Things to Do in Tama City, Tokyo

Tama City is best treated as two small bases rather than one big destination: Tama Center (Sanrio Puroland, a free archaeology museum and a large park, all walkable from the station) and Seiseki Sakuragaoka (the hillside town that inspired Studio Ghibli’s Whisper of the Heart). Both are on the Keio Line from Shinjuku, and you can comfortably do one in half a day or both in a full day.

This guide groups things to do by area so you can decide which half of Tama fits your trip, and what is worth adding if you have extra time.

Tama at a glance

Area	Best for	Time needed	Getting there
Tama Center	Sanrio fans, families, rainy days, free museums	Half day to full day	Keio, Odakyu or Tama Monorail to Tama Center (多摩センター) Station
Seiseki Sakuragaoka	Ghibli fans, walkers, hilltop views, cherry blossoms	2–4 hours	Keio Line to Seiseki-sakuragaoka (聖蹟桜ヶ丘) Station
Tama Zoo (Hino City, next door)	Animal lovers, families	Half day	Tama Monorail from Tama Center

GO TOKYO puts the trip from Shinjuku (新宿) to Tama Center at about 35 minutes by Keio semi-limited express or Odakyu rapid express (as of October 2026). For step-by-step routes, see our one-day trip guide.

Tama Center: Sanrio and more

Sanrio Puroland

The main reason most visitors come. Puroland is an indoor theme park built around Hello Kitty and other Sanrio characters, with live shows, character greetings and themed photo spots. Because it is indoors, it works in any weather. Ticket prices vary by date, so check the official site before you go. We cover the surrounding area in Things to Do Near Sanrio Puroland.

The Sanrio details outside the park

You do not need a ticket to notice that Tama Center leans into Hello Kitty. Tama City has run a “town where you can meet Hello Kitty” initiative with local businesses since 2002. According to the city, this includes:

• Sanrio character decorations at Keio Tama Center Station
• A Hello Kitty and Shimajiro monument in Shimajiro Plaza
• Hello Kitty manhole covers around the station area
• Hello Kitty flags on street lamps along the main streets

Our Sanrio details walk lists what to look for between the station and Puroland.

Tokyo Metropolitan Archaeological Center and Jomon Village

A genuinely free option that most English guides skip. The center displays finds from the Tama New Town excavations, and its outdoor garden, Jomon Village, has reconstructed prehistoric dwellings. As of October 2026 the official site lists:

• Hours: 9:30–17:00 (from November to February, the Jomon Village garden closes at 16:30)
• Admission: free for both the exhibition hall and the garden
• Closed: December 29 to January 3, plus some maintenance and exhibition-change days (for example October 26 and November 24, 2026, February 1 and March 8–19, 2027). On those days only the exhibition hall closes; the outdoor Jomon Village stays open

Check the official calendar before going, as extra closures are announced there.

Tama Central Park and Parthenon Tama

About a 5-minute walk from Tama Center Station, Tama Central Park is roughly 11 hectares of lawns, a large pond, play areas and a cafe, next to the Parthenon Tama cultural center and the central library. It reopened after a large renovation in April 2025. It is the easiest place in Tama Center to sit down outside with children between other activities.

Shopping and a hot bath

GO TOKYO also lists Cocolia Tama Center, a shopping mall by the station, and Gokurakuyu Tama Center, a bathhouse with indoor and outdoor baths and saunas. Check opening hours on their own sites before you plan around them.

Seiseki Sakuragaoka: Ghibli and hills

The Whisper of the Heart walk

Seiseki Sakuragaoka is the model for the town in Whisper of the Heart. The classic walk goes from the station up the winding Iroha-zaka slope into a hilltop residential area. It is a real neighborhood, not a theme park, so keep voices down and do not photograph private homes. Start with our Seiseki Sakuragaoka guide and follow the walking route.

Sakuragaoka Park and the Former Tama Seiseki Memorial Hall

A large wooded park on the hills above Seiseki, known for cherry blossoms. Inside the park, the Former Tama Seiseki Memorial Hall was built in 1930 to commemorate Emperor Meiji’s visits to the area. According to GO TOKYO (as of October 2026):

• Admission is free
• Open 10:00–16:00 on Tuesdays, Thursdays to Sundays and holidays
• Closed Mondays, Wednesdays and over New Year, with extra closures on some Tuesdays in summer and winter

The nearest bus stop is Kinenkan-mae; buses run from Seiseki-sakuragaoka Station.

Next door: Tama Zoological Park

Strictly speaking, Tama Zoo is in Hino City, but it is only a short Tama Monorail ride from Tama Center, so it pairs naturally with a Tama trip. The official site lists (as of October 2026) hours of 9:30–17:00 with entry until 16:00, closed Wednesdays, and adult admission of 600 yen. The park is spread over hills, so plan for walking. See Tama Zoo by Monorail.

Seasonal reasons to visit

Season	What happens	Where
Late March to early April	Cherry blossoms along rivers and in parks	Kotta River (Tama Center), Sakuragaoka Park, Iroha-zaka
Mid-November to early January	Tama Center Illumination	Around Tama Center Station
All year	Seasonal events inside Puroland	Sanrio Puroland

Details: Cherry Blossoms in Tama and Tama Center in Winter.

Which half of Tama should you choose?

• Only have half a day and love Sanrio? Tama Center. Puroland plus a walk through the station area.
• Ghibli fan with a few hours? Seiseki Sakuragaoka, ideally in the morning before the day gets hot.
• Traveling with kids? Tama Center: Puroland, Tama Central Park and the free archaeology museum are all within walking distance of the station.
• Rainy day? Tama Center. Puroland and the archaeology center are indoors; see Rainy Day in Tama.
• Full day? Combine both. Keio buses run directly between the two stations, so you do not need to go back toward Shinjuku.

Practical notes

• Hills. Both Seiseki and the Tama Center area are built on hills. Iroha-zaka in particular is steep; wear comfortable shoes.
• Closed days. Several spots close on fixed weekdays (Tama Zoo on Wednesdays; the Memorial Hall on Mondays and Wednesdays). Check before you lock in a date.
• IC cards. Suica or PASMO work on the Keio, Odakyu and Tama Monorail lines and on local buses.
• Station guide. Tama Center has three separate stations (Keio, Odakyu and Monorail) next to each other; see the station guide.