Lake Hamana is a brackish-water lake that spans the boundaries of Hamamatsu and Kosai cities. With a circumference of 114 km, it is the largest brackish-water lake in Japan. Eels, seaweed, oysters, and soft-shelled turtle cultivation flourish in the lake, and the lagoon is famous as one of the best eel-producing areas in Japan. With seawater flowing in from the Pacific Ocean, Lake Hamana offers abundant seafood and marine sports. Lakeside you will find "Hamamatsu Flower Park" and "Hamanako Garden Park", co-hosts of the Shizuoka International Horticulture and Garden Exposition Pacific Flora 2014.

Today, Lake Hamana is a brakish-water lake with a mixture of seawater and freshwater, but it was once a freshwater lake. A major earthquake around 1498 opened a connection between the lake and the sea, turning it into a brackish lake. For this reason, Lake Hamana is home to not only freshwater fish, but also a large number of marine fish and shellfish, resulting in over 800 species. During the Edo Period (1600 or 1603-1868 ), seaweed cultivation began, and in the Meiji Era (1868-1912), eel, soft-shelled turtle, and oyster farming followed suit. Eels from Lake Hamana are especially famous throughout Japan, being carefully farmed without stress in the warm climate and utilizing the mineral-rich groundwater from the Tenryu River and the Mikatahara Plateau. The eels have a reputation for their firm flesh and fatty, luxurious flavor.

At Lake Hamana, visitors can enjoy sightseeing with varied seasonal attractions. In spring, visitors can enjoy the blooming of 1,300 cherry trees and 130 kinds of tulips at Hamamatsu Fruit Park. In May, visitors can try by their hands at picking Hamamatsu's famous tea, and drink to compare the different types of Hamamatsu tea. "The Hamamatsu Festival" is also held during this period, a major event in the city. The festival is one of the most popular in Japan, attracting more than 1 million visitors over the 3rd, 4th, and 5th of May each year. The parade of the gorgeous palace floats and kite-flying battles featuring myriads of hundreds of large sumptuous kites are well worth seeing. In summer, visitors flock to the area for swimming in the sea and enjoying marine sports such as windsurfing and kayaking. At this time of year, eels from Lake Hamana, pike congers from the coast of Enshu, and the “phantom” mud crab are in season and can be enjoyed as gourmet delicacies. The "Floating Lantern Fireworks Display," in which approximately 2,000 lights adorn the lake while fireworks are shot off, is a magnificent sight.

In autumn, the mountains surrounding Lake Okuhamana slowly turn red, and beautiful garden scenes can be seen in the famous Kohoku Gozan temples including Houkouji, Ryotanji, and Daifukuji. Visitors can also enjoy picking seasonal fruits such as mandarin oranges and Japanese pears.
In winter, the air is clear, and you can experience the pure beauty of Lake Hamana. Blessed with warm temperatures and abundant seafood, Lake Hamana is a paradise for wild birds, and many wintering birds visit the lake. The bath at "Kanzanji Onsen" on Lake Hamana has a high salt content that warms the body from the core, making a dip in the hot springs a wonderful experience for cold winter bodies.
In the area surrounding Lake Hamana, industries such as textiles, musical instruments, and transportation equipment are successful, as well as fishing and agriculture taking full advantage of nature's bounty. World-renowned companies such as Yamaha and Suzuki were founded here, with facilities where visitors can learn about the history of these companies.