One reason we chose Shizuoka was simple: Mount Fuji was the main thread of this trip.

Instead of driving all the way to Lake Kawaguchiko on arrival day, we used the first day to get comfortable with the rental car, see Fuji from Shizuoka, eat in Shimizu and finish the night downtown. The next morning, we continued toward Fujinomiya and the lakes.

Our first-day route at a glance

  • Arrive at Mt. Fuji Shizuoka Airport
  • Pick up the ORIX rental car near Shizuoka Station
  • See Mount Fuji from Nihondaira Yume Terrace
  • Eat a late lunch at Shimizu Fish Market
  • Check in near Shizuoka Station
  • Walk Aoba Symbol Road and the oden area
  • Finish with Rekka ramen

This kept the first day light enough to learn the car and the local roads before the longer Mount Fuji loop.

1. Shizuoka Airport — the Fuji trip started before landing

We could already see Mount Fuji from the plane before landing. The terminal was compact, and several rental-car counters operate from the arrivals level.

On the return day, the fuel station near the airport also made a full-to-full rental easier to finish. Rental counter and fuel-station hours can change, so I would recheck them for the actual travel date.

RELATED MOMENT Shizuoka Airport guide · rental car, food and fuel

2. Rental car — the conditions mattered more than the model

We booked ORIX near Shizuoka Station through Klook. The reservation showed a Honda N-WGN or equivalent, but we received a Suzuki Spacia.

The useful lesson was not about the badge on the car. It was about checking the international driving permit, insurance, NOC coverage, fuel policy and return conditions before leaving.

We also photographed the car at pickup and planned the final fuel stop early, which made the return day much simpler.

RELATED MOMENT Shizuoka ORIX rental guide · insurance, NOC, fuel and return

3. Nihondaira Yume Terrace — our first real Mount Fuji stop

Nihondaira was the first place we deliberately chose for Mount Fuji.

The mountain appears beyond Shizuoka and Suruga Bay, which gave us a very different first view from the closer lake viewpoints later in the trip.

It was also an easy first stop after a flight and rental-car pickup. We could spend time at the indoor observation space and cafe without turning arrival day into a long hike.

RELATED MOMENT Nihondaira Yume Terrace · Mt. Fuji view, parking and visitor details

4. Shimizu Fish Market — use the first day to connect the city with its food

From Nihondaira we continued to Shimizu Fish Market.

At Banno Suisan inside Maguro-kan, we had a bowl with tuna, raw shirasu and sakura shrimp. It made the port feel like part of the trip rather than just another stop on the map.

If you are driving, it helps to check the parking setup first. Around New Year, individual restaurant hours can also differ from normal schedules.

RELATED MOMENT Shimizu Fish Market · tuna, raw shirasu and parking

5. Stay near Shizuoka Station — then stop driving for the evening

We stayed at Hotel Garden Square Shizuoka, close to the north side of Shizuoka Station. Once the car was parked, we left it there for the night.

We walked through Aoba Symbol Road and the oden area, then ended the evening with Rekka ramen at Ramen DANBO Tokiwacho.

RELATED MOMENT Hotel near Shizuoka Station · Garden Square review RELATED MOMENT Shizuoka night walk · Aoba Symbol Road and oden streets RELATED MOMENT Ramen near Shizuoka Station · DANBO Rekka ramen

Why this first day worked for a Mount Fuji road trip

We did not need to force the lake district into arrival day. Seeing Fuji first from Nihondaira, then moving through Shimizu and downtown Shizuoka, gave the trip a natural west-to-north progression the next morning.

The shorter first-day drives also gave us time to adjust to the car, road signs and parking before the longer winter route.

The next section of the trip moved through Fujinomiya, Lake Shoji, Lake Kawaguchiko, Fujiyoshida and Lake Yamanaka.

RELATED MOMENT Continue the trip · our two-night Mount Fuji road-trip route

PRACTICAL INFO

  • Travel date: January 1, 2026
  • Main route: Shizuoka Airport → rental car → Nihondaira → Shimizu → downtown Shizuoka
  • Trip purpose: Start in Shizuoka, then continue toward Fujinomiya and the Mount Fuji lake area
  • Downtown: We parked at the hotel and walked in the evening
  • Rental car: Confirm IDP, insurance/NOC, fuel and return conditions
  • New Year period: Recheck restaurant, attraction and rental-car hours for your travel date
  • Information checked: 2026-10-06