Shizuoka

Shizuoka has an elongated shape, extending about 155 km east to west and about 118 km north to south. Its varied topography, including the Izu Peninsula, the Suruga Bay coast, the foot of Mount Fuji, and the Tenryu River basin, creates agricultural diversity. Due to the Pacific Ocean climate influenced by the Kuroshio Current, the prefectural average temperature is mild at 15-17°C, and annual precipitation reaches 1,800-2,500 mm. In particular, the plateau zone from the Makinohara Plateau to Iwatahara combines well-drained sandy loam soil with long sunshine hours (over 2,100 hours annually near Hamamatsu City), providing an ideal environment for cultivating green tea, unshu mikan (Mandarin Orange), and wasabi. Alluvial lands formed by sediment carried by the Fuji, Abe, and Tenryu Rivers host rice farming and open-field vegetables, while in the Abe River basin, sawa wasabi (semi-aquatic wasabi) is cultivated using clear spring water. Mountainous areas experience large temperature differences, functioning as an environment that supports the high sugar content of Crown Melon. The production volume of aracha (crude tea) has ranked 1st in Japan for many years, holding a national share of about 38-40% (at a level competing for the top spot with Kagoshima Prefecture in 2024 production). The planted area and harvest volume of sawa wasabi (semi-aquatic wasabi) are 1st nationally (Nagano Prefecture is 1st in total wasabi production).

Source: MAFF Crop Statistics (Reiwa 5 / 2023), JMA historical weather data

The point where agriculture in Shizuoka differs from other prefectures is the 'concentration of high-value-added items'. Tea, wasabi, Crown Melon, and sakura ebi (cherry shrimp) are all items where the prefecture holds a top national share or is the only production area, giving it a 'quality brand type' agricultural structure distinct from mass-production open-field vegetable areas. A particularly notable point is the coexistence within the same prefecture of warm production areas along the Pacific coast (Mandarin Orange, Melon, sakura ebi) and cool production areas in the mountains (wasabi, high-mountain tea). Elevation differences and topographical changes create product diversity, and multiple different agricultural ecosystems are contained within the single brand of 'produced in Shizuoka'. Furthermore, sakura ebi from Suruga Bay is the only commercial fishing area in Japan, making it a region with strong food appeal as a prefecture with brand power in both agricultural and marine products.