Hamamatsu (浜松市, Hamamatsu-shi) is a city located in western Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, and is the largest city in the prefecture. On July 1, 2005, the city merged with 11 surrounding cities and towns. It became a city designated by government ordinance on April 1, 2007.
Hamamatsu consists of a flat plain and the Mikatahara Plateau in the south, and a mountainous area in the north. It is roughly bordered by Lake Hamana in the west, the Tenryū River in the east, and the Pacific Ocean in the south. The climate in southern Hamamatsu is mild with little snow fall in the winter; however, it is windy in winter because of the dry monsoon called Enshu no Karakkaze, which is unique to the region. The climate in northern Hamamatsu is much more harsh because of foehn winds. In summers, the highest temperature often goes over 35 degrees in Tenryu-ku, while it snows in winters. |
