Tenryu Hamanako Railway is a third sector railway that connects Kakegawa Station to Shinjohara Station in Kosai City via Hamamatsu City.

There are a total of 39 stations. Enjoy the scenery from the train windows along the line and see the station building, which is a registered tangible cultural property of the country. Stores attached to station buildings are also popular.

This time, I would like to tell you about the train journey I enjoyed using a free ticket from Shinjohara Station in Kosai City to Tenryu Futamata Station.

Departing from Shinjohara Station in Kosai City!

From JR Kakegawa Station to JR Shinjohara Station in Kosai City.

The Tenryu Hamanako Railway (hereinafter referred to as the Tenhama Line), which runs as a detour around the JR Tokaido Line, is a popular local railway that allows you to experience the original scenery of Japan, including the view from the train window.

Our train journey started at Shinjohara Station. It is connected to JR Shinjohara Station via a passageway, so you can easily transfer from the JR line.

The photo above shows the exterior of Shinjohara Station, which is popular as the western gateway to the Tenhama Line. Inside the station building, there is a take-out eel specialty store called “Yamayoshi”.

From November 1, 2022 to January 31, 2023, the free ticket will be a commemorative ticket due to a collaboration event with “Shin Evangelion Theatrical Version”

There are a total of four types of free tickets for the Tenhama Line.

The “1-day free ticket” allows you to get on and off as much as you like on the entire line, the “Mikan Kippu” allows you to get on and off as much as you like between Shinjobaru and Tenryu Futamata, the “Chabatake Ticket” allows you to get on and off as much as you like between Kakegawa and Nishikashima, and the shared free pass with Enshu Railway. The ticket is the “Tenhama Line/Entetsu Common Free Ticket” (the “Tenhama Line/Entetsu Common Free Ticket” has the east route and the west route).

All tickets are valid for one day only.

For more information, please visit the official Tenhama Line website▼

Official website of Tenryu Hamanako Railway (external link)

「https://www.tenhama.co.jp/」

The author purchased the Mikan Kippu, which allows unlimited hop-on and hop-off between Shinjohara Station and Tenryu Futamata Station.

When purchasing the free ticket, I received the “Tenhama Line Delicious Gourmet Guide,” which contains information on gourmet food along the line, and the “Tenhama Line Goshuin Tour of the Heart,” which introduces shrines and temples along the line.

I’m confused about where to go.

The Tenhama Line runs about once every hour during the day. I kept the paper timetable I got at the station in my pocket.

After a while after leaving Shinjohara Station, Lake Hamana will be on the right side of the direction of travel! It’s nice to see Lake Hamana while relaxing on the rolling train.

Arrived at Okuhamanako Station!

After looking at the Demai Gourmet Guide along the Tenhama Line and thinking about where to go first, I decided to get off at Okuhamanako Station and go to Nagasaka Apiary, a honey specialty store.

Oku-Hamanako Station’s nickname (secondary station name) is “The town where you can meet Bunbun”, and the store’s character, Bunbun, is depicted on the station name sign.

Approximately 5 minutes walk from Oku-Hamanako Station to the store. The landmark is a large signboard along National Route 301.

▲Top left: Drink service available at the store entrance, Bottom left: Second generation honey, Top right: Inside the store with honey products, Bottom right: Bees can be observed from inside the store.

When you step into the store, you’ll see lots of honey products in front of you!

The recommended product that we asked the staff about is the store’s original honey, “Nidaime Honey,” which is a blend of Akashia flower and tangerine flower honey. You can use it as is or as a seasoning for cooking, so enjoy it however you like.

In addition to bottled products, the store also sells by weight so you can buy as much as you like. It is OK to bring in jars to fill with honey.

In addition, many other honey products are available for purchase, including a variety of domestic and international honeys, sweets, health foods, and cosmetics.

▲Left: Bunbun honey pudding, Right: Honey soft serve ice cream

The photo above shows the popular sweet “Bunbun no Honey Pudding”, which has many repeat customers, and the “Honey Soft-serve Ice Cream”, which is very popular with honey. Enjoy the original taste of Nagasaka Bee Farm!

For more information, please visit the official website of Nagasaka Bee Farm▼

Nagasaka Bee Farm official website (external link)

「https://www.1183.co.jp/」

Ride on the wrapping train Bunbun!

After leaving the Nagasaka Bee Farm, I was waiting for a train at Oku-Hamanako Station when the wrapped train Bunbun arrived.

The Tenhama Line operates multiple wrapping trains, so if the train times match, you can ride the wrapping train of your choice.

Up to two weeks’ worth of schedule information for wrapping trains is posted on the official website, so you can check them in advance. Check it out if you want to make your train journey even more fulfilling.

▲Top left: Oku-Hamanako Station seen from inside the train, top right: cute interior of the train, bottom left and bottom right: inside the door

Bunbun is full of cute Bunbun not only on the outside, but also inside!

Furthermore, there are quizzes and illustrations on the seats, walls, and floor of the train, making it a fun way to learn about bees and honey.

As of February 2023, the Bunbun train is currently suspended due to wheel maintenance. Please take the train once the service resumes.

The view from the car window is refreshing and different from what you see from the car!

The distance between the lake and the railroad track is not constant; it gets closer and farther apart. I want to look at the sparkling surface of Lake Hamana forever.

However, I boarded the Bunbun train that departed at 12:40. Unable to overcome my hunger, I got off at Hamanako Sakume Station and had lunch at Katrea, a coffee shop attached to the station.

Lunch at Hamanako Sakume Station

The Tenhama Line has several shops attached to the station building, including coffee shops and handmade bakeries.

The coffee shop “Katorea” attached to Hamanako Sakume Station is one of them. It is also a place for locals to relax, as it can be used by people other than train passengers.

▲Top left: View from the store entrance, Bottom left: Counter seats overlooking the platform, Right: Coffee is carefully siphoned one cup at a time.

The restaurant has a relaxing atmosphere, with counter seats and table seats. What you can see from the farthest seat at the counter is the platform of Hamanako Sakume Station. It can be said that it is a special seat that train lovers can’t resist, with a great view even when arriving on the Tenhama Line.

Each cup of coffee is carefully brewed using a siphon after receiving your order. The coffee beans used are said to be blended specifically for Katarea. It’s a cup that you can only drink here.

At Katarea’s lunch time (11:30-14:30), you can order curry, pilaf, spaghetti, as well as various set meals (yakiniku, hamburger, yakisoba) and daily lunch specials.

I chose the homemade beef curry. Curry and spaghetti come with salad.

The curry has a traditional, gentle flavor, and the beef is perfectly stewed and delicious. The Mikkabi mandarin oranges that came with the salad were also sweet and delicious. Thank you for the meal.

Get off at Kiga Station and take a break

After lunch, we headed to Fujitaya, which is located in front of Kiga Station and is popular for its large-sized grills.

The free ticket allows you to get on and off the train as many times as you like on the same day, so if you find a place along the line that interests you, you can stop by without hesitation.

▲Left: It’s fun to watch it bake, right: The large-sized grilled meat is fluffy and piping hot.

Fujitaya’s large-sized grilled food, which appeared in the popular manga “Yuru Camp△” (Houbunsha/Afro), is available in two types: red bean paste and cream.

“Younger people tend to order cream, and older people tend to order red bean paste,” says the owner of Fujitaya. If you can’t decide which one to buy, why not buy one each?

The entire Tenhama Line is a valuable railway line that is registered as a national registered tangible cultural property. Kiga Station, where I got off, has a bookstore Honya (the central building of the station), a warehouse Uwaya, and a platform registered.

▲Kiga Sekisho Honbanjo

While waiting for your train, we also recommend visiting the Kiga Checkpoint.

The current building was restored to its current location in 1990, and in addition to the main guard post where people are questioned as they come and go, there is also a mukai bansho with a prison inside, and a far-sighted observation post with the role of keeping watch over the distance. There are guardhouses and obibansho. You can actually go up to the observation post.

Official website of Kiga Sekisho (external link)

「https://kigasekisho.com/」

The cherry blossom embankment of the Miyakoda River is popular during the cherry blossom season.

The Sakurabank of the Miyakoda River is about 300 meters south of Kiga Station. Approximately 300 Yoshino cherry trees are in full bloom along the 1.5 km embankment of the Miyakoda River.

It looks like a tunnel of cherry blossoms! Please enjoy cherry blossom viewing so you don’t miss your train.

Arrive at Tenryu Futamata Station

Ride, see and taste. The goal of my fun train trip using the Tenhama Line Free Ticket is approaching.

We will soon say goodbye to the scenery from the train window where we could see Lake Hamana and tangerine fields. When you leave Nishikashima Station, you will reach the Tenryu River.

The silhouette of a train crossing the railway bridge is reflected on the riverbank.

As of February 2023, the station name signboard for Tenryu Futamata Station is “Tenryu Futamata Station”

The author purchased the Mikan Kippu, which allows you to hop on and off as much as you like between Shinjohara and Tenryu Futamata, so you can enjoy a relaxing train journey that ends here at Tenryu Futamata Station.

The station is home to the headquarters of Tenryu Hamanako Railway, and the station bookstore, which I use casually on a daily basis, as well as the currently operating turntable, fan-shaped garage, and driving area office, etc., are registered with the national government. It has become a tangible cultural property.

Although not included in the free ticket price, there is also a tour of the turntable and fan-shaped garage.

▲turntable

Between Shinjohara Station and Tenryu Futamata Station, there are many other attractive spots besides the ones we stopped at this time.

Increase or decrease the number of stops depending on the waiting time for the train. You are free to change your schedule.

The railway’s free tickets are hard tickets, so they have a great presence. You can also enjoy seeing the appearance of oncoming trains at train exchange stations such as Kanasashi Station!

By the way, if you calculate the normal fare for this train trip, it will cost 1,660 yen in total. The “Mikan Kippu” costs 1,430 yen, so you saved 230 yen. Yay!

Enjoy a relaxing and memorable train journey on the Tenhama Line!