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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".
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
浜松オートレース場, Hamamatsu Ootoresuba
National auto and motorcycle racing events.