Shimizu, Japan

A busy port located on the Suruga Bay, Shimizu is renowned for the surrounding views of Mt. Fuji. One of the most famous is from Miho no Matsubara, a shoreline lined with groves of lovely pine trees that is a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site. One tree, said to be over 650 years old, plays a part in a popular folkloric myth. On clear days, the snow-capped cone can also be viewed from the heights of the Nihondaira Plateau overlooking the city and the bay. Near the port, the four-story S Pulse Dream Plaza shopping mall boasts a museum dedicated to sushi!