Hamamatsu
Japan
UNESCO City of Music
since 2014
Becoming a global Creative City through the yaramaika spirit.
The phrase,“ yaramaika,” means,“ Let’s do it!” in the local dialect, and it expresses the temperament of Hamamatsu’s residents.
These words show the progressive spirit of Creative City Hamamatsu: a city that has
given rise to production technologies and corporations that have grown into global brands in the motorcycle, musical instrument, and light motor vehicle industries.
Hamamatsu is located between Tokyo and Osaka, the two largest metropolitan areas of Japan, and has long flourished as a base of interaction between eastern and western Japan. Hamamatsu has been a melting pot of different cultures, blending them with its own to create a culture with diverse range.
In this way, Hamamatsu developed into both a city of manufacturing and a city of music.
Aims of Hamamatsu: A Creative city
Hamamatsu aims to become a stimulating city where its citizens meet the challenge of creative pursuits and create ongoing new value.
Also, as a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, Hamamatsu will
actively contribute to the development of creative industries and realization of cultural diversity.
Five Key Policies
- Promote international exchange through global music events
- Realize cross-cultural understanding and cultural diversity through music
- Nurture and exchange musical talent on an international level
- Contribute as a “mecca” of sound design
- Bring forth the fantasista, creators of new value