Miho-no-Matsubara

Miho no Matsubara is a scenic spot on the Miho Peninsula in Shimizu Ward, Shizuoka City. A pine grove stretches for about 5 km along the coastline, and its beauty has earned it designation as a National Place of Scenic Beauty. It is also counted among Japan’s New Three Views and one of Japan’s Three Great Pine Groves. The iconic scenery—blue sea, white waves, green pines, and Mt. Fuji towering behind—feels like a quintessential Japanese landscape and has long inspired art and poetry, including ukiyo-e by Utagawa Hiroshige. In 2013, it was registered as part of the Mount Fuji World Cultural Heritage site. Within the grove is “Hagoromo no Matsu,” known from the celestial maiden legend, and it is one of the highlights. Near the entrance stands the Shizuoka City Miho no Matsubara Cultural Creation Center “Mihoshirube,” which showcases exhibits about the area’s history, culture, and appeal. There is also a footbath where you can rest while enjoying the view of the pine grove. Access: about a 30-minute drive from central Shizuoka City; from JR Shimizu Station, take a bus toward Miho for about 25 minutes to “Miho Matsubara Iriguchi,” then walk about 20 minutes.