| Hamamatsu 浜松 |
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| — Designated city — | |||
| 浜松市 · Hamamatsu City[1] | |||
| From top left:Act City Hamamatsu, Akihasan Hongū Akiha Jinja, Enshu Railway Line, Hamamatsu Castle, Hamana Ōhasi | |||
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| Location of Hamamatsu in Shizuoka | |||
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Hamamatsu
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| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Japan | ||
| Region | Chūbu | ||
| Prefecture | Shizuoka | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor | Yasutomo Suzuki | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 1,511.17 km2 (583.5 sq mi) | ||
| Population (February 2009) | |||
| • Total | 813,369 | ||
| • Density | 538/km2 (1,393.4/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) | ||
| City symbols | |||
| - Tree | Pine | ||
| - Flower | Mikan | ||
| - Bird | Japanese Bush Warbler | ||
| Phone number | 53-457-2111 | ||
| Address | 103-2 Motoshiro-chō, Naka-ku, Hamamatsu-shi, Shizuoka-ken 430-8652 |
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| Website | City of Hamamatsu | ||
Hamamatsu (浜松市 Hamamatsu-shi) is a city located in western Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. On July 1, 2005, the city merged with 11 surrounding cities and towns. It became a city designated by government ordinance on April 1, 2007.
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The area now comprising Hamamatsu has been settled since prehistoric times, with numerous remains from the Jomon period and Kofun period having been discovered within the present city limits, including the Akamonue Kofun in what is now present-day Hamakita-ku In the Nara period, it became the capital of Tōtōmi Province. During the Sengoku period, Hamamatsu Castle was the home of future Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. Hamamatsu flourished during the Edo period under a succession of daimyo rulers as a castle town, and as a post town on the Tōkaidō. After the Meiji Restoration, Hamamatsu became a short-lived prefecture from 1871–1876, after which it was united with Shizuoka Prefecture. The Tōkaidō Main Line railway opened Hamamatsu Station in 1889. The same year, in a cadastal reform of Japan, Hamamatsu became a town.
Hamamatsu consists of a flat plain and the Mikatahara Plateau in the south, and a mountainous area in the north. It is roughly bordered by Lake Hamana to the west, the Tenryū River to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The climate in southern Hamamatsu is mild with little snow fall in the winter; however, it is windy in winter because of the dry monsoon called Enshū no Karakaze, which is unique to the region. The climate in northern Hamamatsu is much harsher because of foehn winds. In summers, the highest temperature often exceeds 35 degrees in the Tenryu-ku area, while it snows in winter.
Hamamatsu is administratively divided into seven wards:
Hamamatsu has been famous as an industrial city, especially for musical instruments and motorcycles. It also has been known for fabric industry, but most of those companies and factories went out of business in the 1990s. Of the 274,700 Japanese Brazilians working in Japan, currently 19,000 work in Hamamatsu.[2]
Hamamatsu is a station on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen and Tōkaidō Main Line. As of 2009, this station is served by a small selection of Hikari services and all passing Kodama services. Hamamatsu is approximately halfway along the Tōkaidō line, as the journey time to both Tokyo and Shin-Osaka is approximately one and half hours with Hikari, and two hours with Kodama.
Tōkaidō Main Line stops at the following stations:
Iida Line stops at several stations in Sakuma area.
Enshu Railway Line, also known as Akaden (the red train), is a local line running north from Shin-Hamamatsu Station through Nishikajima Station.
Tenryū Hamanako Line stops at several stations in Kita-ku, Hamakita-ku, and Tenryū-ku.
There are no civilian airports in Hamamatsu. Shizuoka Airport() is the closest, located 43 kilometres (27 mi) from Hamamatsu station between Makinohara and Shimada
Chūbu Centrair International Airport in Aichi Prefecture, located about 87 kilometres (54 mi)[3] west of the city, is the second closest.
Ever since long ago, Mount Akiha was believed to have supernatural powers to prevent fires. Bow and arrow, sword, and fire dances are performed at the Akiha Shrine. At the Akiha Temple, a firewalking ceremony is performed where both believers and spectators celebrate the festival. (Haruno, Tenryu-ku — December)
When a family commemorates the first Obon holidays after the death of a loved one, they may request that a dainenbutsu (Buddhist chanting ritual) be performed outside their house. This is one of the local performing arts of the region. The group always forms a procession in front of the house led by a person carrying a lantern and marches to the sound of flutes, Japanese drums and cymbals. (Saigagake Museum, Hamamatsu City — July 15)
Hamamatsu Festival, held from May 3 through May 5 each year, is well known for Takoage Gassen, or the kite fight, and luxuriously decorated palace-like floats. The festival originated about 430 years ago, when the lord of Hamamatsu Castle celebrated the birth of his first son by flying kites. In the Meiji Era, the celebration of the birth of a first son by flying Hatsu Dako, or the first kite, became popular, and this tradition has survived in the form of Hamamatsu Festival. It is extremely exciting to see over 160 large kites flying in the sky to the sound of trumpets. Those who visit Hamamatsu at this time of the year can experience the city at its most exciting time.
During the nights of Hamamatsu Festival, people parade downtown carrying over 70 yatai, or palace-lake floats, that are beautifully decorated while playing Japanese traditional festival music. The festival reaches its peak when groups of people compete by violently marching across town. (Naka-ku, Minami-ku — May)
This festival is held in honor of Ryujin, the god of the Tenryu River, and features a wide variety of events such as the Hamakita takoage (kite flying) event and the Hiryu himatsuri (flying dragon fire festival) which celebrates water, sound, and flame. (Hamakita-ku — June)
This festival celebrates Hamamatsu's history as a city of musical instruments and music, and brings dozens of the best young pianists from all over the world. It has been held triennially since 1991 at the Act City Concert Hall and Main Hall. (November)
This event takes place in Manyo-no-Mori Park to commemorate the Manyo Period and introduce its culture. As part of the festival, people reenact the ancient past by wearing traditional clothes from the Heian period and presenting Japanese poetry readings. (Hamakita-ku, Hamamatsu — October)
One of the few puppet festivals held in Japan, featuring 60 performances of about 30 plays by puppet masters from all over the country. The shows provide a full day of enjoyment for both children and adults. (Inasa, Kita-ku — November)
This reenactment of a procession made by the princess in her palanquin along with her entourage of over 100 people including maids, samurai, and servants makes for a splendid scene beneath the cherry blossoms along the Toda River. In the Edo period, princesses enjoyed traveling this road which came to be known as a hime kaidō (princess road). (Hosoe, Kita-ku — April)
In Ryusui Garden there is a stream with seven small waterfalls and about 80 weeping ume trees pruned to give the appearance of dragons riding on clouds to the heavens. There are also 200 young trees planted along the mountainside. (Inasa, Kita-ku — late February to late March)
Hamamatsu has ratified Music Culture Exchange Treaty with the following cities (however, of the following Rochester is the only official sister city):
Hamamatsu is twinned with:
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