Hamamatsu

The area now comprising Hamamatsu has been settled since prehistoric times, with numerous remains from the Jōmon period and Kofun period having been discovered within the present city limits, including the Shijimizuka site shell mound and the Akamonue Kofun ancient tomb. In the Nara period, it became the capital of Tōtōmi Province. During the Sengoku period, Hamamatsu Castle was the home of future shōgun Tokugawa Ieyasu. Hamamatsu flourished during the Edo period under a succession of daimyō rulers as a castle town, and as a post town on the Tōkaidō highway connecting Edo with Kyoto. After the Meiji Restoration, Hamamatsu became a short-lived prefecture from 1871 to 1876, after which it was united with Shizuoka Prefecture. Hamamatsu Station opened on the Tōkaidō Main Line in 1889. The same year, with the establishment of the modern municipalities system, Hamamatsu became a town. …

Hamamatsu is 260 kilometres (160 mi) southwest of Tokyo. 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. Southern Hamamatsu has a humid subtropical climate with cool to mild winters with little snowfall; 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. Summer is hot with the highest temperature often exceeding 35 degrees in the Tenryu-ku area, while it snows in winter. Per Japanese census data, the population of Hamamatsu has been increasing over the past 70 years. Hamamatsu has a significant non-Japanese population. …

Haruno, Tenryu-ku: December 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. Saigagake Museum, Hamamatsu City: July 15 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. Naka-ku, Minami-ku, others: May Hamamatsu Kite Festival is also called Hamamatsu Festival. …

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. As of 2010, Greater Hamamatsu, Hamamatsu Metropolitan Employment Area, has a GDP of US$54.3 billion. 2014 Hamamatsu's GDP per capita(PPP) was US$41,470. Enkei Corporation Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. Kawai Musical Instruments Mfg. Roland Corporation Suzuki Motor Co. Tōkai Gakki (also known as Tokai Guitars Company Ltd.) Yamaha Corporation Honda Motor Co.

Act City Tower Observatory: Hamamatsu's only skyscraper, situated next to JR Hamamatsu Station, is a symbol of the city. It was designed to resemble a harmonica, a reminder that Hamamatsu is sometimes known as the "City of Music". The building houses shopping and a food court, the Okura Hotel, and an observatory on the 45th floor overlooking all of central Hamamatsu, even down to the sand dunes at the shore. Chopin Monument This is a 1:1-scale replica of the famous Art Nouveau bronze statue of Chopin by the famed artist Wacław Szymanowski. The original is in Hamamatsu's sister city, Warsaw, the capital of Poland.　 Gosha Suwa Shrine is a Beppyo shrine in the city. It was formed from a merger of two shrines that were too damaged by the Bombing of Hamamatsu in World War II to be independent. Hamamatsu Castle: Hamamatsu Castle Park stretches from the modern city hall building to the north. …

There are no commercial airports in Hamamatsu. However, Shizuoka Airport (34°47′46″N 138°11′22″E) 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) west of the city, is the second closest. …