Tokorozawa, Saitama

Tokorozawa (Japanese所 沢 市, -shi) is a city in the Japanese Saitama Prefecture. Tokorozawa can be counted in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Cheap rents and land prices make the city a popular choice for commuters.

Geography

Tokorozawa is located in the central part of the Musashino plain, about 30 km west of Tokyo.

Much of the Sayama Lake falls within the city limits and the Tama Lake touches the southwestern part of the city.

History

The city was founded on November 3, 1950.

Tokorozawa is known as the " birthplace of Japanese aviation". 1911 here the first airfield was opened in Japan. Today on this site is the Tokorozawa Aviation Museum.

Traffic

Railways

  • Seibu Ikebukuro Line: Tokorozawa Station, Station Nishi- Tokorozawa, Kotesashi station, railway station Sayamagaoka
  • Seibu Shinjuku Line: Tokorozawa Station, Station Koku kōen ( Aviation Park), Station Shin- Tokorozawa
  • Seibu Sayama Line: Nishi- Tokorozawa Station, Station Shimo- Yamaguchi Station Seibu Kyūjōmae (before Seibu Stadium )
  • Seibu Yamaguchi Line: Railway Seibu Kyūjōmae, station Yuenchi - Nishi ( West Amusement Park )
  • JR East Musashino Line: Station Higashi- Tokorozawa

Bus

Buses frequently run between Tokorozawa and Haneda and Narita. The buses leave from the east exit of the station and the train Tokorozawa Higashi- Tokorozawa.

Road

  • Kan'etsu highway
  • National Road 463

Attractions

  • Seibu Dome: Home Seibu Lions stage of
  • Seibu -en: an amusement park
  • Tokorozawa Aviation Museum: Japan's first airfield
  • Sayama Ski Slope: indoor ski and snowboarding
  • UNESCO village: educational Dinosaur Park
  • Muse, Tokorozawa Civic Cultural Centre
  • Hachikokuyama: Nature Park, which served as inspiration for My Neighbor Totoro
  • Shinmei Shrine
  • Hatogamine - Hachiman Shrine

The Tokorozawa Matsuri is a festival with a mikoshi, taiko drums and samba dancers, which is celebrated every year in October.

Economy

During the Edo period, the industry was focused on the silk textile production.

Today the city is an agricultural market for locally grown green Sayama tea. Other agricultural products include spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes, burdock, pears and grapes.

Sports

Tokorozawa is the home of the baseball club Saitama Seibu Lions and the basketball team Saitama Broncos. The Seibu Lions moved in 1978 after playing in Tokorozawa and the Seibu Dome. The Saitama Broncos were founded in 1999 and play in the " Municipal Sports Hall Tokorozawa " (所 沢 市民 体育馆, Tokorozawa Shimin taiikukan ).

Personalities

  • Born in Tokorozawa: Yoshiharu Habu ( Shogi player)
  • Tokoro Joji ( Takayuki Haga ): comedian
  • Yutaka Takenouchu: actor

Twinning

  • Decatur, United States, since 1966
  • Changzhou, People's Republic of China, since 1992
  • Anyang, South Korea, since 1998

Adjacent Cities and Towns

  • In the prefecture of Saitama Kawagoe
  • Iruma
  • Sayama
  • Niiza
  • Miyoshi
  • In the prefecture of Tokyo Kiyose
  • Higashimurayama
  • Higashiyamato
  • Musashimurayama
  • Mizuho
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