This page collects every guide we have published, organized by theme. If Shimizu is new to you, start with the three articles under “Start Here.” If you are deciding whether to book a tour, jump to “Tours or DIY.”
🇯🇵 日本語版はこちら: 日本語で読む
We also publish a dedicated guide for each port call day — with that day’s weather, local events, and a model route — three days before every arrival. You can find the latest port-day guides on our top page.
Start Here
- Shimizu Cruise Port Complete Guide: Everything to Know Before You Arrive — The one article to read first: port basics, access, and how to spend your day
- Is Shimizu Worth Getting Off the Ship? An Honest Answer — Our honest take, including the parts that may disappoint you
- 20 Things to Do in Shimizu, Japan: The Cruise Passenger’s Complete List — Everything you can do, sorted by distance from the pier
Guides by Ship
- Diamond Princess at Shimizu Port: Dates, Docking Info, and How to Plan Your Day (2026) — All 2026 call dates, plus port-day plans matched to the ship’s two arrival patterns
Tours or DIY
- Shimizu Shore Excursions Compared: Ship Tours, Local Tours, and DIY — A neutral comparison of all three options, by cost and time
- Mt. Fuji Day Trip from Shimizu Port: What’s Actually Possible — How close you can really get to Mt. Fuji, organized by hours ashore
- Nihondaira & Kunozan Toshogu Shrine: The DIY Half-Day Course — Ropeway rides and a National Treasure shrine, arranged on your own
- Miho no Matsubara Shore Excursion: The DIY Handbook — Step-by-step directions by water bus, local bus, and taxi
Sights & Neighborhoods
- Miho no Matsubara & Shimizu: The UNESCO World Heritage Guide — The full story behind the site, including the Hagoromo legend
- Shimizu Ginza Shopping Street: A Walk Through Everyday Japan — How to enjoy a local shopping street that tourism hasn’t changed
Eat & Shop
- Shimizu Seafood Guide: What to Eat at Japan’s Tuna Capital — Tuna and beyond: everything worth eating on your port day
- Kashi no Ichi Fish Market in Shimizu: The Complete Guide — How to navigate the two market buildings and order like a local
- The Japanese Supermarket Experience in Shimizu — Why a local supermarket is a favorite “attraction” among cruise visitors
- Introducing the Shimizu Local Supermarket Tour — Our guided shopping experience with a personalized list
Festivals & History
- Shimizu Minato Matsuri: The Port Festival Guide — Three days in early August when Shimizu is at its liveliest
- The History of Kappore: How a Street Dance Came Home to the Port — The story behind the festival’s signature dance
- The Story of Shimizu Jirocho: Japan’s Most Famous Boss — The life of Shimizu’s legendary local hero
We add new guides regularly. Bookmark this page and come back anytime while planning your port day. Have a wonderful voyage.