The 3rd Cherry Blossom Symposium


Sightseeing

 

Hamamatsu City

Blessed with a mild climate and the natural beauty of mountains, rivers, and oceans, Hamamatsu offers a variety of tourist attractions. Kanzanji, whose Hot Springs Resort is the most scenic spot along Lake Hamana, is also home to the Flower Park, the Hamamatsu Zoo, an amusement park, and other entertainment facilities. The Miyakoda Area with trees and clear streams is an ideal spot for picnics and camping. The Nakatajima Sand Dunes are most well known for the aesthetic patterns created on the sand by the wind. Hamamatsu hosts the Hamamatsu Festival where giant kites are flown in the clear skies of May and beautifully carved floats are drawn around the city by
ecstatic townspeople.

Hamamatsu Castle

Hamamatsu Castle was built by IeyasuTokugawa when he was staying in theold castle (Hikuma Castle) as a minor noble. He changed the name from Hikuma to Hamamatsu when he moved to Hamamatsu Castle in 1570. The name Hamamatsu, meaning "coastal pines," was considered to be a luckier name than Hikuma, meaning "pulling the reins (in retreat)." He lived in Hamamatsu for 17 years during his youth, later became a Shogun, and built the foundation of the Edo Era government, which lasted 300 years.

The Castle is called Shusse-jo, or "the Castle of Promotion," because every lord who later resided in the castle attained a higher status.

Nakatajima Coast & Hamamatsu Festival Pavilion

The vast seashore covered with white sand and a shelterbelt of green pines enchants visitors with its elegance and rare natural beauty.
The varying strength and directional shifts of the wind are constantly changing the patterns on the sand, creating moving art and making it appear as though the sand hills had lives of their own.

f you missed the famous Hamamatsu Kite Festival held annually in May, you can still experience the excitement of the kite-flying battles and float processions captured in a spectacular audio/video display at the Hamamatsu Festival Pavilion.

Lake Hamanako & Kanzanji Hot Springl

The stunning view of the sun setting between the Kosai mountains and its reflection on Lake Hamana is best absorbed from Mt. Okusa, at the Kanzanji Resort. kanzanji, where high-rise hotels line the water front, is home to one of Japan's premier hot springs. The town is thronged by day with young people enjoying water sports and is later filled with adults appreciating the elegance and tranquility of the night.

In the area, entertainment facilities include the Hamamatsu Zoo, Flower Park, and Hamana Lake Cableway, all of which can be enjoyed by families, groups, and individuals. If you are feeling fatigued after having so much fun, relax in the hot spa while enjoying a soothing view of Lake Hamana.

Contact:
Kanzanji Hot Spring Tourism Association
2309-1 Kanzanji-cho, Hamamatsu
Phone: (053) 487-0152

Mt.FUJI (The Symbol Of JAPAN)

The symbol not only of Shizuoka prefecture but also of Japanese scenery as a whole, Mt Fuji rises majestically on the border of Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures. The highest peak in the Fuji volcanic zone, it stands 3,776 m.(12,388 ft.) above sea level. As its nickname "lofty peerless peak" suggests, in name and reality it is the tallest mountain in Japan. With its elegant counical shape, this breath-taking mountain does indeed represent the peak of perfection. One theory has it that the name of the mountain comes from the Ainu word futchi meaning "fire."