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5th May 2026: Tokorozawa Sakura Town in Saitama

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/Home › › Tokorozawa Sakura Town We visited Tokorozawa Sakura Town as a family, a cultural complex centered around the Kadokawa Musashino Museum. It has become a new landmark where visitors can explore an inspiring blend of anime, literature, and art across multiple disciplines. One of the main attractions is the large‑scale immersive event “Galaxy Express 999 The Galaxy Experience - That Journey Is Still Continuing” currently held in the Grand Gallery on the first floor.  The event is based on Galaxy Express 999, a beloved 1979 animated film directed by Rintaro and written by Reiji Matsumoto. This anime was one of my favorites when I was still in elementary school. The theme song was sung by Godiego, a very popular band at the time, and I used to play the song on the electronic organ. Set in a distant future where humans can replace their bodies with mechanical ones, the story follows a young boy named Tetsurō who dreams of obtaining a mechanical body to escape p...

3rd May 2026: The Shikinokaori Rose Garden in Hikarigaoka Nerima Tokyo

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/Home › › The Shikinokaori Rose Garden The Shikinokaori Rose Garden in Hikarigaoka, Nerima, opened in 2016 with the theme of “the fragrance of roses,” and has become a cherished place where visitors can enjoy nature with all five senses in the heart of the city.  Admission to the garden is free. The garden is divided into three main areas: the Fragrant Rose Garden, the Color Rose Garden, and the Fragrant Herb Garden. Roses are planted according to six fragrance categories—Damask, Tea, Fruity, Blue, Spicy, and Myrrh—making it one of the few gardens in Japan where each scent is arranged in its own dedicated zone. As you stroll through the pathways, the aroma shifts gently from one area to another, creating a uniquely immersive experience. In the Color Rose Garden, roses are arranged by hue—white, yellow, apricot, pink, red, and blotched varieties—forming beautiful gradations that create a striking, photogenic landscape.  Roses reach their peak in spring and aut...

19th April 2026: Kitada Farm’s Ichigo no Marche (Strawberry Picking) in Tokorozawa

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/Home › › Kitada Farm’s Ichigo no Marche This is a small memory from a quiet spring afternoon. Tokorozawa Kitada Farm’s “Ichigo no Marche,” located in Shimotomi, Tokorozawa, is a popular strawberry-picking spot operated by a historic farm with a 400-year legacy.  Opened to the public in 2014, the facility features elevated cultivation beds that make picking easy for both children and adults. Its barrier-free design also ensures that visitors using strollers or wheelchairs can enjoy the experience comfortably. Classical music plays throughout the greenhouse, and spacious rest areas allow guests to relax while savoring freshly picked strawberries. The main varieties grown here include Akihime, known for its sweetness and mild acidity, and Benihoppe, appreciated for its balanced sweet-and-tart flavor and rich aroma. Depending on the season, Saitama’s original varieties—such as Amarin, Kaorin, and Benitama—are also available. Among them, Amarin is especially well rega...