The Origins of Hamamatsu City’s Name

October 12, 2022

Do you know where the name Hamamatsu comes from?

When the city’s name is written down in the Japanese language, it is comprised of two characters: “浜 (hama)” and “松 (matsu).” The character for “hama” means coast or seaside, and “matsu” means pine tree.

Since ancient times, many pine trees were planted along this regional coastline, and the pine tree itself was long considered to be a sign of good luck in Japan. As a result, this scenic coastal area with its many pine trees came to be known as Hamamatsu, according to the most widely accepted explanation.

Hamamatsu is even mentioned in the Manyoshu—Japan’s oldest anthology of poetry dating from the 7th century until the 8th century. So this name has a history exceeding 1,000 years.