Hamamatsu

About Hamamatsu

Hamamatsu (浜松市, Hamamatsu-shi) is a city located in western Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. In September 2023, the city had an estimated population of 780,128 in 340,591 households, making it the prefecture's largest city, with a population density of 500/km2 (1,300/sq mi) over the total urban area of 1,558.06 km2 (601.57 sq mi). The city ranked first in the happiness index of Japan's government-designated cities, published by the Japan Research Institute, in both 2018 and 2022.

Hamamatsu is a member of the World Health Organization's Alliance for Healthy Cities (AFHC).

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...

Overview adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA. Photography via Wikimedia Commons.