Numazu
Introduction
Numazu is a city in eastern Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, with a population density of around a thousand people per square kilometre spread across roughly 187 square kilometres. It sits within easy reach of both the coast and the mountains that define this part of the prefecture.
Before you go
Numazu is the setting for the Japanese multimedia franchise Love Live! Sunshine!!, whose stories unfold in the city — a point of interest if you follow the series, and a useful frame for understanding how the city presents itself to visitors.
Before you go, check the local tourist association's multilingual guide site. It is the practical starting point for planning your time in the city.
Getting there
Numazu sits on the JR Tokaido Main Line between Atami and Shizuoka, and is the terminus of the JR Gotemba Line. A few direct local trains on the Tokaido Line leave Tokyo Station early in the morning and late in the afternoon; at other times you will need to change trains at Atami. Note that IC cards cannot be used for travel from east of Atami, including Tokyo, because the station is operated by JR Tokai — if you tap in by mistake, get a fare ticket at a fare-adjustment machine at Atami.
For a faster approach, take the Tokaido Shinkansen to Mishima, the nearest bullet train station, and switch to a local train for the short run into Numazu; a Kodama service from Tokyo to Mishima plus the local connection brings the journey down to about 70 minutes. All of these train trips are free with the Japan Rail Pass. Buses also serve the city: Fujikyu and Keio are among the major operators running from Tokyo Station, Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal (Busta Shinjuku) and Shibuya Station, with a rest stop at the Ashigara Service Area along the way. An overnight Fujikyu Bus service connects Numazu with Kyoto and Osaka.
Getting around
Numazu Station is the hub of the local rail network and the anchor for almost every journey in and around the city. Two JR lines serve it: the Tōkaidō Main Line, which also stops at Katahama and Hara for short hops along the coast and runs toward Atami or Shizuoka, and the Gotemba Line, which terminates at Numazu, also serves Ōoka, and is the line to use toward Gotemba and the Mount Fuji side of the region. Numazu Station is where you change between the two lines and where you start most day trips. Note that the station is operated by JR Central (JR Tōkai), not JR East: if you arrive from east of Atami, including from Tokyo, you cannot use an IC card for the whole journey because Atami is the boundary — if you tap in by mistake, you can sort it out at a fare-adjustment machine at Atami. A Japan Rail Pass covers these trips.
Buses, run by Izuhakone Bus, fill in the gaps the rail lines leave, particularly for the coastal and residential parts of the city, with routes along main roads including National Route 414 and several central streets. Treat them as a supplement to the train rather than a primary way to cross the city: use the train for the main corridors and hop on a bus for a specific destination such as the harbour or a seaside spot. Fares are typically paid on board, and IC cards are generally accepted. Taxis are readily available and are part of the local character — some carry Love Live! Sunshine!! themed designs, since the city is the setting of the anime — and for short trips, luggage, or late arrivals a taxi from the station is the most straightforward option. Ride-hailing apps have limited coverage outside Japan's major cities, so rely on taxis hailed at a rank or by phone. Central Numazu is walkable: there is a shopping street close to the main train station, and the harbour area, with its seafood restaurants and the anti-tsunami barrier that has an observation floor on top, is reachable on foot from the centre. The natural pattern is to walk the central sights and use the train or a bus for anything further out, keeping cash or an IC card handy for buses and taxis.
Where to stay
Lodging in Numazu centres on the Numazu Riverside Hotel, which sits along the waterfront and gives you easy access to the city's harbour and bay views.
Food & drink
Around Numazu Port you'll find plenty of restaurants and stalls selling seafood, and the port's fishing atmosphere carries into the places where you eat. For a filling meal, try a big bowl of seafood-kakiage — a mixture of seafood and flour, fried — and expect a lively, active setting that feels like a working fishing port. Numazu Burger is a fast food shop selling burgers made with fried seafood patties. Noppo bread is a favourite among people in Shizuoka prefecture and is produced only here: a long, soft bread with filling in the middle, available in flavours such as strawberry jam, chocolate, mikan marmalade and peanut butter. You can find it in pretty much any supermarket or convenience store around the area.What to see and do
Numazu's sights cluster around its waterfront and the mountains behind it. Senbon Beach is the city's signature stretch of sand, named for the pines that fill the adjoining park; on a clear day you can see Mt. Fuji from the park, and the pine grove is a good place to slow down. Nearby at the port stands View-O, a large water gate built to protect the harbour from a tsunami, which doubles as a lookout with views over the city, Mt. Fuji and the sunset. Also at the port is the Numazu Deepblue Aquarium, whose exhibits focus on the deep-sea creatures of nearby Suruga Bay, with English signage available.
For exercise and fresh air, walk or cycle the long dike that runs along the beach from Numazu toward Fuji city, with Mt. Fuji and Suruga Bay in view the whole way. You can also walk from Numazu Station down to the sea along the Kano River, the largest in the city, where people relax and ride waterbikes on the banks; in summer the city puts on a fireworks display that draws crowds from around the region. Further afield, Mt. Hottanjo near Uchiura offers striking views of Mt. Fuji and can be reached by bus from the station or on foot from the top of Mt. Katsuragi. In season, you can pick mikans at the Kishou-kanko Mikan Orchard south of Uchiura, open from mid-September to mid-December.
When to go
Numazu has a humid subtropical climate, which means hot, humid summers and relatively mild winters. Summer heat peaks on average in August, bringing sticky, energy-sapping conditions, so plan your sightseeing for early mornings or head for the coast when the heat builds. Winter is mild rather than severe, with January the coolest month on average; snow and hard freezes are not part of the typical picture, making it a comfortable season for walking and sightseeing. September stands out as the wettest month of the year, so rain is more likely to interrupt your plans then. Pack rain gear and keep indoor options in reserve if you visit during that period.Three days in Numazu
Day one: Arrive in Numazu, a city in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, on the JR Tokaido Main Line, which connects it to Atami and Shizuoka, or via the JR Gotemba Line. If you are coming from Tokyo, you can take the Tokaido Line from Tokyo Station, or use an IC card on the JR Tokai services. For a faster approach, take the Tokaido Shinkansen to Mishima on the Kodama service, where the Japan Rail Pass is valid. Buses from Fujikyu, Keio, and the Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal at Busta Shinjuku near Shibuya Station also serve the area, with a stop at Ashigara Service Area. Once at Numazu Station, orient yourself around the two JR lines, the Tōkaidō Main Line and the Gotemba Line, and explore the neighbourhoods of Katahama and Hara.
Day two: Spend the day exploring Numazu itself, a city that appears in Love Live! Sunshine!!, so fans of the series will recognise locations around town. It is a Japanese city with a coastal setting, and you can move between its districts using local transport. Note that the JR Tokaido Main Line and JR Gotemba Line meet at Numazu Station, making it easy to plan a loop. For longer trips onward, you can continue by train toward Kyoto or Osaka, or head back toward Tokyo.
Day three: Use Numazu as a base for the wider region. From Numazu Station, the JR Tokaido Main Line runs to Atami and Shizuoka, while the JR Gotemba Line heads inland. If you are returning to Tokyo, the Tokaido Shinkansen from Mishima on the Kodama service is an option, and the Japan Rail Pass covers it. Buses from Fujikyu and Keio connect to the Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal at Busta Shinjuku, near Shibuya Station, with a rest stop at Ashigara Service Area. Before you leave, take one more look around the neighbourhoods of Katahama and Hara.