Shizuoka, Shizuoka

Shizuoka (静岡市, Shizuoka-shi, "Shizuoka City") is the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, and the prefecture's second-largest city both population and area. It has been populated since prehistoric times.

The city's name is made up of two kanji, 静—shizu, meaning "still" or "calm"; and 岡—oka, meaning "hill(s)". In 1869, Shizuoka Domain was first created out of the older Sunpu Domain, and that name was retained when the city was incorporated in 1885. In 2003, Shizuoka merged with Shimizu City (now Shimizu Ward), briefly becoming the largest city by land area in Japan. In 2005, it became one of Japan's "designated cities".

Geography

Shizuoka City centrally located in Shizuoka Prefecture, about halfway between Tokyo and Nagoya along the Tokaido Corridor, sandwiched between Suruga Bay to the south and the Minami Alps in the north. Shizuoka had the largest area of any municipality in Japan after merging with Shimizu City in April 2003, until February 2005, when Takayama, Gifu merged with nine surrounding municipalities.