Suruga Province

Suruga Province was a territory in what is now central Shizuoka Prefecture, extending from the Pacific coast inland to mountain ranges. The territory covered seven districts and bordered Tōtōmi Province to the west, Kai to the north, and Izu to the east.

The territory became an administrative center during the Edo period after Tokugawa Ieyasu chose Sunpu Castle as his retirement residence. In 1868, the province was dissolved following the Meiji Restoration and incorporated into the newly created Shizuoka Prefecture.

The provincial territory maintained strong connections to Japanese mythology through ancient texts like the Nihongi, which documented Yamato Takeru's travels through the region.

The former province can be traced today through place names, temples, and shrines still found in central Shizuoka. Several museums in the region display artifacts and documents from the provincial era.

The province held classification as both a major and middle country under different administrative systems. This dual status reflected shifting political structures and regional importance across centuries.

Location: Tōkaidō

Capital city: Sunpu

Part of: 上國, Chūgoku

Shares border with: Tōtōmi Province, Kai Province, Izu Province, Sagami Province, Shinano Province

GPS coordinates: 35.12750,138.48667

Latest update: December 4, 2025 23:05