Located halfway between Tokyo and Osaka, Lake Hamana is a unique place where the cultures and flavors of the East and West collide. Another attractive feature is the convenient access, with the Shinkansen and expressways nearby. Experiencing activities unique to Lake Hamana with close friends is sure to deepen your bonds.
Located close to JR Bentenjima Station, this is a popular spot where you can enjoy swimming, fishing and playing on the rocks. Experience the illuminated red torii gate (symbolic tower) and Lake Hamana with its resort atmosphere.
Maisaka Town Tourism Association
Address: 3775-2 Bentenjima, Maisaka-cho, Chuo-ku, Hamamatsu City
Telephone: 053-592-0757
Arai Barrier, a nationally designated special historic site, was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1600. If you change into the costume of a magistrate or a traveler, you’ll feel as if you’ve traveled back in time to the Edo period. At the end of March 2020, the “Onnaaratame no Nagaya” was completed and opened to the public.
Arai Checkpoint
Address: 1227-5 Arai, Arai-cho, Kosai City
Tel: 053-594-3615
Kinokuniya Museum
Official lodgings for the Kishu Domain, one of the Tokugawa Gosanke (three branches of the Tokugawa clan)
A charming inn that has been in operation for about 250 years. Currently it is a museum that conveys the culture of post towns along the Tokaido road.
Komatsuro Community Development Center
Former geisha house
Experience the charming atmosphere of the entertainment district that flourished from the Taisho era to the 1940s.
Temple Path
A quaint street lined with seven temples and shrines at the foot of the mountain
Visit the temples and shrines in the historic town of Arai, which flourished as a key point on the Tokaido road.
Boat harbor
A typical fishing town
As you stroll through the alleys, lured by the smell of the sea, you will be greeted by the scenery of a fishing town.
Located near Shirasuka-juku, it boasts a spectacular view overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Enjoy dishes made with local ingredients.
Roadside station “Shiomizaka”
Address: 1896-2 Shirasuka, Kosai City
Tel: 053-573-1155
In addition to resort hotels on the shores of Lake Hamana, we also recommend private lodgings and inns that serve luxurious dishes made with fresh seafood from the lake and the Enshu Nada Sea.
Maisaka Town Tourism Association
Address: 3775-2 Bentenjima, Maisaka-cho, Chuo-ku, Hamamatsu City
Telephone: 053-592-0757
A seasonal summer event at Lake Hamana held from May to September. This traditional fishing method involves shining an underwater lamp attached to the bow of a boat onto the shallow lake bottom and spearing crabs and fish with a harpoon or scooping them up with a net. We set sail at dusk, when the sky and lake are dyed orange. The city lights in the distance and the Shinkansen seen from the lake are also fantastical. The seafood you catch can be enjoyed on a raft floating on the lake, either as tempura or in miso soup. The taste of the freshly caught seafood is exceptional and is sure to create unforgettable memories.
Takiya Association
Address: 9985-3 Ubumi, Yutome-cho, Chuo-ku, Hamamatsu City
Tel: 053-592-2260
The Kosai mountain range stretches along the western shore of Lake Hamana, on the border with Aichi Prefecture. An easy hiking trail even for beginners, where you can enjoy a spectacular view overlooking Lake Hamana from the top of the mountain.
Under the guidance of a former All-Japan champion, you can enjoy a new type of marine sport born in France where you can fly freely through the air using the water pressure of a jet ski.
BELL MARINE
Address: 482 Toki, Kosai City
Tel: 053-578-3210
Eel catching
Grab a live eel with ease. Once you skewer the fish, dip it in sauce, and place it on the grill, you’ll feel like a professional chef. At Lake Hamana, you can enjoy both plump Kanto-style and crisp Kansai-style cooking methods.
Imagire Experience Village Kaikokan
Address: Arai Town Tourism Association
Tel: 090-8186-1217
BBQ
Near Imakireguchi, where Lake Hamana meets the sea, you can enjoy a resort-like barbecue with a close-up view of Lake Hamana. Stoves and charcoal are available for rental, so you can come and play empty-handed.
Address: Arai-cho, Kosai City, Arai Kan’yu No.
Tel: 053-594-6624 (for BBQ contact information)
Visit the main shrine, Akiha Shrine (Lower), which enshrines the god of fire prevention, and enjoy the specialties at the roadside station “Ippukudokoro Yokogawa”
Akihayama Hongu Akiha Shrine, located in Tenryu Ward, Hamamatsu City, is the main shrine of Akiba Shrines scattered all over the country. The shrine is dedicated to the god of fire protection, and there is an upper shrine on the summit of Mt. Akiha, and a lower shrine where you can worship the main shrine on the mountain from a distance.
This time, we will introduce Shimosha, which is nestled by the Ketagawa River at the foot of Mt. Akiha, and how to access Omotesando, which connects Kamisha and Shimosha, as well as the roadside station “Ippukudokoro Yokogawa” that you might want to stop by after visiting the shrine.
We will also provide information on Ippukudokoro Yokogawa’s famous sweets.
Sea Lake Report: Walking the Himekaido Road, Kiga-Mikkabi Edition
I decided to walk down Honsaka-dori (commonly known as Hime-kaido), which has been a side street of the Tokaido since ancient times and has been visited by many travelers.
Last time, I walked from the Amma starting point in Chuo Ward, Hamamatsu City to Kiga-shuku in Hamana Ward.
This time, I would like to continue walking from Kiga-juku to Mikkabi-juku.
The atmosphere is different from the section I walked last time, with cobblestone streets and historic sites scattered throughout.
This is a journey where you can feel the vestiges of the past, when many travelers came and went.
I walked around feeling like a person from the past, so I’ll tell you what it was like.
Lake Hamana Flower Festival 2023 begins! Enjoy the flower relay around Lake Hamana
With the arrival of warm spring, the Lake Hamana Flower Festival begins! The 2023 event will be held from March 21st to June 11th. The two main venues are Hamamatsu Flower Park and Hamanako Garden Park.
During the Flower Festival, visitors will be welcomed by the seasonal flowers and beautiful gardens that decorate the area around Lake Hamana, Fukuroi City, Morimachi, and Kakegawa City. You can also have fun collecting flower stamps at 25 points of interest.