Sights and landmarks in Hamamatsu

Sights and landmarks 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

   Akino Fuku Art Museum

   秋野不矩美術館

   This museum is housed in an interesting building made mostly from local cedar and other products. The permanent collection has many pieces by the late artist Akino Fuku, as well as other pieces.

   Tue-Sun 09:30-17:00·Adults ¥300, students ¥150

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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

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

   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.

8. See

   Hamamatsu Castle

   浜松城, Hamamatsu-jou

   Hamamatsu Castle was built by Ieyasu Tokugawa, who is considered perhaps the greatest shogun and one of the three people most important to the unification of Japan. His rule marks the beginning of the Edo Period. Tokugawa lived here from 1571 to 1588. After the Edo Period, the castle was destroyed, and was restored to the original specifications in 1958. The foundation, which is original, is unique because it uses unhewn stones carefully selected and fitted to lean inward. There is a small museum inside the castle, which costs ¥200 to enter, and which houses some Tokugawa armor and relics, a preserved well moved from elsewhere on the grounds as well as a miniature model of how the city might have looked 400 years ago.

9. 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.

10. 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

11. See

    Hamamatsu Festival Hall

    浜松まつり会館, Hamamatsu Matsuri Kaikan

    This museum gives visitors a taste of the famous Hamamatsu Festival year round, with its huge kites, festival clothing, lanterns, and banners. Videos show how the kites are made, flown and fought.

    Daily 09:00-16:30·¥400

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. See

    Hamamatsu Municipal Museum of Art

    浜松市美術館, Hamamatsu-shi Bijutsukan

    Just one stop up the road from city hall is Hamamatsu's art museum. Exhibits vary.

16. 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.

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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.

20. 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

21. See

    Kamoe Kannon

    鴨江観音

    This bright-orange-and-white modern temple is one of the most important downtown temples. It is a good place to see the locals all dressed in kimono on holidays such as New Year's Day.

22. 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.

23. 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

24. 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.

25. 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

26. 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.

27. See

    Nakatajima Sand Dunes

    中田島砂丘

    The second largest grouping of sand dunes in Japan makes a great place for a stroll or picnic. Be careful if swimming, as there is somewhat of an undertow.

28. 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

29. 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

30. 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

31. 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.

32. 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.

33. See

    Washizawa Wind Cave

    鷲沢風穴, Washizawa Fuuketsu

    A less touristy alternative to Ryugashido, this limestone cave has cool winds blowing through it during the summertime. This is the only cave in Japan with a horizontal ceiling. The cave supposedly provided a refuge for warriors during the 1300s.

    ¥400

34. See

    Yamazumi Shrine

    山住神社, Yamazumi-jinja

    This mountain shrine was built in 709 and is well-known for its cult of wolf-worship. The grounds also have two ancient cedars over 1200 years old.

35. 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.

36. 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

37. 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).