Arrived in Hamamatsu today and immediately visited the ruins of Hamamatsu Castle and the garden. The tower and the entrance gate have been reconstructed. Entry to the tower, including a video presentation with English subtitles, costs just 200 yen (about €1). The staff at the tower were incredibly friendly, and there are volunteers in the general area who are happy to provide more information and help tourists with photos.
The garden is currently (until 04th of march I think) been maintained but still beautiful to walk through.
A local pensioner approached me and took the time to explain various things about the castle and the garden.
Funnily enough, he thought I was French, even though I didn't have a baguette in my hand!
In the end we managed to do it together, using a mix of English and Japanese. Unfortunately, he was too shy to have his picture taken.
kokurya