Sunpu Castle Park, Shizuoka City

Once the site of Tokugawa Ieyasu's castle, Sunpu Park in the heart of Shizuoka City is now a pleasant, expansive green space for residents and visitors to relax in. There are still some signs of its past - intact turrets and sections of the walls and moat, other remains, a statue of Ieyasu looking stern - and for we modern-day folk there are lawns to stroll around and walk your dogs on, slides and swings for kids to play on, a separate traditional garden to enjoy, and an odd colourful clock that chimes with the "Old Grandfather Clock" song. It's also the main venue for the annual Street Performance World Cup, a four-day festival of international performance. Open from very early to well after dark, it's a good place to walk around slowly, taking the air and getting a break from the downtown bustle.