Hamamatsu: Sunny City with Positive Spirit *RERUN
Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture is a land blessed with a temperate climate all year round. It is one of the sunniest cities in Japan, boasting the most number of days with sunshine. The area is blessed with nature's bounty thanks to the local climate and Lake Hamana, a brackish lake connected to the Pacific Ocean. There is a word in the Hamamatsu dialect: "Yaramaika," which means "Let's give it a try without fearing failure." This spirit is what keeps people of Hamamatsu going forward.
Hamamatsu Festival
The Hamamatsu Festival is held every May. Kites fill the sky to celebrate the birth of children. The kite-flying ritual started 450 years ago when the people celebrated the birth of a federal lord's child with kites. It is a day when the folks of Hamamatsu get most excited.
Treasure of Lake Hamana
Eel is a local delicacy in Hamamatsu. Farmed or natural, this is the place to enjoy it. The temperate Hamamatsu climate is ideal for the growth of eels. Full-fledged farming of eels began about 100 years ago in Lake Hamana. The farming ponds grew, and the eels from Lake Hamana soon made its name nationwide.
Town of Music
In front of Hamamatsu Station is an art object shaped like a musical note. Hamamatsu is a town of music; home to many instrument manufacturers. In 1887, Torakusu Yamaha, who was doing repair work on medical instruments in Hamamatsu, undertook repair work for an imported organ. It all began with the organ, and eventually Hamamatsu became the center of production for Japanese musical instruments.