28, 1965 in Shizuoka, Japan. He went to school at Shizuoka Municipal Shimizu Fifth and Tokai Western High School...
  
  football player and coach of Bhutan national football team
  Bhutan national football team
  The Bhutan national football team is the national team of Bhutan and is controlled by the Bhutan Football Federation.- History :While a Bhutanese National football team has existed since the 1970s, it was officially founded in 1983 and joined FIFA in 2000....
  
  
• Kazuyoshi Hoshino
  Kazuyoshi Hoshino
  is a former racing driver and businessman from Japan.Hoshino's nickname was . He won the Japanese motocross national championships in the 90cc and 125cc classes for Kawasaki in 1968 before switching to cars as a Nissan factory driver in 1969....
  
  racing driver
  Auto racing
  Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
  
  
• Takashi Kiuchi (Masuda)Rome
  1960 Summer Olympics
  The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
  
  /Tokyo
  1964 Summer Olympics
  The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
  
   Olympic basketball
  Basketball at the Summer Olympics
  Basketball has been a Summer Olympics sport for men consistently since 1936. Prior to its inclusion as a medal sport, it was held as demonstration event in 1904 and 1932, both in the United States. Women's basketball was played in the Olympics only since 1976....
  
   player
• Keiko Masuda
  Keiko Masuda
  Keiko Masuda is a Japanese pop singer and actress. She is better known by her nickname Kei, and was one half of Pink Lady, the top idol group of Japan in the 1970s...
  
  Singer, "Kei" of female pop music duo Pink Lady
  Pink Lady (band)
  is a Japanese female pop music duo of the late 1970s and early 1980s, featuring Mitsuyo Nemoto and Keiko Masuda...
  
  
• Kazuyoshi Miura
  Kazuyoshi Miura
  ----Kazuyoshi Miura , often known simply as Kazu, is a Japanese football striker. He has played for the Japanese national team and was the first Japanese recipient of the Asian Player of the Year award in 1993, an award presented annually by the Asian Football Confederation. He is currently with...
  
  football player
• Kawashita Mizukicartoonist
  Mangaka
  is the Japanese word for a comic artist or cartoonist. Outside of Japan, manga usually refers to a Japanese comic book and mangaka refers to the author of the manga, who is usually Japanese...
  
  , creator of Strawberry 100%
• Riyo Mori
  Riyo Mori
  is a Japanese dance instructor and model who won the Miss Universe 2007 title in May 2007.-Early life:...
  
  Miss Universe 2007
  Miss Universe 2007
  Miss Universe 2007, the 56th Miss Universe pageant, took place on May 28, 2007 at the National Auditorium in Mexico City, Mexico. 77 delegates competed for the title. Riyo Mori of Japan was crowned the winner of the title by Zuleyka Rivera of Puerto Rico....
  
  
• Mitsuyo Nemoto
  Mitsuyo Nemoto
  Mitsuyo Nemoto is a pop and heavy metal singer and actress, better known by her stage name . She was a member of the popular 1970s idol group Pink Lady, known in the United States for their self-titled TV program.Nemoto has pursued a solo career following Pink Lady's 1981 breakup...
  
  Singer, "Mie" of Pink Lady
• Momoko Sakura
  Momoko Sakura
  , pen name , is a Japanese manga artist from Shimizu, Shizuoka Prefecture. She is the creator of the long-running manga Chibi Maruko-chan , based on her own childhood, and the more surreal fantasy anime series Coji-Coji, which ran from 1997 to 1999...
  
  cartoonist
  Mangaka
  is the Japanese word for a comic artist or cartoonist. Outside of Japan, manga usually refers to a Japanese comic book and mangaka refers to the author of the manga, who is usually Japanese...
  
  , creator of Chibi Maruko-chan
  Chibi Maruko-chan
  is a shōjo manga series by Momoko Sakura, later adapted into an anime TV series by Nippon Animation, which originally aired on Fuji Television from January 7, 1990 to September 27, 1992. The series depicts the simple, everyday life of a little girl nicknamed Maruko and her family in suburban...
  
  
• Keisuke Serizawatextile designer, Honorary Citizen
• Atsuto Uchida
  Atsuto Uchida
  is a Japanese footballer, who currently plays for Schalke 04.-Club career:Uchida was educated at and played for Shimizu Higashi High School prior to joining the Kashima Antlers in 2006. On 5 March 2006, he debuted for Kashima at the age of 17 in the season-opener against Sanfrecce Hiroshima, since...
  
  football player
• Takahiro Yamada
  Takahiro Yamada (musician)
  is the bass player and backing singer of the Japanese rock band Asian Kung-Fu Generation. Yamada met fellow band members Masafumi Gotō and Kensuke Kita while attending a music club of Kanto Gakuin University...
  
  bassist
  Bassist
  A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
  
   of Asian Kung-Fu Generation
  Asian Kung-fu Generation
  , typeset as ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION, is a Japanese rock band formed in Yokohama, Japan in 1996. For nearly its entire career, the band has consisted of vocalist Masafumi Gotō, guitarist Kensuke Kita, bassist Takahiro Yamada, and drummer Kiyoshi Ijichi...
  
  

Sister and friendship cities

Shizuoka has twin and friendship relationships with several cities.

Overseas

Stockton, California

Stockton, California

Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...

, United States (since October 16, 1959) Omaha, Nebraska

Omaha, Nebraska

Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...

, United States (since April 1, 1965) Shelbyville, Indiana

Shelbyville, Indiana

Shelbyville is a city in Addison Township, Shelby County, Indiana, United States. The population was 17,951 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Shelby County...

, United States (since November 3, 1989) Cannes

Cannes

Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a Commune of France in the Alpes-Maritimes department....

, France (since November 5, 1991)

Within Japan

Muroran, Hokkaidō

Muroran, Hokkaido

is a city and port located in Iburi, Hokkaidō, Japan. It is the capital city of Iburi Subprefecture.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 96,724 and a density of 1,210 people per km². The total area is 80.65 km².- History :...

 (since December 24, 1976) Joetsu, Niigataa (since October 12, 1995)

Other

City Song : Watashi no Machi, Shizuoka 『わたしの街 静岡』

• Written: 13 April, 2005
• Lyrics: Citizen competition entry
• Music, Additions: Kei Ogura
• Arranged: Shin Kawabe
• Eri Itō
  Eri Ito
  is a Japanese vocalist. She was born in the Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan on November 16, 19??. Started singing from the age of two under her mother's lead. She also studied modern ballet...
  
  sang on the CD release

External links

in English and other languages

• Daidogei World Cup in Shizuoka