Kikugawa (菊川市 kikugawa-shi) is a city located in Shizuoka prefecture. The city is known for production of green tea.

Get in

By plane

There are three conveniently located airports near Kikugawa, in Nagoya (Central Air), Shizuoka, and Narita (Tokyo). By car or bus, it takes 2 hours from Nagoya, 6 hours from Narita, and 40 minutes from Shizuoka to arrive in Kikugawa.

By train

Kikugawa is on the Tokai JR train line. From Shizuoka, the train is ¥720 and takes 40 minutes. From Kakegawa, the nearest Shinkansen and major bus stop, it is ¥190 and takes 5 minutes.

The Kakegawa Shinkansen stop is on the Tokaido line. Only Kodama trains stop at this station; they run about once an hour. It is 1½ hours from Tokyo (¥7650), an hour from Nagoya (¥5130), and 2 hours from Shin-Osaka station (¥9950). The Shinkansen is the fastest way to get to Kikugawa from many major cities.

By bus

There is a bus from Nagoya's international airport to Kakegawa, called the Entetsu E-Wing, which costs ¥3400 and takes about 2 hours. They leave about every half-hour except around lunch, when there is a bus every hour.

Get around

By car

• Aoi Rental Car, Shimouchida 1571-1, 0537-36-3255.
• Kikugawa taxi limited company, 053-736-2321.
• Ota Rental Car, Takahashi 2402-4, 0120-73-5661.

By bus

There are two kinds of buses. One is

• The community bus, 0537-35-0925, costs ¥200 for all journeys. This bus does not run on Saturday, Sunday, Festivals, the New Year’s period.
• The Shizutetsu bus, 0537-86-2385, runs from Kikugawa station to the Hamaoka bus office. The last bus stop is Sakuriya Kaiyou international school entrance in Kikugawa.

See

• Ozika Pond, Tomita 2593, ☏ +81 537-35-1751. The most famous pond in Kikugawa, a popular fishing spot. 

Do

• Hikoichijuku, Ogasa-gun Kikugawa-cho Tomita 2593, ☏ +81 537-35-1751. They offer experiences in traditional Japanease life such as making buck wheat noodles, picking tea leaves, and splitting firewood. 
• Hitsurugi Mountain, Tomita, ☏ +81 537-35-0937. There are many activities at the top of this mountain including a fine view from the look-out point, walking courses, a 70-m roller slide and a campground. 
• Kikugawa Sport Ground, Nishikata 898, ☏ +81 537-35-0919. The sports ground houses a baseball stadium, sport facilities and various playground equipment. Various big tournaments are held here. 

Buy

• Blueberry no Sato, Shimohirakawa 667-2, ☏ +81 537-73-6636. This place offers blueberry picking and sells pasta, wine, sweets and so on. All of the products are made from blueberries grown locally. 
• Ebirado, ☏ +81 537-73-2109. Mineda 949. Pick up some of the local sweet, known as shiroshita-gashi. 
• Ikemura Kanko Melon Association, Kamihirakawa 1297, ☏ +81 537-73-4317. Local melons and cantaloupe. 
• JA Enshu Yumesaki, Hanzumi 1100, ☏ +81 537-36-4355. Direct sales of locally grown green tea. 
• Tomutomu no Sato, Shimouchida, ☏ +81 537-36-1630. Local tomatoes. 

Eat

• Coco's Restaurant, Kamo 3313-1, ☏ +81 537-37-0701. 10:00-02:00. 
• Gusto Restaurant, Hanzumi 1740, ☏ +81 537-37-3502. 08:00-02:00. 
• Kappa Sushi, Kamomiyanonishi 2737-1, ☏ +81 537-37-2288. 11:00-23:00. 
• Minamikazeen, Furuya 673, ☏ +81 537-35-0937. This is a large garden and restaurant. The garden displays many kinds of garden plants and sells various products made from aloe. 
• Mos Burger, Kamo 2194-1, ☏ +81 537-36-5515. 08:00-00:00. 
• Niko Niko, Nishiyoko-chi 2-3, ☏ +81 537-35-6618. 11:30-21:00, closed on Wednesdays. 
• Pony's Toy, Horinoutsi 236-1 (near the station), ☏ +81 537-35-2819. 10:00-22:00, closed on Tuesday. 
• Rouko Ramen, Kamo 2735-1, ☏ +81 537-36-0910. 
• Sawayaka, Kamo 2636, ☏ +81 537-36-1106. M-F Su 11:00-00:00, Sa 11:00-01:00. Shizuoka's favorite hamburger steak restaurant has a location here. 
• Shabu Shabu, Kamo 5270, ☏ +81 537-37-0535. M-F 11:00-14:00, Sa Su and holidays 11:00-14:30 and 17:00-22:00. 
• Shusai ya Obune, Kamo 4948, ☏ +81 537-35-4030, syusaiya-obune@ai.tnc.ne.jp. 11:30-14:00 and 17:30-23:00, closed Mondays. 
• Sukiya, Kamo 2659. Open 24 hours.
• Wagyuu Yakiniku, Kamo 2697, ☏ +81 537-35-0616, yakiniku-t@cy.tnc.ne.jp. M-Sa 17:00-03:00, Su and holidays 16:00-00:00. 

Sleep

• Business Hotel Hyungen, Kamo 452-3. Check-in: 17:00, check-out: 10:00. Single ¥5795, twin ¥9345.
• Business Hotel Tachibana, Horinouchi 277-5. Two minutes from Kikugawa station. Check-in: 16:00, check-out: 10:00. Single ¥5670.
• Hotel Route Inn, Kamo 2100. Large public bath-room. There is a restaurant. Check-in, 15:00, check-out: 10:00. Single ¥5560.

Go next

• Kakegawa has a fine castle and a number of other attractions.
• Oigawa Steam Locomotive, (from JR Kanaya Station, one stop east), [1]. This old-fashioned steam locomotive travels up the scenic Oi River Valley to Lake Ikawa. There are two legs of the line; the stretch between Kanaya and Senzu costs ¥1810 each way, and the stretch between Senzu and Ikawa costs ¥1280 each way. From Senzu Station, another ¥860 will also get you a bus which runs to the famous Sumata Gorge Onsen, about 40 minutes away. The gorge has a unique and beautiful 90-m-long suspension footbridge, and offers some excellent hiking opportunities.
• Omaezaki, to the south, is a great place to hit the beach.
• Makinohara
• Iwata
• Fukuroi
• Shimada
• Yoshida
• Fujieda

Routes through Kikugawa

Hamamatsu ← Kakegawa ←	W  E	→ Shizuoka → Tokyo
Hamamatsu ← Kakegawa ←	W  E	→ Yaizu → Shizuoka → Tokyo