Parks and the outdoors in Hamamatsu

Parks and the outdoors in Hamamatsu

1. See

   Act City

   Hamamatsu's only skyscraper is a symbol of the city, 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 from which you can see all of central Hamamatsu. The basement floor holds two theaters at which there are frequent concerts, musicals, plays, and seminars. On the west side there is a unique rooftop park complex, and on the north there is an outdoor "Sunken Garden" used at festival times for food stalls and cultural performances.

2. See

   Bentenjima Kaihin Park

   弁天島海浜公園, Bentenjima Kaihin Kōen

   This beautiful spot has a beach and boardwalk, with a lovely view of a torii perched on an island in the middle of the bay. The fireworks display in late June is extremely popular, bringing in dozens of food stalls, and thousands of people.

3. 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

4. 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

5. Drink

   Entetsu Beer Garden

   A fairly standard Japanese-style beer garden: mediocre food, cold beer, fresh air. June through the end of August.

6. See

   Futamata Castle Ruins

   二俣城跡, Futamata-jouseki

   Many battles were fought over this castle in the mid-16th century between Ieyasu Tokugawa and Shingen Takeda. In 1579, Tokugawa's wife was executed here and his son committed seppuku here as well. The castle was abandoned after 1600, and today nothing but the walls remain, surrounded by a beautiful park.

7. See

   Hamamatsu Castle Park

   浜松城公園, Hamamatsu-jō Kōen

   North of the castle is a very big park with a Japanese garden, a koi pond, a ceremonial teahouse (see Drink below), and some commons areas. This is the best downtown location to go to see cherry blossoms in the spring.

8. See

   Hamamatsu City Museum

   浜松市博物館, Hamamatsu-shi Hakubutsukan

   This museum, which is on the grounds of a pleasant park, is dedicated to the history of Hamamatsu and the surrounding area. Exhibits include locally-found pre-historic fossils, ancient pottery, old maps, and farming and domestic implements up through the Edo era. Also on the grounds are some shell mounds, evidence of pre-historic human life in the area. A reconstruction of a Jomon village has been installed among the mounds, giving the visitor an idea of what life was like here three to four thousand years ago. The name of the park and also the neighborhood, Shijimizuka, means "shell mound".

   Tue-Sun 09:00-17:00

9. See

   Hamamatsu Flower Park

   浜松フラワーパーク

   This beautiful park has many gardens full of 3000 types of flowers, with over 100,000 plants in all. There is also a restaurant and shopping area.

   Daily 09:00-17:00, closed Dec 29 to Jan 1·¥700

10. See

    Hamamatsu Fruit Park

    浜松フルーツパーク

    This unique amusement park is a working fruit farm where you can see, touch, taste, and pick a variety of fruits.

    Daily 09:00-17:00, closed Dec 29 to Jan 1 (closes at 16:30 from October through April)·¥700

11. See

    Hamamatsu JASDF Air Park

    航空自衛隊 浜松広報館, Koukuu Jieitai Hamamatsu Kouhoukan

    This museum displays many aircraft used or in former use by JASDF, and many other aviation-related items. It also has a flight simulator and a theater which runs informative documentaries every 30 minutes (Japanese only).

    Tue-Sun 09:00-16:00·Free

12. 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.

13. Do

    Hamanako Pleasure Boat

    浜名湖遊覧船, Hamanako Yūransen

    This ferry runs between Kanzanji Hot Spring and Mikkabi-cho, giving some nice views of Lake Hamana. The round trip takes about an hour.

    Daily 09:00-16:00·Round trip ¥1150

14. See

    Keta River

    気田川, Ketagawa

    This beautiful mountain river flows for 66 km before it joins the Tenryu southwest of Haruno. It's a relaxing place for swimming or kayaking.

15. See

    Lake Hamana Music Box Museum

    浜名湖オルゴールミュージアム, Hamanako Orugoru Myujiamu

    The collection includes dozens of self-playing orgels and music boxes from around the world. Performances begin hourly at 20 after the hour, and there is also a special hands-on exhibit. The view of Lake Hamana from outside the museum is spectacular as well.

16. 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

17. See

    Mitake Castle Ruins

    三岳城跡, Mitake Jouseki

    A somewhat strenuous hike will bring you to the ruins of a castle built atop 467-m Mt. Mitake in 1340 by the Ii Clan.

18. 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

19. Do

    Pal-Pal Amusement Park

    浜名湖パルパル

    Rollercoasters, Japan's longest raft ride, and a cable car ride over Lake Hamana are among the attractions at this park in Kanzanji.

    ¥1000

20. 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

21. 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

22. Drink

    Shointei Tea Ceremony House

    松韻亭

    At this pleasant teahouse you can experience a traditional tea ceremony while taking in a nice garden view.

    Tue-Sun 09:30-17:00·¥400

23. See

    Takizawa Observation Platform

    滝沢展望台, Takisawa Tenboudai

    This spot offers a beautiful vista of the city from which you can see all the way to Act City and all across Lake Hamana. Popular with local couples, the view is especially good at night when the city is lit up.

24. See

    Tenryu River

    天竜川

    One of Japan's largest rivers flows through the mountains of north Hamamatsu and along the edge of town from Tenryu-cho down to the coast. The meandering mountain portion and wide delta provide abundant opportunities for rafting, kayaking, and fishing, and there are many parks along its banks. The god of this river, Ryujin, is the guest of honor at many area festivals.

25. Eat

    The Oriental Terrace

    Overlooking Lake Sanaru. Well layout out and decorated building, suited for small functions.

26. Do

    Torch Fishing

    Takiya-ryo

    This method of spear fishing at night is unique to the Lake Hamana area. You can rent a boat for up to 4 people, including an experienced fisherman, for ¥27,000. For a little extra you can have your catch cooked and served.

    May to October

27. 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

28. See Not mapped

    Chopin Monument

    Erected in the rooftop park beside the tower is an authentic two-third-scale replica of the famous Art Nouveau bronze statue of composer Frédéric Chopin by the famed artist Wacław Szymanowski. The original is in Hamamatsu's sister city, Warsaw.

29. Do Not mapped

    Hamakita Hiryū Festival

    浜北飛龍まつり, Hamakita Hiryū Matsuri

    In honor of Ryūjin, god of the Tenryuu River, various events are held including kite-flying, a gyoza competition, and a special event celebrating fire, water, and sound.

    First weekend of June

30. 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

31. Do Not mapped

    Miyakoda Hiking Course

    都田 ハイキング コース

    This "19-km hiking trail" is actually a route on the roads through the area. While quite confusing to the non-Japanese speaker, it does take one past Washizawa Cave, winds up in the mountains a temple, bridges, a waterfall, and finally to Takisawa Observation Platform. A new highway being built across this area seems to have altered some roads and creates for a challenge in route-finding. Be prepared to trek 25–30 km as the 19-km length assumes one does not get lost.

32. 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

33. Do Not mapped

    Sakuma Dam Festival

    佐久間ダムまつり, Sakuma Damu Matsuri

    This festival pays tribute to Ryujin, god of the Tenryu River, and commemorates the 1956 opening of Sakuma Dam, a great engineering feat of its time. Highlights include a colorful dragon god dance, taiko drumming, fireworks over the lake, and many vendors displaying local products.

    Last Sun of October·Free

34. See Not mapped

    Tower Observatory

    From the observatory you can see down to the sand dunes at the shore and Lake Hamana to the west. If the weather is exceptionally clear, you can even glimpse Mount Fuji in the distance. Beneath the windows are labeled panoramic photos so you can identify the sights. Coin-operated telescopes.

    Mon-Fri 10AM-6PM·¥500

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