# Lake Hamana

> A brackish lagoon of about 65 square kilometres on the west side of Hamamatsu, open to the sea since an earthquake in 1498. Come for grilled eel, the red torii off Bentenjima where the sun sets through the gate around the winter solstice, Kanzanji Onsen and the free Lake Hamana Garden Park.

- Prefecture: Shizuoka
- Type: Attraction
- Address: Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
- Official site: https://www.hamanako-gardenpark.jp/

Lake Hamana was a freshwater lake until the Meio earthquake of 1498 broke the sandbar at its southern end. The gap, still called Imagire, lets the sea in, and the brackish water is why the lake and Hamamatsu became known for eel; grilled unagi on rice is the meal to have here, and lunchtime queues at the well-known shops are normal. With 114 km of shoreline, it is easiest to treat it as three stops. At the south end, Bentenjima Station on the JR Tokaido Line is three minutes from a beach park and an 18 m red torii standing on a sandbank in the water, put up in 1973. For about a month either side of the winter solstice the sun sets inside the gate, and photographers stake out the spot near the park's east toilets well before 16:30. On the northeast shore, Kanzanji Onsen is a hot-spring resort town tapped in 1958, with the Hamanako Pal Pal amusement park next door. Across the water, Lake Hamana Garden Park, built on the site of the 2004 flower expo, is free to enter and has a 50 m viewing tower. Kanzanji and the garden park are about 45 to 60 minutes by bus from Hamamatsu Station, and a car makes hopping between the three much easier.

## FAQ

### When does the sun set inside the Bentenjima torii?

For about a month either side of the winter solstice, roughly late November to late January. Sunset is around 16:40 at the solstice, so arrive by about 16:15 to get a spot near the east side of Bentenjima Beach Park.

### Is Lake Hamana Garden Park free?

Yes, both entry and parking are free. It is open 8:30 to 17:00, to 18:00 in April and May, and closed from December 29 to January 3.

### Do I need a car to see Lake Hamana?

Not for Bentenjima, which is next to a JR station. Kanzanji Onsen and the garden park are reachable by bus from Hamamatsu Station in about 45 to 60 minutes, but they sit on opposite shores, so a car saves a lot of time if you want all three in one day.

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Source: [Lake Hamana — Japan Voyage](https://travel.japanvoyage.jp/travel_destinations/lake-hamana)
Last updated: 2026-10-10