Shizuoka, in Japan, needs more tourists. How does it attract them and boost its economy?

Unlike Japan’s world-renowned draws like Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto, Shizuoka’s economy is largely dependent on customers closer to home.

“The largest customer base is people from Shizuoka city. We have a lot of customers from there,” Numata says. “The next largest is people from within Shizuoka prefecture.”

The city of Shizuoka lies just an hour south of Tokyo on the Shinkansen (bullet train), where, on a clear day, Mount Fuji is visible in picture-perfect glory. But here, the streets are often quieter and tourists are harder to come by than in major cities across the country.

“Historically, the central part of Shizuoka prefecture, including Shizuoka city, has not prioritised tourism,” says Akazawa Nobuaki, who works for CSA Real Estate that handles many of the rental listings in Shizuoka. “So it sees less tourists as a result.”