Hamanako
Lake Hamana Family Hotels: Amusement Park and Onsen by the Water
Family-friendly, lake-view hotels for enjoying Hamanako Pal Pal amusement park and Kanzanji Onsen together
Lake Hamana is a large brackish-water lake spreading across western Shizuoka Prefecture, and a classic family-travel area where an amusement park, hot springs, and resort hotels cluster along its shores. You can drive to the various lakeside areas from the Kanzanji Smart IC or Mikkabi IC on the Tomei Expressway, and you can also reach it by bus from JR Hamamatsu Station, a stop on the Tokaido Shinkansen, making it a location that's easy to visit from either the greater Tokyo area or the Kansai region.
The heart of family travel here is the Kanzanji Onsen area, on the lake's southeastern shore. Kid-friendly spots cluster nearby, starting with the lakeside amusement park Hamanako Pal Pal, along with Hamamatsu City Zoo and Hamamatsu Flower Park, so the short trip from your hotel to the play areas is a welcome point for families with young children. The calm scenery unique to a lake is another appeal, and lakeside hotels let you enjoy lake views.
The hotels featured here are all notable for their thorough support for families with children. Hotel Well Season Hamanako, a resort hotel in Kanzanji Onsen, was the first hotel in western Shizuoka Prefecture certified as a "Welcome Baby Hotel" by the Miki House Child-Rearing Research Institute, and it offers a baby-and-kids space called "Kotokko Hiroba" that welcomes children from birth, plus concept rooms with bunk beds, along with a free-entry perk for guests at its adjacent large hot spring "Hanasaki no Yu" and at Hamanako Pal Pal. Hotel Green Plaza Hamanako is a resort hotel with a lake view in every room, built on the shore at Mikkabi in the Oku-Hamana area; children under 3 stay and eat free. It offers baby food and crib rentals, and its Japanese-Western-Chinese buffet even includes eel.
Lake Hamana is known as a famous producer of eel, so enjoying this local specialty together as a family is another pleasure of the trip. With pools and lakeside leisure in summer, and hot springs and the amusement park in the cooler seasons, this is an area families can enjoy with kids all year round.
Highlights
- checkThere's a Welcome Baby-certified hotel next to Hamanako Pal Pal, with a free-entry perk for guests
- checkThere's an all-lake-view resort where children under 3 stay and eat free
- checkThorough support for families with babies, including baby food service and crib rentals
Family-friendly features in Lake Hamana
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Recommended hotels (3)
Hotel Wellseason Hamanako
Grand Mercure Lake Hamana Resort & Spa
Hotel Green Plaza Hamanako
See all hotels in Lake Hamana (3)expand_more
Nearby attractions
Travel tips
The Kanzanji Onsen area clusters kid-friendly spots such as Hamanako Pal Pal and Hamamatsu City Zoo, so it's a good idea to choose your hotel's area based on where you plan to play. For hotels with guest perks at the amusement park or bathing facilities, like Hotel Well Season Hamanako, checking the usage conditions around check-in time in advance helps you make the most of your stay. During busy periods like summer vacation, booking early is a good idea.
Best season
Summer is best for the pool and lakeside leisure activities, while the hot springs and amusement park can be enjoyed year-round. The mild climate also makes it a good fit for a winter family trip.
Getting there
Drive to the various lakeside areas from the Kanzanji Smart IC or Mikkabi IC on the Tomei Expressway. A bus toward the Kanzanji Onsen area is also available from JR Hamamatsu Station on the Tokaido Shinkansen.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are good sightseeing spots at Lake Hamana for families with kids?
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The lakeside amusement park Hamanako Pal Pal, in the Kanzanji Onsen area, is the classic choice. Nearby you'll also find Hamamatsu City Zoo, Hamamatsu Flower Park, and Hamanako Garden Park, so you won't run out of places to play even with young children. There are also spots you can drop by on a rainy day, such as the Unagi Pie Factory.
Are there hotels at Lake Hamana that are easy to stay at with a baby?
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Yes. Hotel Well Season Hamanako is certified as a "Welcome Baby Hotel" by the Miki House Child-Rearing Research Institute, with a kids' space that welcomes children from birth and a range of baby-gear rentals. Hotel Green Plaza Hamanako also offers free stays and meals for children under 3, along with baby food and crib rentals.
How do you get to Lake Hamana?
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By car, head to the various lakeside areas from the Kanzanji Smart IC or Mikkabi IC on the Tomei Expressway. By public transportation, take the Tokaido Shinkansen to JR Hamamatsu Station, then transfer to a bus toward the Kanzanji Onsen area. It's an area that's easy to visit from either the greater Tokyo area or the Kansai region.