Hamamatsu and Hamanako are home to tourist attractions such as Kibune Shrine, Tateyama-ji Hot Springs, and Komyo-ji Temple; tourist events such as the Hamamatsu Festival, Fukuroi Festival, and Takiya Fishing; and local delicacies such as eels, Hamamatsu gyoza, and eel pie.
Hamamatsu is an area located along the Pacific Belt, halfway between Tokyo and Osaka. To the west is "Lake Hamana" and various scenic spots, each with its own unique flavor, such as "Tateyama Temple," "Okuhamana Lake," "Bentenjima," and "Shirakurakyo.
The southern part of the island is connected to the sea and is known for its most famous "eels". In addition, "suppon" (soft-shell turtle), "nori" (seaweed), and "oysters" are also cultivated here. Eel cultivation is particularly active, and "eel bones" and "eel pies" are such famous specialties that everyone is familiar with them.
Hamamatsu offers a wide variety of gourmet foods, the highlight of which is the "nigiri (eel ball)" and "unaju (eel rice topped with rice). The tender meat and skin of the eel provide a truly delicious unaju or nigiri, and the combination with the unique amadare (ama sauce) is the best taste of all. It almost gives you the illusion that you can fill up on as much as you want.
The best time to enjoy eel is in the fall before hibernation. It can be said that the taste is the result of many years of know-how as the birthplace of eel farming.
Hamamatsu gyoza is also recommended. Try the gyoza that will satisfy the hunger of Hamamatsu people, who eat the most gyoza in Japan.
Famous scenic and historic sites in the Hamamatsu area include "Hamamatsu Castle," "Kakegawa Castle," "Kiga Sekisho" established by Ieyasu Tokugawa, and "Maya Temple," an important cultural asset. The Mikatahara Battlefield, where Ieyasu and Shingen clashed, is also located here.
Amusement and theme parks abound in the area, and Hamamatsu Zoo, Hamanako Pal Pal, Hamanako Cruise Ship, Hamanako Garden Park, and Hamamatsu Flower Park are all tourist spots that will delight children in the family.
The area is also rich in events, such as the Hamamatsu Festival, the most famous festival in the area; the Hime-sama Road, which was frequented by princesses of various countries in the Edo period; the Akiba Fire Festival, a fire prevention festival held in December at the main shrine of Mt.
The area is located near the Hamamatsu Interchange on the Meishin Expressway, so it is best to rent a car or drive around the area in your own car.
The Air Park is the only museum-style facility operated by the Air Self-Defense Force in Japan where visitors can see, touch, and enjoy real fighter aircraft, transport aircraft, training aircraft, and helicopters that were actually in use. This is the only museum-style facility in Japan operated by the Air Self-Defense Force where visitors can see, touch, and enjoy. There is a factory corner wh...»
Ryokans stand side by side along the shore of Lake Hamana, and each Ryokan has a perfect location overlooking the lake. Each ryokan is perfectly located overlooking the lake, allowing you to enjoy the hot springs with a wonderful view of the lake. In spring and fall, the area attracts many comfort travel groups, and in summer, it is crowded with families enjoying playing in the water. Nearby are...»
Tateyama-dera Temple is an old temple founded by Kukai (Kobo Daishi) in 810.It is located at the end of Tateyama-dera Onsen (hot spring) on the hillside of Tateyama, a small mountain about 50 meters high, surrounded by Lake Hamana on three sides. The name Tateyama-dera was given to the temple because of its location on Tateyama. Tateyama-dera is a branch temple of Akibayama Akibadera Temple, whi...»
This is the only ropeway in Japan that crosses over the inner bay of Lake Hamana from Hamanako Pal Pal in Tateyamaji Onsen to the top of Mount Okusa on the opposite shore. The total length of the ropeway is 723 meters, and the ride takes about 4 minutes, allowing visitors to enjoy a walk in the air above the surface of Lake Hamana. From the top of the lake, the magnificent view of Hamana Lake ge...»
Ryotanji Temple is one of the most famous temples in Enshu, and boasts a vast precincts of more than 10,000 tsubo. It is a beautiful place with a mountain range looming in the north and an expansive rural landscape in the south. In the same area, there is the "Tomb of Prince Muneyoshi," the fourth son of Emperor Godaigo, and "Iiya Palace," which enshrines him, creating a deep atmosphere of histor...»
Eel pie, a popular Shizuoka specialty, is a western-style confectionery characterized by its savory flavor and crispy texture. This eel pie is loved by many because of the eel extract, butter, garlic, and other ingredients that are exquisitely woven into the dough. Visitors to the "Eel Pie Factory" can observe the production process. The "Factory Tour," in which visitors can learn about the pro...»
This forest has the atmosphere of a Ghibli movie, appearing as you walk down a narrow slope past a residential area. Once inside, you will feel as if you have wandered into a small medieval European village, a peaceful and magical place that resembles a fairyland. Surrounded by the sounds of nature, a wonderful encounter with delicious food, cakes, and cute sundries awaits you. This is an extra...»
This is a fruit-themed leisure park that can be enjoyed by adults and children alike in each of the four seasons. The vast grounds of this agricultural park are equivalent to nine times the size of the Tokyo Dome, and 4,300 fruit trees of approximately 160 varieties are cultivated. There are orchards, a huge greenhouse, a food court, a BBQ garden, a pizza studio, a winery, a hot spring bath, and...»
Ryuga-Iwa Cave, located in the Okuhamana Lake area, is known as one of the largest limestone caves in the Tokai region and is beautifully filled with stalactites of various shapes and sizes. Formed on limestone about 250 million years ago, the cave is about 1,000 meters long (400 meters open to the public) and is located at the southern foot of the 359.1-meter-high Ryugaishi Mountain. The averag...»
‘Hamamatsu Gyoza’ is said to have originated in the 1950s when a resident returning from China and began selling them at a small stand near Hamamatsu station. It is distinguished by laying them in circles when cooking in a frying pan, and serving with moyashi bean sprouts. Plenty of cabbage and other vegetables are used in the filling giving it a light feel, however the pork provides deep flavor f...»
Okonomiyaki prepared in the traditional way around Hamamatsu City are called enshuyaki. Enshuyaki are different from regular okonomiyaki in that they have takuan (pickled daikon) in them, and are often rectangular in shape.[Preparation] Make a dough containing benishoga (pickled ginger), negi (green onion), tenkasu, egg and takuan. Pour a thin layer of dough into a pan and fry before folding into ...»
Shizuoka is one of the leading producers of domestically grown unagi eel. Lake Hamana-ko and the Tenryu river system, and the Yoshida and Haibara areas supplied by the Oi river system are blessed with abundant water resources. This combined with fishing ports that dot the coast providing ample fish scraps for use as feed laid the foundation for the eel farming industry to flourish. Eel is rich in ...»
A rice bowl topped with a selection of local ingredients. Hamanako oysters are grilled in a sauce used for unagi (eel) kabayaki, also a specialty of Hamanako. The oysters are topped with nori from Hamanako and onions from Enshu, and garnished with lemon rind from Mikkabi mikan, resulting in a smorgasbord of local ingredients.Hamanako, a brackish lake where sea and fresh water mix, is known for its...»