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1. Greeting
Hamamatsu City has pushed forward its creative city initiatives based on the Basic Policy for Promoting “Creative City Hamamatsu,” adopted in March 2013, while simultaneously presenting Hamamatsu’s future vision of “A creative city built on civil collaboration, shining into the future.”
Moreover, in December 2014, Hamamatsu was designated as a member of the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Creative Cities Network as the first Asian city in the thematic area of music. The city is highly regarded for its projects that spring from Hamamatsu being a center of music industry. These projects include those such as the Hamamatsu International Piano Competition and ACT City Academy of Music; the Hamamatsu Museum of Musical Instruments, where musical instruments from all over the world are exhibited from unbiased perspectives; and most importantly, the enthusiastic and lively music activities of all the citizens.
Currently, besides music-related projects, there is a large and growing number of activities run by artists and creators who encourage more active local communities. The ideology of creative cities is to have creative activities utilizing the city’s unique regional culture and assets be actively carried out, leading to the generation of new value, culture and industries and raising the quality and affluence of life for its citizens. For Hamamatsu, with the city covering a vast area spanning urban sections to hilly and mountainous regions, this way of thinking can serve as a driving force to solve various challenges in the local community through civil cooperation and furthermore to enhance the appeal of the region.
Henceforth, Hamamatsu City will make use of its creative city branding and domestic and international networks to engage in exchange and human resource development with other creative cities, connecting this to the further development of Hamamatsu, including promotion of related industries.
Hamamatsu Creative City Promotion Council, as an organization coordinating collaboration among industry, academia, civic and city government, has been promoting initiatives being done by various organizations and groups through action programs to heighten the level of richness living here and to realize “Creative City Hamamatsu” for the past 5 years since 2015.
After the designation of UNESCO Creative City Network in 2014, the international exchanges have been increasing, civic groups here become more positive and thus the level of their creative actions has been improved. This has led us to consider there needs to further improve the environment to support such actions. Therefore, we have started new initiatives for Hamamatsu to be a more attractive creative city since this year.
In the design world, there often comes a topic of discussion about the relationship between “Product Design” and “Experience Design.” Hamamatsu, as a city of manufacturing, is well known by its long- standing excellence of “Product Design.” Now we aim to promote and strengthen initiatives for rich and fulfilling “Experience Design,” which will transform Hamamatsu into a more creative-rich city.
Hamamatsu Creative City Promotion Council will make use of our own culture and promote initiatives to aim for everlasting developments of “Creative City Hamamatsu” with cultural abundance and rich economy.
2. Hamamatsu: An Overview
Area：1,558.06km²
Population: approx.800,000
Hamamatsu is in Shizuoka Prefecture, where Mt. Fuji is located. Located between Tokyo and Osaka, Hamamatsu has been a part of the comings and goings of people and products since long ago. As such, Hamamatsu has a free-spirited nature, not to mention a character of autonomy and independence from having accepted the cultures and people of other regions. In this atmosphere, global entrepreneurs and inventors arose in a variety of industries including musical instruments, motorcycles, and automobiles.
3. Hamamatsu City Creative City Promotion Council
(1) Founding Objectives
Based on the principles of the Basic Policy for Promoting “Creative City Hamamatsu,” the council’s objective is to further the development of “Creative City Hamamatsu” through: * Support of diverse creative projects initiated by the citizens of Hamamatsu, and* Interaction and cooperation with domestic and international creative cities.
(2) Structure of the Council
〈 Establishment of the Expert Committees 〉
- Organizations under the umbrella of the Hamamatsu City Creative City Promotion Council that are responsible for the planning of specific projects promoting Hamamatsu as a creative city.
- The Expert Committee on Music had been established from fiscal 2014 to 2015.
(3) Projects
The Hamamatsu City Creative City Promotion Council shall engage in the following work:
- ①Development of project plans in accordance with the principles of the Basic Policy and progress management of said projects;
- ②Interaction and cooperation with other creative cities, domestically and internationally;
- ③Development of personnel and training of leaders to support and take forward the Creative City;
- ④Investigations, research and proposals regarding Creative City policies;
- ⑤Promotion and provision of information regarding “Creative City Hamamatsu
- ⑥Other projects that contribute to the aims of the Council
(4) Council Members (As of June 17, 2022)
Inaugurated April 2014
※Swipe the table sideways.
| Title | Name | Field | Title and Representing Organization |
|---|---|---|---|
| President | MIYATA Keisuke | Higher Education | Dean Faculty of Design Shizuoka University of Art and Culture |
| Vice-President | SIMANO Satoshi | City Administration | Director General for Cultural Promotion Hamamatsu City |
| Vice-President | TERADA Seiko | City-related Organization |
Executive Director Hamamatsu Cultural Foundation |
| Vice-President | IKUMA Masahiro | Business | General Manager Information and Culture Department Hamamatsu Chamber of Commerce and Industry |
| Vice-President | HIMORI Ryuichi | Civic Organization | Director Association for Creative City Hamamatsu |
| Vice-President | TAKEUCHI Yasushi | City-related Organization |
Director and General Manager Hamamatsu & Lake Hamana Tourism Bureau |
| Vice-President | FUJINO Hitosi | City Administration | Director General Industrial Department Hamamatsu City |
| Treasurer | NAGAI Satoko | Higher Education | Professor Faculty of Cultural Policy and Management Shizuoka University of Art and Culture |
| Treasurer | SUZUKI Shuji | City Administration | Director General for Tourism and Brand Promotion Hamamatsu City |
4. The Expert Committee on Music（2014-2015）
(1) Areas of Research
The Committee debated the potential of and various challenges facing Hamamatsu as it works towards becoming a creative city of music, from the following three perspectives:
- ①The promotion of music culture;
- ②The promotion of music industries;
- ③The development of music personnel.
(2) Committee Members
Inaugurated April 2014
※Swipe the table sideways.
| Name | Field | Affiliation and Title |
|---|---|---|
| Hideharu Umeda | Higher Education | Professor Faculty of Cultural Policy and Management Shizuoka University of Art and Culture |
| Ikuro Mine | Higher Education | Professor Department of Industrial Design Faculty of Design Shizuoka University of Art and Culture |
| Katsuya Nakamura | Industry | Vice General Manager Human Resources & General Administration Division YAMAHA Corporation |
| Kazuhiro Kaneko | Industry | Managing Director General Manager Kawai Musical Instruments Mfg. Co., Ltd. |
| Yasushi Aihara | Industry | General Manager Corporate Communication Department Roland Corporation |
| Hiroo Okabe | Citizen Musical Activity |
Vice Chairman Hamamatsu Symphony Orchestra |
| Masashi Kobayashi | Citizen Musical Activity |
Managing Directorn Secretary Generaln Hamamatsu Philharmonic Orchestra |
| Fumihito Tsuchiya | Citizen Musical Activity |
Vice Chairperson of the Board of Directors Hamamatsu City Band Federation Music Director Conductor Hamamatsu Uminohoshi High School Wind Ensemble Club |
| Noriko Hatsumura | Citizen Musical Activity |
Vice Chairperson of the Board of Directors Hamamatsu City Choral Federation Leader Conductor Hamamatsu Lionet Children’s Choir |
| Kazuhiro Shimizu | Citizen Musical Activity |
Representative officer Executive Committee of Yaramaika Music Festival in Hamamatsu Music Director, dolce wind orchestra |
| Yumiko Takahashi | Citizen Musical Activity |
Instructor Hamamatsu Gakugei High School Art Department Instructor Concert Host Training Seminar Hamamatsu ACT City Academy of Music |
| Motonori Ikuma | Related Organization |
Trustee in charge of General Affairs Shizuoka University of Art and Culture |
| Yasushi Goto | Related Organization |
Manager Cultural Promotion Division Hamamatsu Cultural Foundation |
| Kazuhiko Shima | Related Organization |
Director Hamamatsu Museum of Musical Instruments Hamamatsu Cultural Foundation |
