Tama
Tama (多摩市 Tama-shi) is a western suburban city of Tokyo. 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 part of Tokyo.
Understand
[edit]Tama is a sprawling place, but the central, city-like bit of it is, appropriately enough, known as Tama Center (多摩センター), and Tama's three train/monorail lines converge here.
Tourist information site
[edit]The city has official info pages in English on Guidoor.
Get in
[edit]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 for those coming from central Tokyo; it connects to the JR Chuo Line at Tachikawa.
See
[edit]- 1 Tama Zoological Park (多摩動物公園), 7-1-1 Hodokubo, Hino, ☏ +81 42-591-1611. 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 (Keio Rail Land), including a very large model train set. free.
- 2 Tama Center (多摩センター). "Tama Center" is the central commercial area for the huge Tama New Town districts, not a single mall. A major shopping area, 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. Musicians, jugglers and other performers often play at the station, and the malls are illuminated for Christmas from November to the New Year.
- Aeon Cinema Tama Center (In Cocolia Tama Center.).
Do
[edit]
There is a local radio station called FM-Tama that has information on local events.
- 1 Tama Chuo Koen (多摩中央公園), 2-35 Ochiai, ☏ +81 42-338-6837. 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.
- 2 Sanrio Puroland (サンリオピューロランド), 1-3 Ochiai (5 minutes walk from Tama center staition), ☏ +81 42-339-1111. M-F 10:00-20:00, Sa 10:00-17:00. A theme park dedicated to Hello Kitty and her cute clones. Adults ¥4,000, youth (12-17) ¥3,700, juniors (4-11) ¥3,000.
- 3 Gokurakuyu (極楽湯), 1-30-1 Ochiai, ☏ +81 42-357-8626. A large public hot spring.
Buy
[edit]- 1 Grand Cru (グラン・クリュ), 3-9-22 Ochiai, ☏ +81 42-376-0141. A cake shop. The cream-filled rolled sponge cake is popular. \1000 for a sponge cake.
- 2 Cross Garden Tama (クロスガーデン多摩), 2-33 Ochiai (A ten minute walk from Tama Station.), ☏ +81 42-313-8439. Buy miscellaneous goods, clothes, furnitures, and accessories! There are some restaurants, too.
Eat
[edit]Tama has plenty of fast food and chain restaurants, including two Wendy's and three Saizeriyas.