Prefecture/City:	Shizuoka City
Capital/Prefecture:	Shizuoka Prefecture
Governor/Mayor:	Nobuhiro Tanabe
Area:	1,412 square km (545.2 square miles)
Population:	709,147 as of January 2014
Flower:	Hollyhock
Tree:	Flowering dogwood
Bird:	Common kingfisher

Business & Industry:

Known as Sunpu, Shizuoka prospered as a castle town under Tokugawa Ieyasu. Japanese tea cultivation originated in Shizuoka and it’s still grown there. Secondary industry manufacturers operate around Shimizu port, and Shizuoka’s world-famous plastic model production evolved from its long-standing wood-processing industry.

Tourism & Culture:

Kogarashi-no-mori Island sits mid-river; Shimizu Funakoshi-Zutsumi Park is famous for cherry blossoms; 8th-century Seikenji Temple is known for its Japanese garden; Tokein temple is famous for plum blossoms; and Reizanji Temple is known for its antique architecture. The city hosts a zoo and the prefectural museum has 32 Rodin sculptures.

Famous for:

The Bandai Hobby Center is the only place in the world that designs and produces plastic Gundam models. The city also has historic hot springs and numerous picturesque sites.