Tsudanuma

Tsudanuma (Japanese:津田沼) is a name of place in Narashino city, Chiba Prefecture, Japan.

Transportation

Main Stations

*JR Tsudanuma station (Sobu Line) (Local and Rapid Lines)
*Shin-Tsudanuma station (Shin-Keisei Line)
*Keisei Tsudanuma station (Keisei Line)

Although Keisei Tsudanuma station is technically in Tsudanuma, it is far from the other two stations and the majority of development in Tsudanuma. Most people who want to go to Tsudanuma have to transfer from the Keisei Line to the Shin-Keisei Line at Tsudanuma station and take the Shin-Keisei line to Shin-Tsudanuma station. Conversely, people living in Tsudanuma who want to use the Keisei Line usually take the Shin-Keisei Line to Keisei Tsudanuma station.

JR Tsudanuma station features a statue of a naked adolescent boy looking confused, and another statue of a tree trunk with the branches cut short and small children climbing it. The significance of either is unclear. Those who wish to ponder the meaning of crowds of tiny children climbing trees may sit on the circle of seats at the perimeter of the statue's base. The station has footbridges at both exits, and they become extremely slippery when wet, so pedestrians should always exercise caution when using them, particularly on the stairs on the north exit.

As with most major stations in Japan, there are often people hawking various services standing in front of JR station who will thrust fliers or packets of tissues in front of you, or less often hang around wearing sandwich boards.

Bus Service

There is a fleet of Shin-Keisei buses which depart from JR Tsudanuma station. Magnetic fare cards can be purchased from the bus driver on the buses themselves or from various vending machines at major stations. Commuter passes may also be purchased from booths on the ground level of JR Tsudanuma station, right next to a haircut salon. For foreigners buying a commuter pass, expect to be asked (in Japanese) if you are a student or not (students get a discounted rate), the destination stop's name, the length of the pass in months, from when you want your pass to be effective (that day or the next day, for example), and your name, which you will be asked to write on a small form. Most buses run from about six in the morning to about midnight from the station. Passengers must pay or show their commuter passes when boarding the bus when it is headed toward the station, and when exiting the bus when it is headed away from the station. This means that passengers never pay or show their commuter pass at the station, since of course this would take a very long time when the bus is full. The buses are always clean and punctual, but legroom is wanting in the seats and the buses are often completely full during rush hour--standing room only.

Be aware, however, that the last bus's fare is mysteriously double that of the normal fare, and a commuter pass will not cover it. Some people may object to paying about three USD for five minutes on a cramped bus.

Taxi Service

Taxis depart from JR Tsudanuma station, and as with all taxis in Japan tend to be expensive to use but are the only available mode of transportation between about midnight and five in the morning.

Character

Overall Tsudanuma is a residential area, largely by virtue of being part of the suburbs of Tokyo. Most residents of the Chiba area have little reason to visit Tsudanuma except for shopping unless they live or work there. Since it is a stop on the Sobu rapid line to Tokyo, it is a convenient location for people who need to travel to the capital often, but for others is is a less desirable location because it is busy compared to many other areas of Chiba and it is relatively expensive by virtue of being close to Tokyo. On the one hand it is not very attractive since it is so heavily developed but on the other hand it is not particularly interesting. It is a low-lying area and water has to be continually removed from the ground--the name literally means harbor field swamp--so there are a lot of mosquitoes which can be found well into December. The area is also known for the unusual number of pigeons which gather at JR Tsudanuma station and the flocks of small birds which live on the campus of the Chiba Institute of Technology.

Public Services

There is a koban on the southern exit of the station, as well as Narashino Bunka Hall and a small park. There is a post office off the north exit of JR Tsudanuma station, one at Maebara nearby and another at Narashino. There is also a hospital in Maebara. Everything else in Tsudanuma is a business of some kind; there is no reason to be there unless you intend to buy something or go home for those who live there--as is the case with most of Chiba prefecture. Since the place is administratively part of Funabashi, all other government services are there or in Narashino. The most convenient library from Tsudanuma is probably Chiba City Central Library: follow the signs when leaving the main exit of JR Chiba station.

Department Stores

* Parco
* JUSCO, the grocery and pharmacy sections of which (on the ground floor) are open 24 hours, seven days a week. In the grocery section there is an alcohol area with a respectable selection.
* Ito-Yokado
* Mina

Commerce

Relatively economical groceries can be bought at the local Seiyu and reasonably-priced clothing can be found at UNIQLO in Mina and at Aeon or Ito Yokado nearby. One the fifth floor of the same building that houes Seiyu, there is a Muji, but the only sign for it is in Japanese (無地良品). Expensive clothes can be found at Parco. English-speaking residents may also be interested in the (small) selection of English books at Maruzen which is located at the south exit of JR station.

As with most cities there are also several banks including Chiba Ginkou and Mitsubishi Bank, as well as many soba shops, sushi shops, coffee shops, real estate offices, glasses stores, and ramen shops.

Among foreigners in the area Tsudanuma is known as the location of a bar named Sala, commonly known as The Tent because in winter a tent is erected over the outdoor area. Sala has a Mexican theme and calls itself "the closest thing to heaven" but may not actually be the closest thing to heaven. Rather, it may be a pickup bar with relatively cheap drinks. Sala is located in an area of Tsudanuma which includes many restaurants, bars, and a club, located on the north exit of the station and on the left, behind the businesses on the main street.

Until early November 2007, the north exit of Tsudanuma station was dominated by a giant neon sign for Nova. About a week after Nova began the process for filing for bankruptcy on October 25, 2007, the sign was turned off and several weeks after that it was taken down, and currently the space is available for other advertisers. The Nova branch in Tsudanuma itself, which until then had been a relatively busy one, has not been re-opened and may never be. The same is true of a small Nova satellite branch for kids' classes which used to operate in the kids' section of Aeon in Tsudanuma. The competing eikaiwa ECC and Shane are, however, still doing business in branches on the north exit.

Education

There are a number of public schools in the area as well as the Chiba Institute of Technology and O-Hara Graduate School. For continuing education, Narashino Bunka Hall (習志野文化ホール) is located on the south exit of JR Tsudanuma station.

External links

* [http://www.it-chiba.ac.jp/english/ Chiba Institute of Technology]
* [http://www.o-hara.ac.jp/senmon/kantou/shisetsu/tsudanuma.html O-Hara Graduate School (Tsudanuma Branch) (Japanese)]
* [http://www.mina-tsudanuma.com/ Mina Tsudanuma (Japanese)]
* [http://www.shinkeisei.co.jp/bus/rs_tsdnm.html Bus Routes from JR Tsudanuma Station (Japanese)]
* [http://www1.seaple.ne.jp/narabunh/ Narashino Bunka Hall (Japanese)]