Lake Hamana, Saltwater lake in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan

Lake Hamana lies between Hamamatsu and Kosai, covering 65.0 km2 with a 114 km shoreline and a maximum depth of 16.6 m. Its outline is irregular, with inlets such as Hosoeko, Inohana-ko, Matsumigaura and Shonai-ko making up about 40 percent of the water area. The northern part is deeper than the shallow south, and the surface is at sea level.

A severe earthquake in the year 1498 opened a passage to the Pacific and transformed the then still sweet water into a salty lagoon. Since then seawater flows in with every tide and mixes with the inflows from the mountains.

Takiya-ryo is a night fishing method in which fishers shine a light on the water to lure prey and then spear it, taking sea bass, whiting and flounder. The name comes from taki, a fire basket once burned on the boat. The lake's eel, nori and oyster farming grew alongside this catch.

A cycling path of around 70 kilometers circles the entire body of water and offers places to stop and views of open areas as well as wooded shores. Bicycles can be rented at several train stations and at thermal baths, which allows a day tour at a leisurely pace.

In the salty water seaweeds grow and people also breed Japanese eels here as well as Chinese soft-shelled turtles, which tolerate the changing salt content of the water well. Oysters settle on wooden stakes along the shores and are harvested by hand.