Cracking Kakegawa Is Shizuoka’s Stunning Secret

Sometimes, delight arises where it’s least expected. And that’s precisely what happened for me over the weekend with a visit to the unexpectedly delightful Shizuoka Prefecture city of Kakegawa. We had the most amazing time in the city, watching birds, visiting traditional and modern attractions, and enjoying fine dining. I’d expected none of this, and found the city to be a hidden gem.

Attracting us to the city was Kakegawa Kachoen, a flower and bird park, where we were treated to a magnificent time. We watched bird shows, got to feed and pet the birds, and took thousands of shots. It was simply sublime, and even had a strong Aussie attachment.

The Aussies

The Beauties

The Raptors

The Secretarybird

The Shoebill

The Owls

The Waterbirds

The Flowers

Following the visit to the bird and flower park, we took advantage of the outstanding Kakegawa Marutoku Passport, which offers massive discounts on the city’s main tourist attractions and great deals from stores and restaurants in the city. Our first use of the passport was to pick up a free cake and check out a clock museum. The passport cost just 2,200 yen and covers the entrance charges for several attractions (including the 1,800 yen entry of the Kachoen), as well as lots of freebies, making it a real bargain.

Kakegawa also had a surprisingly lively night life, particularly on the north exit side of the station. We enjoyed a delicious meal centered on the region’s local specialty of gyoza. We dined at the Enshu Makotoya, which served excellent fare while providing wonderful service and atmosphere at a very reasonable price. We found fabulous food wherever we went in the city.

Today, the highlight for me was Kakegawa Castle, which is positioned atop a hill offering a wonderful view of the surrounding area. A series of wonderful attractions are all built around the foot of the castle. Collectively, they are within 10 minutes’ walk of the bullet train station, making them another appeal of the surprising city.

We got to see a market, cafe, art museum and the Kakegawa Stained Glass Museum, all via the tourist pass, and each with its own lovely charm.

And then, the tour was over. We got the mix of new and old, thrilling, exciting, modern and traditional Japan. And all of it was much better than I had imagined.