Lake Hamana

Shizuoka Lake Hamana | Fresh Water Lake Merges with the Ocean

Lake Hamana in Shizuoka Prefecture is Japan’s tenth largest lake. Originally a fresh water lake separated from the ocean, Hamanako got connected to the ocean as a result of an earthquake in 1498 and its water turned salty. The majority of Hamanako's attractions are concentrated around the Kanzanji Onsen, a hot spring resort on an inlet along the lake's eastern shores. It was not until the late 1950s that Kanzanji Onsen's hot spring was drilled and a town with various tourist attractions grew around it. Although Kanzanji Onsen does not have the traditional atmosphere of a more historic onsen town, it does offer an attractive range of baths with views onto the lake. Most of the baths are found in the town's hotels and ryokan, and many are accessible not only to staying guests but also to daytrip visitors for a small fee.

The Lake is a commercial source of cultivated Japanese eel, nori, oysters and Chinese soft-shelled turtles. Fishers take sea bass whiting, and flounder, among others. The lake has been developed as a resort area, with boating as a feature, allowing you to enjoy the scenery from the surface of the lake. You can also enjoy the view from midair aboard the Kanzan-ji Cable Car that connects Lake Hamana-ko Pal Pal with the lookout area at the peak of Mt. Okusa-yama, 113 meters above sea level.

Shizuoka Lake Hamana | Related Pages