Mishima

Mishima (三島) is a city in eastern Shizuoka Prefecture, sitting at the base of the Izu Peninsula directly south of Mount Fuji. It is known locally as the "City of Water": positioned between the sea and the mountains, it historically collected much of Mount Fuji's snowmelt runoff, and clear spring-fed streams once threaded through the town. Water features still feature prominently around the station to symbolise this heritage, though the reality is more bittersweet — decades of upstream industrial development have steadily reduced the flow, and the city's once-celebrated garden lake at Rakuju-en is now often a dry bed of craggy basalt.

Water does still run through parts of town, most charmingly along the Genpei River, and Mishima retains a pleasant, livable feel. Its real strategic value to travellers, though, is its position: it is a Shinkansen stop and the natural gateway to the Izu Peninsula's interior, with rail and road links fanning out toward Shuzenji, Izunokuni and beyond, plus easy access to Mount Fuji and Hakone.

The climate is mild, with warm, humid summers and gentle, largely snow-free winters; Mount Fuji views are best on clear winter days. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons. The compact city centre clusters around Mishima Station, with Mishima Shrine and the historic waterways a short walk away.

By Plane

Mishima has no airport. Travellers usually arrive via Tokyo's airports and continue by Shinkansen.

By Train

Mishima Station lies on both the Tokaido Shinkansen and the Tokaido Main Line. All Kodama and some Hikari services from Tokyo stop here, taking about 60 and 45 minutes respectively, both costing ¥4,200 reserved or ¥3,890 unreserved. Local Tokaido Main Line services from Tokyo require a transfer at Atami and take about two hours, but cost only ¥2,210. All these services are fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass.

By Car / Road

Mishima is served by the expressway network through the Mishima/Numazu area, sitting at the intersection of the Tokaido corridor and the roads heading down the Izu Peninsula. Bus services connect Mishima with surrounding cities.

Central Mishima is compact and easily explored on foot — Mishima Shrine, Rakuju-en and the Genpei River are all within a short walk of the station. The Izu-Hakone Sunzu Line runs further into the Izu Peninsula toward Shuzenji, with several local stops within Mishima itself. There are no notable scams.

• Mishima Shrine (三嶋大社, Mishima Taisha) — a major shrine whose history dates from the Nara Period (710–794); it rose to prominence when Minamoto no Yoritomo rebuilt it after becoming shogun in the Kamakura Period. Address: 2-1-5 Ōmiyachō, a 10-minute walk from Mishima Station or 5 minutes from Mishima-Tamachi Station on the Sunzu Line. Tel: +81 55-975-0172.

• Rakuju-en (楽寿園) — a garden dating from the Meiji era, with a lake "fed" by Mount Fuji meltwater (now often dry), plus a small amusement park, a small zoo and a city museum. A few steps from the station's south exit. Open 9:00–17:00 (16:30 Nov–Mar). Adults ¥300, children (4–15) ¥50. Tel: +81 55-975-2570.

• Genpei River (源兵衛川) — a clear, shallow, cold spring-fed stream running right through the city, where children play in summer; killifish, minnows, crabs, pond snails and fireflies live in it, and the city has restored stretches with stepping stones, waterwheels and little models for a nostalgic feel. Open 24 hours. Free. Just south of the station, also reachable via the south exit of Rakuju-en.

• Visit Mishima Shrine for hatsumōde — many people make their first shrine visit of the new year here on New Year's Day.

• Follow the city's restored waterways — walk the Genpei River and Mishima's other spring-fed streams, the heart of the "City of Water".

• Take in Mount Fuji views — being close to the mountain, the city offers good views when the weather is clear.

Mishima's local specialities draw on the sea and the mountains. Look for cherry shrimp (桜海老, sakura ebi), a tiny variety caught in Suruga Bay; eel (鰻, unagi), traditionally served as a bowl of rice with broiled eel; and wasabi-zuke (わさび漬け), a mix of grated wasabi and sake lees.

• Uogashi Zushi (魚がし鮨) — a very popular sushi shop that can get crowded at dinner. Tel: +81 55-987-9383.

Green tea (緑茶, ryokucha) is the local drink of choice, with the first tea of the season especially prized. Tap water is safe to drink.

• Budget: Hotel Shōmeikan (ホテル昭明館) — a convenient business hotel about 2 minutes' walk from the station's south exit, with Japanese-style rooms and wireless internet. Single ¥5,355, twin ¥8,400, triple ¥12,600. Address: Ichibanchō 11-14. Tel: +81 55-972-7171.
• Mid-range: Hotel Massimo Mishima — a 1-minute walk from JR Mishima Station's south exit, with reasonable rates and care taken over the interior. Address: 12-21 Ichiban-cho. Tel: +81 55-972-1101. Dormy Inn Mishima (ドーミーイン三島) — a 12-storey business hotel with a top-floor hot spa and open-air bath (rotenburo) with views to Mount Fuji; around ¥8,000. Address: 3-12-33 Omiyacho.
• Upscale / heritage: > TODO: Specific upscale or heritage property names and rates not confirmed in available sources.

• Tagonotsuki (田子の月) — a confectionery shop selling many kinds of Japanese sweets, including Fujisanchō (富士山頂), a custard-filled cake shaped like the summit of Mount Fuji. Address: 3-16-13 Ōmiyachō. Open 9:00–20:00. Tel: +81 55-975-8818.

Bargaining is not customary.

• Izunokuni — neighbouring, known for the Izu-Nagaoka hot springs and the UNESCO-listed Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace.
• Izu (including Shuzenji) — down the Sunzu Line, a 1,200-year-old hot-spring town and gateway to the Izu interior.
• Atami — a coastal hot-spring resort and Shinkansen gateway.
• Numazu — a neighbouring port city, just minutes away by local train.
• Mount Fuji — visible to the north and an easy onward destination.
• Hakone — the famous hot-spring and lake region just to the north-east.