Want to enjoy an amusement park and a zoo with your children during your trip? If you’d also like to relax in a hot spring and enjoy delicious food, Kanzanji, on the outskirts of Hamamatsu, is the perfect place to visit.

This article was created on July 22, 2022.

Want to enjoy an amusement park and a zoo with your children during your trip? If you’d also like to relax in a hot spring and enjoy delicious food, Kanzanji, on the outskirts of Hamamatsu, is the perfect place to visit.

Located on the shores of Lake Hamana, Kanzanji is a scenic hot spring resort. Besides its zoo and amusement park, visitors can also enjoy sightseeing cruises and Japan’s only ropeway that crosses a lake.

In this article, we’ll introduce a photo-filled 2-day, 1-night itinerary for families to help you make the most of your visit to Kanzanji.

How do you get to Kanzanji?

Lake Hamana, located in western Shizuoka Prefecture, is known for its many inlets. Kanzanji is a hot spring resort situated between one of these inlets, Uchiura Bay, and the main body of Lake Hamana.

Getting there is easy. By car, it’s about 7 km from the Hamamatsu Nishi Interchange on the Tomei Expressway. If you’re using public transportation, take a local bus from JR Hamamatsu Station. The ride takes about 40 minutes with no transfers required.

Although it’s a hot spring resort, Kanzanji is actually not far from central Hamamatsu.

Day 1 (Morning): Hamanako Palpal Amusement Park

After arriving in Kanzanji, start your trip with a visit to Hamanako Palpal Amusement Park.

Palpal offers attractions that even children under the age of three can enjoy, making it a great place for their first amusement park experience. As children get older, they’ll be able to enjoy even more rides and attractions, making it a fun destination for the whole family.

The park is divided into three areas—the Entrance Zone, Monte Zone, and Lakeside Zone—with around 30 attractions to enjoy.

On weekends and other selected days, character shows are held at Pal Stage. During the summer, the popular Pal Pool also opens for the season. Be sure to enjoy the refreshing breeze as it sweeps across the shores of Lake Hamana!

Here are a few highlights of what you can find inside the park.

1) This is the central area of the Center House. The welcome board features the Palpal Family characters, making it a perfect spot for a commemorative photo to remember your visit. To reach the Lakeside Zone and Monte Zone, take the escalator located behind the board.

2) Pal Shop, the park’s general store, offers a variety of items including original Hamanako Palpal merchandise and souvenirs from Hamamatsu. In addition to souvenirs, popular items include character headbands and name holders.

3) Coin lockers are also available for storing your belongings.

4) “Mawarunja~,” a rotating sushi cart ride, is Japan’s first amusement attraction based on a sushi theme. It is a hidden favorite in the Entrance Zone.

Next, let’s take a look at the Monte Zone and Lakeside Zone.

1) The Ferris wheel “Cocoo” stands approximately 60 meters tall (around 85 meters above sea level). Enjoy panoramic views of Lake Hamana from the spacious six-person gondolas.

2) “Donguri-no” is a teacup ride inspired by the shape of acorns.

3) Palpal’s merry-go-round is a rare two-story attraction. Choosing which level to ride can be part of the fun!

1) The log flume ride “Don Burako” is a favorite no matter the weather, especially on hot days. Get ready for a big splash at the very end!

2) The Wild Storm swings to a maximum angle of 60 to 70 degrees. If you’re looking for thrills, this ride won’t disappoint!

3) If you’re in the mood for a classic pirate ship ride, hop aboard Captain Paleo’s Pirate Ship. As the ship swings back and forth, you’ll feel as if you’re soaring out over Lake Hamana.

These are just a few of the many exciting attractions at Hamanako Palpal. After a fun-filled first day at the park, unwind and relax in the soothing waters of Kanzanji Onsen.

Please check the age requirements for each attraction before your visit.

Day 1 (Afternoon): Kanzanji Ropeway & Lake Hamana Orgel Museum

While enjoying Hamanako Palpal, don’t miss the chance to ride the Kanzanji Ropeway, Japan’s only ropeway that crosses a lake. One of the reasons it’s so convenient is that there’s a ropeway station right inside the amusement park.

Of course, you can also access the ropeway station directly from Shizuoka Prefectural Route 320.

The station is easy to spot, thanks to its light brown clock tower. Inside Hamanako Palpal, it’s located just to the right after leaving the Center House for the Monte Zone.

You can ride the ropeway during your visit to Palpal, and tickets are available at the station. If you have a Palpal Free Pass, the ropeway ride is included.

When returning to the park from the ropeway, simply show your admission ticket or Free Pass at the park entrance.

Two gondolas with different colors and designs operate alternately on the ropeway. Stretching 723 meters, it connects Kanzanji Station with Okusayama Station, located at the summit of Mount Okusa on the opposite shore.

The one-way ride takes about four minutes and offers spectacular 360-degree panoramic views of Lake Hamana.

The Okusayama Station building has three floors. From the Okusayama Observation Deck on the rooftop, you can enjoy views of Kanzanji below, as well as Okuhamana Lake and ACT Tower in the distance.

Pictured above is the carillon, a set of musical bells that plays a tune suited to the season and time of day at the top of every hour. It’s so popular that visitors often gather a few minutes early to watch the performance.

The first floor houses the Orgel Shop and a hands-on workshop. The shop is filled with charming music boxes, making it a delightful place to browse, while the workshop offers the chance to create your own original music box for an additional fee.

There is a wide selection of melodies to choose from, and you may even find yourself saying, “They have this song too?” It’s a fun way to create a special keepsake from your trip.

The second and third floors are home to the Lake Hamana Orgel Museum (admission required). As you enter, you’ll immediately notice the impressive fairground organ at the center of the exhibition hall. Other highlights include a concert carillon and cylinder music boxes.

Every hour at :05 and :35, the museum presents a 15-minute mini concert featuring performances by its automatic musical instruments.

Day 2 (Morning): Hamamatsu Zoological Gardens

After a relaxing stay at Kanzanji Onsen, spend the second day at Hamamatsu Zoological Gardens (HamaZOO).

Set among the area’s natural landscape, the zoo is home to a wide variety of animals. In addition to large animals such as bears, tigers, and lions, you can also see birds, capybaras, kangaroos, and many more.

Near the entrance gate, the Goat and Sheep Area offers an animal feeding experience twice a day.

Feeding sessions begin at 9:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The experience is available until the food runs out, so be sure to arrive early if you’d like to take part.

The Flying Cage is home to ibises, ducks, pheasants, pigeons, parrots, and other birds. You might even feel as though you’re being watched from the treetops!

In the photo above, the monkey on the left is a golden lion tamarin. Hamamatsu Zoological Gardens is the only zoo in Japan where you can see this remarkable species, so don’t miss the chance to visit it.

At the far end of the zoo, in the Mini Safari area, you can see zebras, ostriches, giraffes, and other animals.

A snack stand and a rest area are located just across from the enclosure, making it a great spot to sit back and watch the animals at a leisurely pace.

A visit to the zoo wouldn’t be complete without stopping by the Japanese macaque enclosure.

At Hamamatsu Zoo, the monkey mountain is designed with families in mind. The fence is low enough for children to observe the monkeys comfortably, and some sections include clear viewing panels for an even better look. Be sure to watch the macaques’ playful antics!

Day 2 (Afternoon): Lake Hamana Sightseeing Cruise

With its many scenic inlets, Kanzanji is the perfect place to enjoy a cruise on Lake Hamana.

The Lake Hamana Sightseeing Cruise departure point is less than 200 meters west of Hamamatsu Zoo, toward the Kanzanji Onsen area. No reservation is required for the regular sightseeing cruises, making them a perfect way to wrap up your trip to Kanzanji.

The sightseeing boat Hibiscus is a catamaran with air conditioning and restrooms on board, so you can enjoy a relaxing cruise on Lake Hamana in comfort.

Cruises depart from either Flower Park Port or Kanzanji Port. The route takes you beneath the Hamanako Bridge on the Tomei Expressway before offering beautiful views of Okuhamana Lake, then returns to the departure port. The round-trip cruise takes approximately 30 minutes.

The Hibiscus catamaran features an open-air rooftop deck. On clear days, it’s a popular spot to enjoy the refreshing lake breeze while taking in the beautiful scenery of Lake Hamana. Since there is no shade, be sure to bring sun protection.

The views aren’t just great from the rooftop deck—the Hibiscus also offers excellent scenery from its air-conditioned cabin. During the warmer hours of the day, many visitors prefer to relax indoors while enjoying the cruise.

You can find the Lake Hamana Sightseeing Cruise timetable on the official website. As you cruise across the lake, look back at Hamanako Palpal and the Kanzanji Ropeway, and take a moment to reflect on the wonderful memories you’ve made in Kanzanji.

*Please note that cruises may be canceled if wind speeds or wave heights exceed the safety limits for operation.

Recommended Spots for Rainy Days

If it happens to rain on the day of your trip, you may hesitate to visit outdoor attractions. In that case, we recommend the following spot. Although it is not located in Kanzanji, it is a great option for a rainy day.

Hamamatsu Science Museum
Hamamatsu Science Museum is about a 7-minute walk east from the South Exit of JR Hamamatsu Station.
This facility is divided into five zones: Nature, Force, Sound, Light, and Space. Visitors can learn about science while having fun through interactive exhibits. The planetarium is also a popular attraction.

Unagi Pie Factory
Located in the suburbs of Hamamatsu, Unagi Pie Factory is a popular attraction where you can tour the production facility of Unagi Pie, one of Hamamatsu’s most beloved local sweets. You can also enjoy original desserts made with Unagi Pie.

We hope you have a wonderful trip to Kanzanji, Lake Hamana!

Hamanako Palpal: https://pal2.co.jp/

Kanzanji Ropeway: https://www.kanzanji-ropeway.jp/

Hamanako Orgel Museum: https://www.hamanako-orgel.jp/

Hamamatsu Zoological Gardens: https://hamazoo.net/

Lake Hamana Sightseeing Boat: https://hamanako-yuransen.com/

*The information in this article is subject to change.