Things to do with kids in Hamamatsu

Things to do with kids in Hamamatsu

1. See

   Choraku-ji Temple

   長楽寺

   This temple, built at the start of the Heian era, has a charming garden with plum trees, and is especially beautiful with the change of the leaves in the fall.

   ¥300, children free

2. See

   Daifuku-ji Temple

   大福寺

   Mountain temple overlooking the small Inohana lake. Check out the Deva statues at the gate. This is an excellent place if you're in town during cherry blossom time, and if you miss it, check out the Hantoshi-zakura cherry blossoms which are in bloom from mid-autumn to early spring.

   ¥500, children free

3. See

   Gosha and Suwa Shrines

   五社神社, Gosha-jinja, and 諏訪神社, Suwa-jinja

   Built in 1580 and 1556 respectively, these side-by-side shrines were reconstructed in the 1940s and serve downtown locals. Especially interesting at the shrine festival on May 4 or at Shichigosan on November 15 when local families wrap their small children in kimono and come here to pray.

4. See

   Hamamatsu Municipal Zoo

   浜松市動物園

   Well worth stopping if you are in Kanzanji. In the autumn, special evening hours allow to you visit the zoo after dark.

5. See

   Hamamatsu Museum of Musical Instruments

   浜松市楽器博物館, Hamamatsu-shi Gakki Hakubutsukan

   This museum, just northeast of Act City Tower, houses a collection of over 2,000 kinds of ethnic instruments from around the world. Each instrument has a display attached, with headphones so you can listen to the sound of the instrument. The museum also has a hands-on room, where you can play many types of instruments; drums, xylophones, sitars and native Japanese instruments. This is a child friendly museum.

   09:00-17:00, closed on the second Wed of each month·¥400, high school students half-price, children free

6. Buy

   Hamamatsu Plaza

   浜松プラザ

   Another large shopping mall complex consisted of five buildings: Xebio, Costco, Frespo, FitnessRelaxation ZEN, and Hamamatsu Plaza West. A tourist may be interested in Frespo and Hamamatsu Plaza West the most. The former is itself a shopping mall that consists of daily goods stores, restaurants, and a supermarket, while the latter are retail chains such as Mont-Bell, Uniqlo, GU and ABC. Xebio provide sports goods and children's goods, FitnessRelaxation ZEN is a gym with an onsen, and Costco - just Costco. If you want, you can visit it in a day, especially if you have a Costco membership. Visiting the complex by car is recommended.

7. See

   Hamamatsu Science Museum

   浜松科学館, Hamamatsu Kagakukan

   A range of interactive exhibits divided into five zones: nature, space, sound, light, and electricity. The third floor holds a planetarium.

   Daily 09:30-18:00 during summer holidays (Jul 21 to Aug 31) and 09:30-17:00 (the rest of the year)·Museum only:Adults ¥500, ages 15-18 ¥350, children free; With planetarium:Adults ¥900, ages 15-18 ¥500, children ¥100

8. See

   Hamanako Garden Park

   浜名湖ガーデンパーク

   A big green park at the end of a peninsula on Lake Hamana. Features include a 5-hectare lawn, a waterworks plaza that encourages you to get wet, an exhibit hall, an observation tower, children's playground, a restaurant, and diverse flower gardens.

9. See

   Hōrin-ji Temple

   寶林寺

   Established by an invited Chinese Zen master in 1667, this temple is a fine example of late Ming Dynasty Chinese architecture. The Buddha hall and the priest's residence are designated National Important Cultural Properties.

   ¥300, children ¥150

10. See

    Kiga Sekisho

    気賀関所

    This restored checkpoint along the Princess Road was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1601. Now dressed with authentic props, visitors can get a glimpse of how tightly controlled travel in that era was. The gate is especially impressive.

    Tue-Sun 09:00-16:30·Adults ¥200, children ¥100

11. See

    Makaya-ji Temple

    摩訶耶寺

    Here you will find the oldest garden in the prefecture, reminiscent of Kyoto's Koke-dera. The temple was built in 726 and contains some important cultural artifacts. Especially impressive is the wooden statue of Senju-Kannon with one thousand arms.

    Daily 09:00-16:30·¥300, students ¥200, children ¥100

12. See

    Okuyama Hōkō-ji

    方広寺

    This Zen temple, nestled among pines, sakura, peach, and other things, was established in 1377 and is the home of the Rinsai Sect, housing three much-revered Buddha statues. With over sixty halls, it is one of the biggest temples in the Tokai area. The small Shichison Bosatsudo is the oldest wooden building in the prefecture and a fine example of 14th century Japanese architecture. Visitors can walk through the buildings- no shoes allowed.

    ¥300, students ¥150, children under 12 free

13. See

    Ryugashi Cavern

    竜ヶ岩洞, Ryugashidou

    One of the largest and most famous caves in Japan. The first 400 m of the 1000-m limestone cavern are open to the public. Stalactites and stalagmites abound, and the centerpiece is a 30-m underground waterfall. This cave stays about 15°C year-round, making it a great place to cool off during the sweltering summer heat.

    Closed · opens 9 am·Adults ¥650, children 13-15 ¥450, children ¥350

14. See

    Ryōtan-ji Temple

    龍潭寺

    The main hall here has "nightingale flooring" much like Nijo castle in Kyoto. When walked on, the flooring makes subtle bird sounds to warn of intruders. The garden here is a nationally designated scenic beauty. On the south side of the temple is a well which belonged to the founder of the Ii clan in the early 11th century.

    Daily 09:00-16:30·¥400, children ¥150

15. Do

    Wotto Hamanako Aquatic Experience Center

    浜名湖体験学習施設ウォット, Hamanako Taiken Gakushuu Shisetsu Wotto

    At this hands-on aquarium, you can see, touch, and learn about aquatic life in Lake Hamana.

    Tue-Sun 09:00-16:30·¥300

16. Do Not mapped

    Enshu Buddhist Chanting Ritual

    遠州大念仏, Enshuu Dainenbutsu

    In this local traditional performance, a procession of chanters and people with flutes, drums, cymbals and lanterns visit the homes of families who have lost a loved one in the last year.

    Around July 14

17. Do Not mapped

    Hamamatsu Festival

    浜松祭り, Hamamatsu Matsuri

    This 450-year-old festival is one of the most famous Golden Week festivals in Japan. In what is known as the Takoage Gassen, every neighborhood in the city and even some from other cities design and make their own kites to fly and to fight near at the festival grounds near Nakatajima Sand Dunes, with each kite representing a son born to a family of the neighborhood within the last year. The kite-fighting takes place on the third day of the 3-day festival and results entertainingly in downed kites in trees and on rooftops all over the neighborhood. In the Sunken Garden space on the north side of Act City, there is an international food court with many exotic stalls, and a stage for all kinds of music and cultural performances from around the world, including taiko drumming, local yaramaika music, Thai kickboxing, Brazilian batucada and samba dancing performances, jazz acts, jugglers, and traditional dances. There are also parades all over the city well into the night, in which children playing various instruments are carried in 70 large ornate parade floats. Everywhere there are groups marching and chanting to the sound of trumpets, and the sake flows freely.

    At Golden Week in early May·Free

18. Do Not mapped

    Inasa Puppet Festival

    いなさ人形劇まつり, Inasa ningyōgeki Matsuri

    A rarity in Japan, this festival brings puppeteers from across the country for three full days of over 60 performances. Great for kids.

    Third weekend of November

19. See Not mapped

    Observation tower

    This 50-meter tower has a covered observation deck with a nice view of the park and lake.

    Daily 09:00-16:30 (17:00 in summer)·Adults ¥300, children ¥100

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Hamamatsu (CC BY-SA 4.0).