Tokyo/Tama
From World travel guide
Tama (多摩) is a western suburban city of Tokyo.
Contents |
Understand
One of the first things you see on arrival at Tama Center train station is a glowing sign proclaiming "Tama is Hello Kitty's Town". Although there is more to Tama, getting up-close-and-personal with Sanrio's signature feline is the main draw for visitors to this suburban area of Tokyo.
Get in
The Keio and Odakyu private railways operate out of Shinjuku Station. Using either of these lines, you can reach Tama in about 40 minutes.
On the Keio line (¥330), take a Rapid (kaisoku; 快速) or Express (kyūkō; 急行) train bound for Hashimoto, and get off at Keio Tama Center (京王多摩センター). These trains generally leave from Shinjuku every 10 minutes during most of the day, with departures alternating between the main Keio platforms, and the adjacent Toei Shinjuku Line platforms. (Toei Shinjuku Line trains merge with the Keio line at Sasazuka.)
On the Odakyu line (¥360), the stop for Tama is, appropriately, Odakyu Tama Center (小田急多摩センター). You'll need to change to a Tama Line train at Shin-Yurigaoka (新百合ヶ丘).
The Tama Toshi Monorail is less useful, but connects to the JR Chuo Line at Tachikawa.
See
- Tama Zoo[1]. Like its better-known counterpart in Ueno, this park is run by the Tokyo municipal government. While it's not spectacularly large, the conditions seem more humane than at the older Ueno Zoo, which many western visitors find downright depressing. Directly across the street from the entrance to the Tama Zoo is a small train museum, including a very large model train set. No charge.
- Tama Center is a major shopping center, and if you're this far from central Tokyo, it's probably worth your while to do some shopping here before making a special trip all the way to Shinjuku or Ginza. As Tama Center has become a major destination for residents of western Tokyo, it's grown from a big lifeless mall to a local landmark. Musicians, jugglers and other performers often play at the station, and the mall is illuminated for Christmas from November 6th to the New Year. Though Christmas lights are not a Japanese tradition, neither are big suburban shopping malls. Perhaps that's why the brilliant display attracts so many visitors.
Do
The main attraction in Tama is Sanrio Puroland ([2]), a theme park dedicated to Hello Kitty and her cute clones.
Children may also enjoy a visit to Yomiuri Land, a local amusement park.
Tama Chuo Koen is a park with a lot of nature and a pretty big pond. It's nice to see people reading books, talking, and sitting on the grass.
There is a local radio station called FM-Tama. You can get local information on Tama.
Buy
Visit a department store called Mitsukoshi. This department store is famous for its long-standing prestige. There are branches of Mitsukoshi throughout Japan.
Go to a cake shop Grand Cru. Their Cream-filled Rolled Sponge Cake is really popular. 840 yen for one cake.
You will see a lot of people lining up to get this delicious cake!!
Eat
Tama has plenty of fastfood and chain restaurants: two Wendy's, three of chain restaurant called "Saizeria", two of the same coffee shops, and two of the same kind of soba restaurants.
Eat Hawaiian food (Roco-Moco and more.) at this good Hawaiian restaurant. It is about 5 minutes walk from Keio Tama Center station.
Drink
Sleep
Splurge
The Keio Plaza Hotel Tama Center is part of this high-end chain of hotels. !
Contact
External links
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