Major city · Japan
Kikugawa菊川市
Skip as a base: Kikugawa is a tea-farm town with one JR station, no Shinkansen stop and little to see. Use it as a half-day from Kakegawa, or skip it.
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- JPY
- Best months
- Apr–May (tea picking), Oct–Nov
- avoid Jul–Aug (hot and humid), Golden Week
- Airports
- FSZ · NGO · NRT
- Nights
- 0–1
Rules in force · 5
- East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
- East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
- Japan ↗IC cards (ICOCA/Suica) are topped up with cash at station machines.
- Japan ↗Smoking while walking is banned in most city centres; use designated areas.
- Japan ↗Shinkansen bags 160–250 cm (L+W+H) need a seat reserved with the oversized-baggage area.
Kikugawa is a small Shizuoka city on the JR Tokaido line, known for green tea and little else. It has no Shinkansen station, no major sight and only a handful of business hotels. Travellers who come here are usually visiting tea fields, picking fruit in season or using it as a cheap bed near Kakegawa. Treat it as a half-day, not a destination.
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Kikugawa, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.Japan-wide
- SIM or eSIMData-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.Japan-wide
- Tap waterSafe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.Japan-wide
- TippingRestaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.Japan-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets A/B. US/Canada (A/B): fits · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 100 V: UK and AU 230 V-only devices need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.Japan-wide
- SafetyQuiet and low-crime, like most of rural Shizuoka.
- RestroomsFree, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet.Japan-wide
- Emergency numbers110 police · 119 fire and ambulance · 050-3816-2787 (≈ US$19) Japan Visitor Hotline (JNTO, 24 h, English) (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidaysMuseums close on Mondays (Tuesday when Monday is a holiday); many family restaurants close one weekday, often Tuesday or Wednesday…Japan-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportFSZ Mt.
- Getting aroundJR Tokaido line stops at Kikugawa station; Kakegawa (Shinkansen, Kodama only) is 5 min and ¥190 (≈ US$2) away.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- CoffeeCoffee at a café¥400–700 (≈ US$3–5)
- Street or quick mealRamen or noodle soup¥800–1,200 (≈ US$6–9)
- SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week¥2,000–4,000 (≈ US$14–30)
- Budget bedHostel or guesthouse bed, a night, per person¥3,500 (≈ US$25)
- Mid-range bedBusiness-hotel double room, a night, per room¥13,000 (≈ US$90)
- High-end bedBusiness-hotel double room, a night, per room¥22,000 (≈ US$150)
A day, not counting the bed: Budget ¥6,000 (≈ US$45) · Mid ¥11,000 (≈ US$75) · High ¥20,000 (≈ US$140)
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- FSZ Mt. Fuji Shizuoka Airport (About 40 min by car or bus to Kikugawa; check current bus times.) · NGO Chubu Centrair (Nagoya) (Entetsu E-Wing bus to Kakegawa, about 2 h, then 5 min by train.) · NRT Narita (Tokyo) (About 6 h by car or bus; the train via Tokyo and Kakegawa is usually easier.)
Weather and climate
Kikugawa: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
10°C50°F
1°C34°F
5 rd
Feb
11°C52°F
1°C34°F
6 rd
Mar
15°C59°F
4°C39°F
10 rd
Apr
20°C68°F
10°C50°F
10 rd
May
24°C75°F
15°C59°F
11 rd
Jun
27°C81°F
19°C66°F
13 rd
Jul
30°C86°F
23°C73°F
12 rd
Aug
32°C90°F
24°C75°F
9 rd
Sep
29°C84°F
21°C70°F
12 rd
Oct
23°C73°F
15°C59°F
9 rd
Nov
18°C64°F
9°C48°F
7 rd
Dec
13°C55°F
3°C37°F
5 rd
High / low °C°F · rd = rain days
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
JR Tokaido line stops at Kikugawa station; Kakegawa (Shinkansen, Kodama only) is 5 min and ¥190 away. Local buses are limited: the community bus is ¥200 but does not run weekends, holidays or New Year. A rental car is the practical way to reach tea fields, farms and Hitsurugi.
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Kakegawa
goDoor to door: About 15 min
JR Tokaido line, 5 min, ¥190 (≈ US$2)
Castle and the nearest Shinkansen stop; the obvious pairing with Kikugawa.
Door to door: About 1 h
JR Tokaido line, about 40 min, ¥720 (≈ US$5)
Bigger city for museums, food and connections.
Door to door: About 1 h
JR Tokaido line west, about 40–50 min
Music museums and gyoza; a full day.
Iwata
cautionDoor to door: About 45 min
JR Tokaido line west, about 30 min
Small city; only worth it with a specific reason.
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Kikugawa Station area
Two-minute walk to Business Hotel Tachibana; the only cluster of beds in town.
Kikugawa Inter area
Route Inn with a large public bath; needs a car or taxi from the station.
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- ¥6,000–10,000 (≈ US$45–70) excl. bed
- Mid
- ¥10,000–16,000 (≈ US$70–110) excl. bed
- High
- ¥16,000 (≈ US$110)+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Business-hotel double room1 × 1 night × ¥13,000 | ¥13,000 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × ¥11,000 | ¥22,000 |
| JR Kakegawa → Kikugawa, one way2 × ¥190 | ¥380 |
| Community bus, one journey2 × ¥200 · No Saturday, Sunday, holiday or New Year service. | ¥400 |
| Rental car, one day1 × ¥6,000 · check; fuel extra | ¥6,000 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | ¥4,180 |
| Trip total≈ ¥22,980 per person per day, bed included | ¥45,960≈ US$350 |
2026 estimate in yen; flights and rail passes excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Coffee at a café | ¥400–700 (≈ US$3–5) |
| Ramen or noodle soup | ¥800–1,200 (≈ US$6–9) |
| Hamburger steak set at Sawayakacheck current menu prices | ¥1,000–1,600 (≈ US$7–11) |
| JR Kikugawa → Shizuoka | ¥720 (≈ US$5) |
| JR Kikugawa → Kakegawa | ¥190 (≈ US$2) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ¥2,000–4,000 (≈ US$14–30) |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- The community bus does not run on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays or over New Year: plan around it.
- Only Kodama Shinkansen trains stop at Kakegawa, roughly once an hour.
- Most sights, farms and restaurants are spread out and need a car or taxi.
- Small shops and farms may take cash only; carry yen.
Emergency numbers
- Police
- 110
- Fire and ambulance
- 119
- Japan Visitor Hotline (JNTO, 24 h, English)
- 050-3816-2787
Pocket card
Fill in, then print or save as PDF
Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.
Kikugawa菊川市
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
ここまでお願いしますTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police110
- Fire and ambulance119
- Japan Visitor Hotline (24 h, English)050-3816-2787
Embassy
No embassies in Kikugawa; the US consulate is in Nagoya and most embassies are in Tokyo.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Kikugawa → Kakegawa, JR: ¥190 (≈ US$2), about 5 min
- Kikugawa → Shizuoka, JR: ¥720 (≈ US$5), about 40 min
- Community bus, one journey: ¥200 (≈ US$2); no Saturday, Sunday or holiday service
Say or show
- すみません — Excuse me / Sorry (sumimasen)
- ありがとうございます — Thank you (arigatō gozaimasu)
- いくらですか? — How much is it? (ikura desu ka)
- カードで払えますか? — Can I pay by card? (kādo de haraemasu ka)
- トイレはどこですか? — Where is the toilet? (toire wa doko desu ka)
- 緑茶をください — Green tea, please (ryokucha o kudasai)
Carry some cash: small farms and shops may not take cards.
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Kikugawa. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Apr–May (tea picking), Oct–Nov · avoid Jul–Aug (hot and humid), Golden Week · month by month →
- 3 airports and 2 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 4 day-trips, door to door
- 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- An airport-to-bed path that says whether a late landing still works
- Walking clusters with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Field-verified times and fares