Shizuoka Prefecture
Prefecture on Japan's Pacific coast, home of Mount Fuji and major industries.
Shizuoka Prefecture (静岡県, Shizuoka-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. As of September 2023, it has a population of 3,555,818 and a geographic area of 7,777.42 km². It borders Kanagawa, Yamanashi, Nagano, and Aichi prefectures. Shizuoka is the capital, and Hamamatsu is the largest city. The prefecture lies on Japan's Pacific Ocean coast, featuring Suruga Bay, the Izu Peninsula, and Lake Hamana. Mount Fuji, Japan's tallest volcano, is partially located in Shizuoka on the border with Yamanashi. Shizuoka has a significant motoring heritage as the founding location of Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha, and is home to the Fuji International Speedway.
- Population (2023)
- 3,555,818
- Area
- 7,777.42 km²
- Capital
- Shizuoka
- Largest City
- Hamamatsu
- Region
- Chūbu, Honshu
- Notable Industry
- Motorcycles (28% of Japanese exports), musical instruments
- Major Geographic Feature
- Mount Fuji (partially located in prefecture)
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Shizuoka Prefecture was established from the former Tōtōmi, Suruga and Izu provinces. The area was the home of the first Tokugawa shōgun. Tokugawa Ieyasu held the region until he conquered the lands of the Hōjō clan in the Kantō region and placed land under the stewardship of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. After becoming shōgun, Tokugawa took the land back for his family and put the area around modern-day Shizuoka City under the direct supervision of the shogunate. With the creation of the Shizuoka han from the Sunpu Domain in 1868, it once again became the residence of the Tokugawa family.
Reader's Guide
Shizuoka Prefecture holds a significant place in Japanese history and industry. It was the domain of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first Tokugawa shōgun, and later became the residence of the Tokugawa family after the creation of the Shizuoka han in 1868. The prefecture is also the birthplace of Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha, and accounts for 28% of Japanese motorcycle exports. Additionally, Yamaha and Kawai, both global piano brands, started in Shizuoka, and the prefecture hosts about 200 musical instrument manufacturing companies, mostly in Hamamatsu City. Shizuoka is famed for supplying most of Japan's tea and maguro tuna, and its geography includes Suruga Bay, the Izu Peninsula, and part of Mount Fuji. The prefecture has experienced large earthquakes every 100 to 150 years throughout history, including a magnitude 6.2 earthquake on 15 March 2011.
Did You Know?
- Shizuoka Prefecture accounts for 28% of Japanese motorcycle exports, with Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha all having their roots there.
- Yamaha and Kawai, the top two global piano brands, both got their start in Shizuoka Prefecture in the early twentieth century.
- Mount Fuji, Japan's tallest volcano, is partially located in Shizuoka Prefecture on the border with Yamanashi Prefecture.
- On 15 March 2011, Shizuoka Prefecture was hit with a magnitude 6.2 earthquake approximately 42 km NNE of Shizuoka City.
- Shizuoka Prefecture is famed for supplying most of Japan's tea and maguro tuna.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Shizuoka Prefecture?
Shizuoka is a Pacific-coastal prefecture in Japan's Chūbu region on Honshu, with Shizuoka city as its capital and Hamamatsu as its largest urban center. It spans roughly 7,777 square kilometers and is home to about 3.5 million residents.
What are Shizuoka Prefecture's powers/role?
The prefecture is a manufacturing heavyweight, producing around a quarter of Japan's motorcycle exports and serving as the birthplace of Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha. It also anchors the country's green tea and musical instrument industries while hosting part of Mount Fuji.
How does Shizuoka Prefecture's story end?
As a living place rather than a fixed narrative, Shizuoka's ongoing 'ending' is its present identity as a bustling industrial, cultural, and tourist hub. Its legacy as a cradle of global brands and Edo-era politics continues to shape Japanese culture to this day.
Why is Shizuoka Prefecture important?
It is the historical home of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shōgun of the Edo period, making it a cornerstone of Japan's feudal narrative. Beyond that history, its outsized output in motorcycles and instruments gives it economic weight well beyond its mid-sized population.
Where does Shizuoka Prefecture live?
It stretches along the Pacific coastline of central Honshu in the Chūbu region, with the Izu Peninsula to the south and the foothills of Mount Fuji to the north. Its capital, Shizuoka city, sits where coastal plains meet the mountainous interior.
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