-Le véritable voyage de découverte ne consiste pas à chercher de nouveaux paysages, mais à avoir de nouveaux yeux.

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.

Tucked away in the mountains of Tenryu Ward in Hamamatsu City, there’s a little place called Kunma.

It’s written with the character for “bear” (熊), but it’s read “Kunma.”

Long ago, Kunma was a lively post town where two old travel routes crossed — the Akihasan-Horaiji Road and the Zenkoji-Okuyama Road.

This time, we visited “Kunma Suisha-no-Sato,” a roadside station nestled in the Kunma area.

A Quaint Watermill – The Heart of the Roadside Station

We’ll take a closer look at all the fun things you can enjoy at Kunma Suisha-no-Sato — from the local restaurant and gift shop to the hands-on workshop!

Located just about 10 minutes by car from the Hamamatsu-Nishi Interchange and around 5 minutes from the Kanzanji Smart Interchange, Nukumori no Mori is easily accessible by car.

The uniquely shaped buildings that create Nukumori no Mori’s distinctive world are made almost entirely from one-of-a-kind antiques.

Staying true to authenticity, the founder sourced original windows, interiors, and decorative pieces from overseas.

Photo courtesy of Nukumori no Mori

With its gentle, storybook-like atmosphere, Nukumori no Mori feels like stepping into a small medieval European village.

This charming spot has become a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors from all over Japan.

Nukumori no Mori is a relaxing place where you can take your time and enjoy a peaceful stroll. Just as its name suggests, it offers a warm, comforting atmosphere that soothes the soul.

This time, we paid a visit to Nukumori no Mori—a truly charming spot—and we’re excited to share all the details with you♪

Looking for the perfect stopover on your journey between Tokyo and Osaka? Look no further than Hamamatsu — a captivating destination well worth your time.

Nestled in nature, Lake Hamana offers the soothing sounds of waves and water, creating a peaceful escape. In contrast, the city center reveals Hamamatsu’s innovation, where world-class musical instruments and precision engines reflect its strong industrial heritage.

For those craving tranquility, the Tenryu region and the depths of Lake Hamana offer a retreat into nature.  You can listen to the rustling trees, the gentle flow of rivers, and even gaze at a sky full of stars.

In this article, we feature 40 handpicked spots in and around Hamamatsu, each showcased with stunning photography.

Many Muslims live in the city of Hamamatsu.

When the time for prayer arrives, they naturally gather in one place.
That place is Mohammadi Mosque—a quietly standing sanctuary where faith and peace of mind converge. It truly is a “place of solace.”

Uncovering the Unique Appeal of Unagi-imo, Born from Local Pride

There is a quietly growing interest in a unique Japanese sweet potato brand: Unagi-imo. With a name that is hard to forget, this special potato originates from Hamamatsu—a city known for its unagi (eel) culture. It was born out of one man’s passion for agriculture, combined with the distinctive characteristics of the local land and culinary traditions.

In this article, we delve into the origins of Unagi-imo, uncover what makes it truly one-of-a-kind, explore its flavor and craftsmanship, and introduce the shops where you can enjoy it for yourself.

Five-minute walk from Miyaguchi Station on the Tenryu Hamanako Railway.

For 160 years, Hana-no-mai Sake Brewery has had a brewery in a corner of the elegant stone-paved street that leads to the gate of Koushinji Temple.

Hana-no-mai Sake Brewery’s local sake made in Miyaguchi has been highly acclaimed, winning the gold medal at the National New Sake Competition for three consecutive years.

Hamamatsu City in Shizuoka Prefecture is well known as a multicultural city, offering a comfortable and welcoming environment for Muslim residents and visitors alike. The city is home to a wide variety of halal-friendly supermarkets and restaurants, allowing Muslims to enjoy daily life without worrying about dietary restrictions.

For example, “Al-Hakim Halal Mart,” located near a mosque, is a popular destination for Muslims from countries such as Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Pakistan. It offers not only halal food ingredients and ready-made meals but also clothing, toothbrushes, and other daily necessities, all halal-certified.

“Matahari Café is a restaurant run by a Japanese chef who is married to an Indonesian woman, serves only halal dishes and provides prayer mats and a foot-washing area for Muslim guests, ensuring religious needs are respected.

Suzuki Musical Instruments Manufacturing Co., Ltd. is a musical instrument manufacturer whose founder, Mr. Manji Suzuki, began manufacturing harmonicas 71 years ago.

Suzuki Musical Instruments Manufacturing’s musical instruments are designed and created to bring happiness to everyone who enjoys music, including providing musical instruments to educational settings. Among these products, the main product, the Melodion, was developed by the company as Japan’s first keyboard harmonica.

Suzuki Musical Instruments Manufacturing Co., Ltd. is the only manufacturer that still manufactures keyboard harmonicas in Japan. In addition, our ingenious musical instruments, such as recorders, electronic musical instruments, and percussion instruments, are supported by music lovers both in Japan and abroad.

” Make you happy with music.”

This month’s recommended product is “Suzuki Musical Instruments Manufacturing”♪♪

Hamanako Gourmet Park is located in front of the Hamamatsu Nishi Inter entrance.

Hamamatsu’s specialty products are lined up inside the store. Hamanako Gourmet Park is a drive-in facility that is often used by tour bus passengers, but in 2019 we opened Hamamatsu Pudding Priful on the premises to make it easier for locals to visit.

Supervised by sweets producer Mr. Hiroshi Tokoro, who developed Pastel Smooth Pudding. Hamamatsu pudding, made with carefully selected local ingredients, is a pudding that is as pleasing to the eye as it is to the taste.

In 2024, we will open Patisserie Financier, a specialty store for French baked goods, Financier, inside Hamamatsu Pudding. Hamamatsu Shusse Financier, a gluten-free baked confectionery made with rice flour, is attracting attention.

This month’s recommendation is “Hamanako Gourmet Park” where you can find Hamamatsu’s delicious food♪

“Unagiimo” is a Hamamatsu-produced sweet potato that is grown using powdered fertilizer made from the remains of eel bones and heads left over from the processing of eels.

The aged “eel sweet potato” increases its sweetness by baking it, reaching a sugar content of about 40 degrees.

Sweets such as pudding, soft serve ice cream, and dorayaki that make use of the original ingredients are very popular. You can purchase the products at the Unagiimo Store stores in Hamamatsu Station, Hamanako Service Area, Togoshi Ginza Shopping District in Tokyo, and some products can be purchased by mail order.

Unagiimo Store Hamamatsu Station Store

Unagiimo Store Hamanako Service Area Store

This month’s recommended sweets will be introduced using “Unagiimo”🍦

In 2001, Nagasaka Bee Farm moved from the Mikkabi shopping district to a new location along the shores of Lake Hamana, and this year marks the 89th anniversary of its founding.

“Nagasaka Bee Farm”, which is visited by approximately 450,000 tourists a year in a store the size of a convenience store, is known for its smiling staff, courteous customer service, and delicious honey made from local Mikkabi mandarin orange flowers. It has a wide variety of original processed products and is known for its high customer satisfaction.

From inside the store, you can see a lush courtyard where you can watch the natural activities of bees, and there is also plenty of playfulness, such as quizzes that are sure to pique the interest of visitors.

“Nagasaka Bee Farm” welcomes visitors with easy-to-understand product pop-ups and sample samples, and the “honey soft serve ice cream” that you can take out is also very popular.

The sweetness and richness of the vanilla soft-serve ice cream is so sweet that the honey is kneaded into the cream, and the final touch is “Oi-honey!!” The staff will show off the oi-honey right in front of you. This is a huge hit, with up to 2,000 units sold in one day.

This month’s recommendation is the popular store in Mikkabi-cho, “Nagasaka Bee Farm”♪