Hamamatsu - shopping and music?

Hi there

I'm probably moving from Nagoya to Hamamatsu next year (for work) and I'm trying to research Hamamatsu. I have two questions:

1) What's the shopping like there? Is there a Loft, Tokyu Hands, etc? Any good shops for buying larger clothes, or foreign food?

2) I've heard it's the 'city of music' but I'm having trouble researching that! I've heard of a couple of gigs at the Hamamatsu Arena, but I can't find any gig listings or anything. Any ideas??

Thanks!

P.S. Any other comments about what it's like to live/visit there also appreciated!

Hamamatsu has an international piano competition.

One of the main reasons it's called the "City of Music" is because of the musical instrument factories there:

-Kawai Musical Instruments Mfg.
-Roland Corporation
-Tôkai Gakki (also known as Tokai Guitars Company Ltd.)
-Yamaha Corporation

I've been to a piano factory tour there.