Hamanako-lake cycling(D-13)⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘23.7th,Jan
This route D-13 is in Area-D “Tokai". See Area-D map/ See Japan map
Sight & Entertainment ⭐⭐⭐
Foods & Drinks ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Easiness ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Road condition ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Safety ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was a revenge for summer vacation when I couldn’t go cycling here due to typhoon. Coming from my parents’ house in Yaizu city, I parked my car at Hamamatsu station and got on a train to Toyohashi station. It was AM10:00 when I started cycling.
The route was confusing at the beginning but when I came to the prefectural route-3, I was surprised to see the cycling space(pic.1,2) all the way toward Hamanako lake. So even though there was a small hill just before reaching the lake, I didn’t feel any stress by the road.
Within 20km, I reached the shore of the lake(pic.3). The Hamanako lake is a typical brackish lake made by an big earthquake in 15AD. Thanks to that, the lake is very famous for eel cultivation. Apart from the comfortable cycling roads, eating eel is another big event for cycling here.
It was just AM11:00 when I came to the eel restaurant “Katsumi"(pic.4). This North area of Hamana lake is called “Oku-Hamanako" (“Oku" means “back") which has many good eel restaurants. Most of the them open at AM11:00, so I was the first customer there and ordered a typical rice bowl topped with grilled eel, at \4100-.(pic.6). From the window of this restaurant, I could see the lake view. Of course the taste was good.
There seemed a cycling road which short cut the Inohana lake toward north shore of Hamana lake but I took a detour toward west shore of Inohana lake(pic.7). The road was a main route for cars but still there was enough space for cycling.
The route passed by another eel restaurant “Chigusa"(pic.8,9) where I came by car in summer with my son instead of cycling. Those pictures were taken at that time. Its taste was also good but the restaurant was too famous for cyclists to drop in. We reached there at AM10:00 but there had been many reservations and we could sit after 30min after its opening. So I recommend other eel restaurants in this area for cyclists.
After this point, there were some up and downs but not so steep. The road became relatively narrower and the view became boring, so I didn’t take any picture.
After 20km without seeing the lake, I finally reached the cycling road along the shore(pic.9). Time was around PM1:00 and the strong south-west wind blew unexpectedly. So when I came to the Hamanako big bridge(pic.11) and next bridges, I felt a little fear to drop into the lake, though the view was very nice.
Finally I reached Bentenjima, the south end view spot of cycling road(pic.12). This area is a famous resort area and has many good hotels with hot springs though I couldn’t find an English guide web site. Pls check with another method to check this area.
My final destination in this cycling was Hamamatsu castle in which the Lord Ieyasu Tokugawa who terminated the civil war era and opened Edo era in 17C(AD) was born. Since this castle and Hamamatsu is on the way of “Tokaido", the ancient main route from Tokyo(Edo) to Kyoto, I could go the ancient road with pine trees on both sides(pic.13), which can be seen in my cycling in Okazaki area(ref. my article D-9).
I reached the castle at PM2:15 but I was told that I could not enter the castle by a security guard. Unfortunately that day was the first day of 2023’s historical drama in NHK and this year’s theme is Mr.Ieyasu Tokugawa. So the opening event with leading actors joining was planned there. That’s the reason I could take a very small castle picture(pic.14).
As a whole this route was very suitable for cycling as well as enjoying local food(eel). I can recommend everyone to go cycling here.
<Transportation info>
From Tokyo to Toyohashi(1st train): Tokaido Shinkansen “Hikari" 631 AM6:21 → AM7:48 arrival, \8570-
<Connected route>
D-9: Nagoya to Toyohashi