Geography

Shizuoka is in the southeast put of the Chubu area with Hakone at the Kanagawa border. Mount Fuji rises at the Yamanashi border, and the Akaishi Mountain Range separates Shizuoka from Nagano. The Aichi border is marked by gentle hills. The fosse magna (great earth ditch) divides the prefecture into eastern and western halves. The eastern side consists of the Izu Peninsula and Suruga Bay, the west is made up of a simple shoreline, created by the Enshu Nada, stretching from Omaezaki to the Atsumi Peninsula. Hand-shaped Lake Hamana was once a gulf, but is now separated from the ocean by a sandbank. Weather is typical of the Pacific Ocean side, with mild temperatures and much rain. The area along the Enshu Nada is blessed with more clear days than anywhere else in the nation.

Industry & Economy

Due to its transportation systems, natural resources, and population, Shizuoka ranks in the top ten for its overall economy. Reflecting the industrial activity along the Tokaido Belt, manufacturing constantly ranks fifth to seventh in the nation. Developing industrial areas include the Hamamatsu area and the Suruga Bay shore area. Shizuoka is the national top producer of tea. Other produce includes melons grown in greenhouses, tangerine oranges, and strawberries. The fishing industry registers the 8th highest in tonnage of catch. They have the largest catch of tuna in the nation.

Cultural Background

In ancient days the Nakayama Trail following the ocean shore was the main means of transportation between east and west, mainly due to the geographic features of several large rivers and mountains which slope down to the shorelines. The opening of the Tokai Road enabled funher development of rails and roads, which opened up an opportunity for Shizuoka to be influenced by both the Tokyo and Kansai culture. Urbanization of Shizuoka is certainly in progress. The Tokaido Development Project linking Tokyo to Osaka finds Shizuoka right in the middle.

Religious Milieu

Religious awareness among the people of Shizuoka is slightly below average, according to surveys. They show an interest in materialism, and do not strongly rely on the gods or Buddna. Neither do they rank high in valuing family status or tradition. Though they do not especially have close community relations, they are very friendly and relatively open toward the outside. The Fujinomiya Sengen Shrine in Fujinomiya, one of the ancient religious establishments, is the origin of Mount Fuji worship. This city also houses the Taisekiji Temple of Nichiren, connected with Soka Cakkai.

The Mission

The recent urbanization has weakened much of the binding influence of the communities and families, but it has also created an individualistic isolation. The increase in the number of churches is not keeping pace with the population increase in some areas, so there are many places that need new churches. The cities of Shizuoka and Mishima were main areas of missionary activity during the early years of the Meiji era, and Izu was an important target for the Alliance Mission. After the War, the Immanuel General Mission carried out extensive mission work in the prefecture and now has nine churches in the area.