On this day, Jenne came to the Nihashi Dye Factory in Tokiwa-cho, Chuo-ku, Hamamatsu City. I came here to experience the traditional technique of Hamamatsu chusensome. Have you ever heard of “chusensome”? For those who grew up in Hamamatsu, I want them to imagine the tenugui of the Hamamatsu Festival held every year during Golden Week. Tenugui with kite stamps from each town are dyed using a technique called chusensome.

The characteristic of this chusensome is that it has good breathability. Hamamatsu is a major producer of yukata, accounting for about half of the domestic market. If you have ever worn a Hamamatsu chusensome yukata, you will know that it is very comfortable to wear. It is also hand-washable and can be worn multiple times in one season. Another major feature of the production process is that multiple pieces can be dyed using a single pattern.

It is said that Hamamatsu’s chusensome began in the Taisho era. Hamamatsu, with its strong winds, was probably suitable for producing yukata. After the war, the textile industry flourished, and for a time it became known as the “Itohen Town,” but it declined over time. However, we are conducting this experience with the hope that young people will also learn about this traditional technique that has been passed down to this day.

In the Hamamatsu/Lake Hamana area, there are many people who share their enthusiasm through a variety of experiences. Is this a challenge that comes from a “Yaramaika spirit”?

Today, Sea Lake HAMANA Jenne and her friends came to the butcher shop “Tonkii” in Hosoe, Chuo Ward, Hamamatsu City. Just from the name, it seems like you can eat delicious meat.

This time, we started with a sausage making experience. After putting on an apron and getting ready to cook, the president first explained about Tonkii’s meat. The president enthusiastically tells us about the meat, what kind of feed is given to the pigs, and what kind of meat is produced from it. The idea behind this experience was that he wanted to share with the people who eat the food things that only those close to him knew about. Jenne and the others listened to his enthusiasm with serious eyes.

The place I booked for lunch that day was Funagiraso. Located right next to the Funagira Dam in Tenryu Ward, Hamamatsu City, it is surrounded by green trees, and you can enjoy your meal while looking out at the emerald green reflection of the dam lake.

Funagiraso, which used to be a Japanese-style inn, is now run by a third-generation chef as a French restaurant. It is a place with clean water, and the specialty of the inn at the time was carp dishes, which were said to be good for pregnant women. If you make a reservation, you can still choose carp as your main dish.

When my fatigue reaches its peak, I want to escape from everyday life and go on a trip. Having said that, I somehow feel restless when I go on a trip with someone else. That’s right, let’s go on a reward trip just for me! That’s what I thought.

The journey begins on the Tenryu Hamanako Railway. Start from Shinjohara Station and look out at Lake Hamana from the train window. The Tenryu Hamanako Railway is famous for its beautiful scenery, but there are other interesting points as well. There are a wide variety of restaurants within the station building and adjacent areas. At Shinjohara Station, there is a shop called “Station Eel Shop Yamayoshi” that sells eel bento, and you can also eat it on the train. There are also many stylish shops such as Granny’s Burger, a Mikkabi beef burger shop, at Mikkabi Station, and Piazza, a stone oven pizza shop at Kanasashi Station.

A great solo trip. I can’t help but want to pack my schedule in, but my purpose today is to do nothing. There are places where you can have that luxury. While riding the train, we arrived at the station hotel “INN MY LIFE” at Futamata Honmachi Station on the Tenryu Hamanako Railway.

This time, Jenne and her friends visited Ikenuma Kobo Chiori, a weaving shop that handles Enshu cotton. Enshu Momen is a soft material that does not feel uncomfortable when it touches the skin, making it the perfect textile to wear. This time, Jenne and her friends will experience making stoles. One of the fun parts of the experience is finding your favorite fabric from among the wide variety of colors available.

This article was written in 2019.

For the latest information, please visit the Hamamatsu Fruit Park Tokinosumika website.

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The area around Lake Hamana is a warm region, even within Honshu.

Still, cold things are cold. chilly season,

If so, we recommend the fruit illumination at Hamamatsu Fruit Park Tokinosumika.

Speaking of illuminations, they are held all over the place in winter, but the illuminations at Fruit Park are different from others! What’s different?

This article was written in 2019.

Please check the website for information on this year’s events.

Hamamatsuya Yamorisha CON Co., Ltd. Left: Ms. Yumiko Suzuki, middle: Ms. Junko Shimazu, right: Ms. Yuka Yoshida

Southern Cross shopping street located south of Hamamatsu Station. It used to be a symbolic shopping street south of the station, full of life and bustle with people coming and going, but in recent years it has been in a condition that could be called a typical shuttered street. Three people from Hamamatsuya Yamorisha CON Co., Ltd. are working to restore the area’s former vibrancy once again. They continue to create projects to enliven the station south area, including the popular marche “Hamamatsu Southern Cross Hoshinoichi” where local artists and creators all want to open stores. To find out the driving force behind these activities, we spoke to Ms. Yumiko Suzuki of Hamamatsuya Yamorisha CON Co., Ltd.