Tokorozawa, Saitama

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**Tokorozawa City**
**所沢市**
Location
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Saitama Prefecture
Physical characteristics
Area	71.99 km²
Population (as of 2006)
Total	339,341
Density	4,713.72/km²
Symbols
Tree	ginkgo
Flower	tea flower
Bird	skylark
Tokorozawa City City Hall
Mayor	Hiroshi Saitou
Address	〒359-8501 Tokorozawa-shi Namiki 1-1-1
Phone number	04-2998-1111
Official website: [1]

Tokorozawa (Japanese: 所沢市; -shi) is a city in Saitama, Japan. It is located in the central part of the Musashino plain, about 30 km west of downtown Tokyo. Tokorozawa can be considered part of the greater Tokyo area; its proximity to the latter and lower housing costs make it a popular bedroom community.

Tokorozawa borders the Tokyo communities of Kiyose City, Higashi-Murayama City, Higashi-Yamato City, Musashi-Murayama City, and Mizuhomachi; and the Saitama communities of Iruma City, Sayama City, Kawagoe City, Miyoshimachi, and Niiza City.

Most of Lake Sayama falls within city boundaries; Lake Tama also touches the south-western part of the city.

Tokorozawa was established as as city on November 3, 1950.

During the Edo Period (1603-1867) the area's major industry was silk textile production.

Tokorozawa is known as "the birthplace of Japanese aviation." It was the site of the first Japanese airport, opened in 1911.

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

The area around Tokorozawa Station's west exit is built up as a shopping district with several department stores. Prope Street is a popular shopping arcade.

Tokorozawa City Hall

Downtown, Tokorozawa Station, west exit

Prope Street

Tokorozawa Aviation Museum

Sayama tea

1 Professional sports teams
2 Points of interest
3 Events
4 Transportation
- 4.1 Railways
- 4.2 Bus
5 Notable people
- 5.1 from Tokorozawa
- 5.2 who live in Tokorozawa
6 Tokorozawa in popular culture
7 Sister cities
8 External links

[edit] Professional sports teams

Logo	Club	Sport	League	Venue	Established	Championships
	Seibu Lions	baseball	Pacific League	Invoice Seibu Dome	1950	12 (Japan Series)
n/a	Saitama Broncos	basketball	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a

[edit] Points of interest

Invoice Seibu Dome, home of the Seibu Lions
Seibu-en, an amusement park
Tokorozawa Aviation Museum, the location of Japan's first airfield.
Sayama Ski Slope, an indoor ski and snowboard resort
UNESCO Village, an educational park with dinosaur exhibits
Muse, Tokorozawa Civic Cultural Centre [2]

[edit] Events

The Tokorozawa Matsuri is a festival held each year in October and features parade floats (mikoshi), taiko drums, and samba dancers.

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Railways

Main station: Tokorozawa Station

Seibu Ikebukuro Line:
- Tokorozawa Station, Nishi-Tokorozawa Station, Kotesashi Station, Sayamagaoka Station

Seibu Shinjuku Line:
- Tokorozawa Station, Koku-koen (Aviation Park) Station, Shin-Tokorozawa Station

Seibu Sayama Line:
- Nishi-Tokorozawa Station, Shimo-Yamaguchi Station, Seibu-Kyujomae (Seibu Dome) Station

Seibu Yamaguchi Line:
- Seibu-Kyujomae (Seibu Dome) Station, Yuenchi-Nishi (Amusement Park, West) Station

JR East Musashino Line:
- Higashi-Tokorozawa Station

[edit] Bus

The city is served by Seibu Bus.

Buses run frequently between Tokorozawa and both Haneda domestic airport and Narita international airport. Buses leave from Tokorozawa Station (east exit) and Higashi-Tokorozawa Station.