Lately, when I’m walking or driving on the road, I’ve begun to often see people cycling in the Hamanako area. He looks very cool wearing sportswear and riding a special bicycle.

I wanted to try it too, but I just couldn’t take the first step. This is because of the impression of cycling and the height of the hurdles.

What kind of image do you have when you hear the word “cycling”? Prepare a special bicycle, wear special clothing, and ride the bicycle vigorously. There are probably rules such as roads you can run on and roads you shouldn’t run on. However, as a beginner, these impressions made me feel that it would be a difficult hurdle to start cycling on my own, and I had a hard time mustering up the courage to do so. I got information that a cycling tour around Lake Hamana was being held in such a place, so I decided to participate in the cycling tour.

“Is there a fireworks display somewhere today?” I often get asked when I’m wearing a yukata. This is probably because many people have an established image of it as something to wear when going to a fireworks display. They brightly color the Japanese summer, and just seeing them will instantly get you in the summer mood. In fact, yukata is a specialty product that Hamamatsu accounts for about half of the total amount handled, and boasts the highest amount of yukata in Japan.

The manufacturer of Hamamatsu-made yukata has begun a “new challenge” in order to preserve the area of ​​production and the skills of its craftsmen. What we will be talking about here is a yukata made using the traditional “Chusen-some” technique. In recent years, it has been introduced more and more in the news, and you may have come across this word more often. Chusen-some is a method of dyeing yukata and tenugui with colored patterns, and it got its name from the fact that the dye is poured over the folded fabric. Using traditional techniques found only in Japan, every step is made by hand by skilled craftsmen.

As I spend more time at home, I find myself worrying more about what to do, especially on holidays. At that time, I happened to look at SNS and saw an experience that an acquaintance had introduced saying that there was something like this. It is a kit called “Shokunin-san” by Ganyudo.

Ganyudo is a long-established traditional store that was founded in the Meiji era, and each of its Japanese sweets are carefully made by craftsmen, and from the appearance to the taste, each one is overflowing with a sense of happiness that cannot be expressed in words. Ganyudo sells a kit called “Shokunin-san” by mail order, which allows you to make Japanese sweets like a craftsman, but how can you look at the samples without actually having the craftsman nearby? I guess I can get some advice…

With this in mind, I opened the “Shokunin-san” kit I had purchased out of curiosity. I felt a sense of excitement, like opening a gift box. The box had a nice photo of Ganyudo’s Japanese sweets, giving off the atmosphere of a strict, long-established Japanese sweets shop.

During Golden Week, I received an envelope from a friend that smelled like jasmine.

When I opened it, I found an envelope full of small white flowers, along with a letter that began, “The mandarin oranges have begun to bloom in Mikkabi.” Maybe the scent that I thought was jasmine was actually Mikkabi mandarin orange flowers? I got excited all at once. Of course, I also know about Mikkabi Mikan, a brand that everyone who lives in Hamamatsu knows. It’s my favorite. However, I lived my life without knowing that tangerine flowers were so beautiful and had such a bright fragrance.

The letter continues, “The herb name for mandarin orange flowers is neroli. Neroli is…” I don’t know about tangerine flowers, but I do know about the aromatic neroli.

Aroma has recently become popular not only among women but also among men as a means of recovering from fatigue and maintaining the mind and body. There are many people who use aromatherapy to relax and refresh themselves. Among them, “Neroli” is popular as a natural tranquilizer and the strongest recovery aroma. To be more precise, neroli is extracted from the flowers of the bitter orange (Japanese name: orange), which is one of the many citrus fruits, and because it takes time to cultivate, it is considered one of the rare essential oils and is quite expensive. Neroli, which is said to be a natural tranquilizer, has the effect of balancing excitement and sedation, lifting depressed moods and making you positive, while also calming excitement. Now in May, the same citrus tree, the Mikkabi mandarin orange, is in full bloom in white at Lake Okuhamana, giving off a rare fragrance.

The other day, after the self-restraint period ended, I asked a friend who had sent me a letter to take me to a farm.

I don’t think there is anyone who lives in this area who doesn’t know about Lake Hamana. I think everyone has at least once gone out to collect clams, go fishing, or go for a drive along the shore of Lake Hamana. Lake Hamana is a very familiar place to us.

What would you say if someone asked you again, “What kind of place is Lake Hamana?” You probably won’t be able to give a good answer like, “Hmm. There’s nothing special about it…” I want to know more about Lake Hamana. With this in mind, I began creating this “Sea Lake Textbook”.

This book was originally based on a poster titled “50 Amazing Things in Hamamatsu and Lake Hamana”. This poster is intended to convey that there are many wonderful things to see in the Hamamatsu/Lake Hamana area. The “Lake of the Sea Textbook” is an even more in-depth study. Both were created for local elementary and junior high school students, and were produced as part of the “Lake Hamana Tourism Area” project, which is working to create a tourist area that encompasses Hamamatsu City and Kosai City. Normally, when we think of tourism, we think of inviting visitors from outside, but why local elementary and junior high school students? There is a reason for this.

Have you ever heard of the term civic pride? It means that citizens have pride and attachment to their region. In the field of tourism, there is now a need to foster this civic pride. So why does fostering civic pride lead to tourism?

When you feel pride and attachment to your region, you can’t help but want to share it with others. “Lake Hamana is an amazing place, so come and visit us!” When residents say these words one after another, they attract people from outside, and the residents want to convey the goodness of Lake Hamana to people who come from outside. It will be. And the goodness of Lake Hamana is passed on from person to person. This is the ideal form.

So what can we do to help residents feel civic pride? First of all, let’s let people know that Lake Hamana is amazing! With that in mind, I created 50 amazing posters. The first thing you need to do is stop and look at the poster. After that, I decided to create a textbook that would be more accessible and readable. First, by getting elementary and junior high school students interested, the children will pass it on to their parents, and the parents will also become interested. I want to create something that will lead to understanding the richness of Lake Hamana.

How was Lake Hamana formed?

When did it become connected to the sea?

What kind of creatures do the fish and shellfish live in?

It’s connected to the sea, but is it salty?

How deep is it?

Did you know that Hamamatsu ranks first among the 20 largest cities in Japan in terms of the percentage of households that own a pet dog? Since there are many dog ​​lovers, there are naturally many facilities that welcome dogs and other pets. This time, I would like to introduce spots around Hamamatsu and Lake Hamana where you can easily go and play with your dog.

This time we will be traveling with Mr. Iijima’s family who live in Hamamatsu City. My beloved dogs are Siberian Huskies “Ritaro-kun” (left) and “Kotaro-kun” (right).

Ritarou is a gentle and friendly dog ​​who plays well with all dogs. He loves chasing other dogs at the dog park and digging holes.

Kotaro is a spoiled and lonely dog ​​who gets angry and howls when his owner interacts with children. Even though he’s a Siberian Husky, he doesn’t really like walking and is sensitive to the cold.

By the way, both of them love bread.

Next, Jenne and her friends came to Nicoe, which is also located in Hamakita. This facility opened in July 2014 and is operated by Shunkado, famous for its eel pie. Based on the concept of “Hamakita Sweets Community, transmitting a new culture and style of sweets,” it is a facility that everyone from children to adults can enjoy. Of course, they also sell eel pies, and you can purchase most of the sweets made by Shunkado. That’s not all. There is also a different blend called Gokokuya, and there are also sweets that can only be purchased at Nicoe in Hamamatsu City.

On this day, Sea Lake HAMANA Jenne came to Hamakita Ward, Hamamatsu City. Hamakita Ward, which functions as Hamamatsu City’s sub-center and has a large population, has forest parks and rice fields, giving the impression of a lush cityscape. This area has the image of being more of a residential area and restaurants than a tourist destination, but there are many attractive spots.

On this day, Jenne came to the Nihashi Dye Factory in Tokiwa-cho, Chuo-ku, Hamamatsu City. I came here to experience the traditional technique of Hamamatsu chusensome. Have you ever heard of “chusensome”? For those who grew up in Hamamatsu, I want them to imagine the tenugui of the Hamamatsu Festival held every year during Golden Week. Tenugui with kite stamps from each town are dyed using a technique called chusensome.

The characteristic of this chusensome is that it has good breathability. Hamamatsu is a major producer of yukata, accounting for about half of the domestic market. If you have ever worn a Hamamatsu chusensome yukata, you will know that it is very comfortable to wear. It is also hand-washable and can be worn multiple times in one season. Another major feature of the production process is that multiple pieces can be dyed using a single pattern.

It is said that Hamamatsu’s chusensome began in the Taisho era. Hamamatsu, with its strong winds, was probably suitable for producing yukata. After the war, the textile industry flourished, and for a time it became known as the “Itohen Town,” but it declined over time. However, we are conducting this experience with the hope that young people will also learn about this traditional technique that has been passed down to this day.

In the Hamamatsu/Lake Hamana area, there are many people who share their enthusiasm through a variety of experiences. Is this a challenge that comes from a “Yaramaika spirit”?

Today, Sea Lake HAMANA Jenne and her friends came to the butcher shop “Tonkii” in Hosoe, Chuo Ward, Hamamatsu City. Just from the name, it seems like you can eat delicious meat.

This time, we started with a sausage making experience. After putting on an apron and getting ready to cook, the president first explained about Tonkii’s meat. The president enthusiastically tells us about the meat, what kind of feed is given to the pigs, and what kind of meat is produced from it. The idea behind this experience was that he wanted to share with the people who eat the food things that only those close to him knew about. Jenne and the others listened to his enthusiasm with serious eyes.

The place I booked for lunch that day was Funagiraso. Located right next to the Funagira Dam in Tenryu Ward, Hamamatsu City, it is surrounded by green trees, and you can enjoy your meal while looking out at the emerald green reflection of the dam lake.

Funagiraso, which used to be a Japanese-style inn, is now run by a third-generation chef as a French restaurant. It is a place with clean water, and the specialty of the inn at the time was carp dishes, which were said to be good for pregnant women. If you make a reservation, you can still choose carp as your main dish.

When my fatigue reaches its peak, I want to escape from everyday life and go on a trip. Having said that, I somehow feel restless when I go on a trip with someone else. That’s right, let’s go on a reward trip just for me! That’s what I thought.

The journey begins on the Tenryu Hamanako Railway. Start from Shinjohara Station and look out at Lake Hamana from the train window. The Tenryu Hamanako Railway is famous for its beautiful scenery, but there are other interesting points as well. There are a wide variety of restaurants within the station building and adjacent areas. At Shinjohara Station, there is a shop called “Station Eel Shop Yamayoshi” that sells eel bento, and you can also eat it on the train. There are also many stylish shops such as Granny’s Burger, a Mikkabi beef burger shop, at Mikkabi Station, and Piazza, a stone oven pizza shop at Kanasashi Station.

A great solo trip. I can’t help but want to pack my schedule in, but my purpose today is to do nothing. There are places where you can have that luxury. While riding the train, we arrived at the station hotel “INN MY LIFE” at Futamata Honmachi Station on the Tenryu Hamanako Railway.