Getting around Numazu
Numazu sits on the Tōkaidō Main Line at the northwestern end of the Izu Peninsula, and it works well as a base for exploring Mount Fuji, Hakone and the Izu Peninsula. The city is compact enough in its central areas that you can combine trains, buses and walking without much trouble. What follows is a practical overview of how visitors actually move around.
Rail
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 Numazu:
- Tōkaidō Main Line – the main line from Osaka to Tokyo. Within Numazu it also serves Katahama and Hara stations, so you can use it for short hops along the coast as well as for longer trips toward Atami or Shizuoka.
- Gotemba Line – terminates at Numazu and also serves Ōoka. This is the line to use if you are heading toward Gotemba and the Mount Fuji side of the region.
For a visitor, the practical upshot is that Numazu Station is where you will change between the two lines and where you will start most day trips. Note that Numazu Station is operated by JR Central (JR Tōkai), not JR East. If you are arriving 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 with an IC card by mistake, you can sort it out at a fare-adjustment machine at Atami. A Japan Rail Pass covers these trips.
Buses and local public transport
Buses fill in the gaps that the rail lines leave, particularly for the coastal and residential parts of the city. The local bus network is operated by Izuhakone Bus. Routes run along the main roads through town, including National Route 414 and several of the city's central streets, so buses are a realistic option for reaching areas away from the stations.
For a visitor, the simplest approach is to treat buses 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 on local buses.
Taxis and ride-hailing
Taxis are readily available, and in Numazu they are part of the local character: some taxis carry Love Live! Sunshine!! themed designs, since the city is the setting of the anime. For short trips, or when you are carrying luggage or arriving late, a taxi from the station is the most straightforward option. Ride-hailing apps have limited coverage in Japan outside the major cities, so do not count on them as your main way of getting around Numazu — taxis hailed at a rank or by phone are the reliable choice.
Walking
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. For most visitors, the natural pattern is to walk the central sights and use the train or a bus for anything further out.
Getting there from the airport
Numazu does not have its own airport, so arrivals come through the Tokyo area and connect by rail or bus.
- By train from Tokyo: Numazu is on the JR Tōkaidō Main Line between Atami and Shizuoka. Some direct local trains run from Tokyo Station early in the morning and late in the afternoon; otherwise you change at Atami. Remember the IC card restriction described above.
- By bullet train: The nearest Shinkansen station is Mishima on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen, from which local trains run to Numazu in about five minutes. Taking a Kodama service from Tokyo to Mishima and changing to a local train is the fastest rail option.
- By highway bus: Fujikyu and Keio are among the operators running buses to Numazu from Tokyo Station, Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal (Busta Shinjuku) and Shibuya Station. These make a rest stop at the Ashigara Service Area along the way. There is also an overnight bus service to Numazu from Kyoto and Osaka, operated by Fujikyu Bus.
All of the rail options are covered by the Japan Rail Pass.
Practical tips
- Base yourself near Numazu Station if you plan to make day trips — it is the interchange for both JR lines and the starting point for most buses.
- If you are coming from Tokyo with an IC card, be ready to buy a paper ticket or adjust your fare at Atami.
- Use the train for the main corridors and buses for the coast and outlying areas.
- Keep cash or an IC card handy for buses and taxis.