Shizuoka is located in the Chubu region, and its food culture also attracts foreign tourists.

Mount Fuji, a hugely popular tourist spot, is also a source of natural blessings, thanks to its abundant spring water.

In addition, there are fresh seafood caught in Suruga Bay and local specialties such as Shizuoka tea, which are sure to satisfy both your taste buds and your heart.

Enjoy Shizuoka's traditional cuisine and local gourmet food that are popular among foreigners

Shizuoka Prefecture is a vast region with diverse charms, and each area has its own unique nature, tourist attractions, food culture, and more.

The areas can be roughly divided into the Mt. Fuji area, the Izu area, the Shizuoka City area, and the Yaizu area, but you can enjoy distinctive gourmet food in each area.

Each area has its own unique charm, so be sure to experience the individuality that each region of Shizuoka Prefecture has to offer.

Recommended gourmet food in Shizuoka Prefecture

From here, we will introduce some recommended gourmet foods that you should definitely try when you visit Shizuoka Prefecture.

Eel

The area around Hamamatsu City in Shizuoka Prefecture has long been known as a famous eel production area, thanks to the development of aquaculture techniques and the accumulation of traditional techniques for eel farming, as well as the fact that the area has an ideal environment for raising eels.

Hamamatsu City is located at a key transportation hub to the Tokyo metropolitan area, Nagoya, and the Chubu region, making it easy to ship farmed eels to various locations, and it is said that the city has developed while maintaining a balance between supply and demand.

Hamamatsu eel is characterized by its fatty texture and soft, juicy texture.

In particular, kabayaki is made by skewering eels and slowly grilling them over an open flame, resulting in crispy skin on the outside and plump meat on the inside.

Hamamatsu dumplings

When you think of gyoza, many people think of Utsunomiya, but Shizuoka Prefecture is a region where gyoza is so beloved that it rivals Utsunomiya in gyoza consumption.

After the war, many repatriates and immigrants from China lived in Shizuoka, and as a result, Chinese cuisine became widely accepted and gyoza became widely popular.

There is no clear difference between Utsunomiya gyoza, but Hamamatsu gyoza tends to have a higher meat content.

Crispy and fragrantly fried gyoza are perfect for a lunch on the road or as a snack with drinks.

Fujinomiya Fried Noodles

Fujinomiya Yakisoba is a local delicacy that originated in Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture.

This popular dish always ranks highly in the B-1 Grand Prix, a competition to determine the pinnacle of B-class gourmet food, and is loved not only by locals but also widely throughout Shizuoka Prefecture and beyond.

Fujinomiya Yakisoba has thin noodles that are springy yet chewy in texture, and is stir-fried with pork, bean sprouts, Chinese chives, cabbage, and other vegetables in a sweet, slightly rich special sauce.

The "meat scraps" that remain after the lard has been squeezed out are also an essential ingredient, and their unique flavor enhances the flavor of yakisoba.

This is a local delicacy that you should definitely try when you visit Fujinomiya City.

Tsukemono Napolitan

Tsuke Napolitan is an unusual style of dish based on the familiar spaghetti Napolitan.

It is said to have been created in 2008 at a coffee shop in Fuji City, Shizuoka Prefecture, and is a new gourmet sensation that is like a cross between spaghetti Napolitana and tsukemen.

Regular Neapolitan pasta is based on tomato sauce and seasoned with ketchup, with ingredients such as sausage, onion, and green pepper.

In contrast, tsuke napolitan is made by boiling the spaghetti, then serving it on a separate plate from the sauce, and dipping the spaghetti in the sauce like tsukemen.

The noodles are not limited to pasta, but come in a wide variety of types, such as Chinese noodles used in ramen and yakisoba noodles, so it's a dish that will make you want to try different types at different restaurants!

Shizuoka Oden

Oden is a popular staple dish throughout Japan, but Shizuoka oden is loved as a local delicacy packed with special care.

There are strict rules for what can be called Shizuoka oden, so much so that there are even the "Five Rules of Shizuoka Oden."

1. Black soup

2. skewered

3. Contains black fish cake

4. Sprinkle green seaweed and dashi powder on top.

5. There are also some in candy shops.

As fish paste production is thriving in the area, black fish cakes are an essential ingredient, and other standard ingredients include meat such as beef tendons and tripe, konjac, radishes, and eggs.

For local residents, when they hear oden, they think of Shizuoka oden, which has some very distinctive features, such as its soy sauce-based black soup and the style of eating it with green laver on top.

This is a local gourmet dish that is unique to Shizuoka and is definitely something you should try.

Fluffy eggs

"Tamago Fuwa Fuwa" has been eaten since the Edo period, mainly in Fukuroi city, Shizuoka prefecture.

The cute names that come out of picture books are very impressive.

This is a type of steamed dish that combines well-whisked eggs and soup stock, and the mounds of foam that rise up like a souffle make it a very fun dish to look at.

Although very simple, the delicious flavor of the dashi and the texture of the egg fizzing and melting in your mouth will become addictive, making this a recommended local dish.

Sakura shrimp

Sakura shrimp are small shrimp, about 4 cm in length, that are transparent in the sea but turn pink when caught, hence the name "sakura shrimp."

Sakura shrimp are commonly used as a food ingredient, but they can only be caught in the waters near Suruga Bay in Shizuoka.

It is said that this is because Suruga Bay, the deepest bay in Japan, is a suitable habitat for sakura shrimp.

If you go to Shizuoka, you should definitely try the rice bowl made with freshly caught, not dried, shrimp, and the classic kakiage.

Access to Shizuoka Prefecture

If you are heading to Shizuoka Prefecture by plane, head to Shizuoka Airport, which straddles the cities of Makinohara and Shimada in Shizuoka Prefecture.
From Shizuoka Airport, you can easily access various parts of the city via train and bus.

You can also get there by Shinkansen from Tokyo.
However, if you take the "Nozomi" it will pass through all the stations in Shizuoka Prefecture, so it's better to take the "Kodama".

Location of Shizuoka Prefecture

summary

Shizuoka is a treasure trove of gourmet delights that are appealing to foreign tourists. You can fully enjoy the taste of traditional cuisine, the variety of local gourmet foods, and the charms of local gourmet spots. When you visit Japan, be sure to enjoy Shizuoka's delicious cuisine to your heart's content. Delicious food that will delight your tongue and your heart is waiting for you.

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