Shizuoka Prefecture: A Flower Tour Around The Lake Hamanako Area

In Japan, Mount Fuji is the highest mountain, and Suruga Bay is the deepest bay. They are both located in Shizuoka Prefecture.

Shizuoka is famous for its flowers, and there are various spots in the prefecture to enjoy them. The western region, especially around Hamanako (Lake Hamana), is known for its seasonal flowers and greenery. This article is about visiting those spots in the western Shizuoka area.*

*The following is a model itinerary of a trip in March.

The trip starts from JR Hamamatsu Station. By taking the the shinkansen, Hamamatsu is only about an hour and a half away from Tokyo and Kyoto, and about two hours away from Osaka. It is an ideal location to start the tour. First, buy the Entetsu Burari Kippu at Hamamatsu Station. The price is 1540 yen for adults, and 770 yen for children. Not only will this ticket enable the user to ride all the local Entetsu (Enshu Railway) buses for free, but they will also receive special discount services at various facilities.

Photograph provided by Shizuoka Prefecture

Take the Entetsu Bus From Hamamatsu Station, and get off at Hamanako Palpal bus stop. The ride takes about 45 minutes. The Kanzanji Ropeway terminal is near the bus stop.

Kanzanji Ropeway is the only Japanese ropeway that travels across a lake. Although the ride takes only four minutes, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of Lake Hamana from its destination, the Hamanako Music Box Museum observatory.

The round-trip fare for the ropeway using the Burari Kippu discount is 660 yen (original fare: 820 yen) for adults, and 330 yen (original fare: 440 yen) for children. There is no admission fee for the observatory, but those who plan to visit the Music Box Museum should use another discount service. The set price for the museum admission and the ropeway round-trip fare is 1240 yen (original price: 1450 yen) for adults, and 620 yen (original fare: 700 yen) for children.

Kanzanji Ropeway
Address: Shizuoka, Hamamatsu, Nishi ward, Kanzanji 1891
Telephone: +81-53-487-2121
Official Site: http://www.kanzanji-ropeway.jp/ (Japanese)

Hamamatsu Flower Park

Photograph provided by Shizuoka Prefecture

After enjoying the ropeway, let's start the flower tour. First stop, Hamamatsu Flower Park. Take the bus from the Hamanako Palpal bus stop to the Flower Park bus stop. The ride takes about five minutes.

Photograph provided by Shizuoka Prefecture

The fountain at the park entrance displays waterworks every thirty minutes. This flower park spreads out over 30 hectares of land and has 3,000 species of plants, so spring is the best time for a visit.

Photograph provided by Shizuoka Prefecture

The Hamanako Flower Festival is held from March 18th to June 11th, and visitors can view the seasonal flowers from spring to early summer. Also, the beautiful garden featuring cherry blossoms and tulips is at its best in late March.

The cherry blossoms are illuminated at night from March 25th to April 9th. Flowers such as azaleas, roses, wisteria, rhododendron, irises and hydrangea bloom after the cherry trees.

Photograph provided by Shizuoka Prefecture

The fare for the flower train ride, in which the driver will guide the passengers around the park, is 100 yen. After the ride, head for the Flower Park Port of the Hamanako Pleasure Boat, which is located near the west gate of the park.

Hamamatsu Flower Park
Address: Shizuoka, Hamamatsu, Nishi ward, Kanzanji 195
Telephone: +81-53-487-0511
Official Site: http://www.inhamamatsu.com/activity/flower-park.php

Hamanako Pleasure Boat

Photograph provided by Shizuoka Prefecture

There are two types of tours: a 30 minute ride or a 60 minute ride. The 30 minute ride fare is 1000 yen for adults and 500 yen for children. During the Hamanako Flower Festival, there is a special 1500 yen ticket for both the Flower Park admission and the boat ride. Shrimp-flavored rice crackers are sold on the boat, and the passengers can feed these to the gulls during the ride. There is also a public foot bath on the lakeside called Suijin no Mori. This is a good place to view Lake Hamana, while taking a break.

Photograph provided by Shizuoka Prefecture

Near the foot bath, a 45 meter long boardwalk extends into the lake, with a rest area called Ukimido at the end. The view from the Ukimido, which looks like as though it is floating on the lake, is truly special. From the boardwalk, the Hamanako Palpal bus stop is about ten minutes away on foot.

Hamanako Garden Park - Free Admission!

Photograph provided by Shizuoka Prefecture

From the Hamanako Palpal bus stop, it is a 15 minute bus ride to the Murakushi bus stop. The Hamanako Garden Park is located at a 10 minute walking distance from there. The park, 56 hectares in size, is managed by the prefecture and there is no admission fee. It is divided into three areas: Westside Area, Town Area and Country Area. In the Town Area, try the Garden Cruise, a boat ride on the river running through the park.

Photograph provided by Shizuoka Prefecture

The one-way fare for the eight minute cruise is 600 yen for adults, and 300 yen for children. There are five zones in the Country Area, and at the zone named Plum & Cherry Blossoms Court, various flowers such as the Kawazu-zakura (an early-flowering variety of cherry), acacia and plum bloom in March. From Lake View Tower, which rises to 50 meters in the Town Area, visitors can enjoy the view of the park and Lake Hamana. The admission fee for the tower is 300 yen for adults, and 100 yen for children. There are 12 facilities in the Town Area such as the Waterside Stage, Visitor Center and the 1,000 square meter wide Friendly Terrace. By the time you come around to the Westside Area, it should be past 4:30 p.m., and nearing sunset.

Hamanako Garden Park
Address: Shizuoka, Hamamatsu, Nishi ward, Murakushi 5475-1
Telephone: +81-53-488-1500
Official Site: http://www.hamanako-gardenpark.jp

Photograph provided by Shizuoka Prefecture

The tour ends at Bentenjima Seaside Park. From the Westside Area of Hamanako Garden Park parking lot, it takes about 10 minutes by taxi to reach Seaside Park (the fare is 1410 yen). The setting sun shines on the  Great Torii (large archway gate), which glows gold. While the lake surface turns red, the Great Torii, the landmark of the Benten Island, will fade into the dusk. It is a magnificent sight, a fitting finale for the flower tour.

Sponsored by Shizuoka Prefecture