Social Residence Tama Plaza is located in a high-end residential neighborhood of Yokohama. In fact, Tama Plaza was the first Social residence ever opened! While the house itself has a European-style lounge, fitness studio, theater room, and other attractive facilities, what about the town itself? We took a stroll around to see with some residents!

Everything you need for daily life
The area around Tama Plaza station has a large supermarket, shopping area, department store, restaurants, clothing stores, and many more, making it a convenient place not just to live but to shop. There are even a few different supermarkets and drug stores for more options. Of course there are several convenience stores on the way to the house as well, perfect for if you forgot something on the way or need to pick up something at night.

Spend a nice day on an open terrace
There are many nice cafes around Tama Plaza station, perfect for having lunch with your friends or sipping coffee while reading a book on a nice day. From large chains to hidden gems off the beaten path, you're sure to find "your" cafe. Even our residents were surprised to find places they'd never seen before.

Craft beer in Tama Plaza
Craft beer has seen increasing popularity recently in Japan. This store has a rotating menu of over 10 kinds of craft beer. On weekends only they also have lunch, serving hamburg steaks, keema curry, pizza, alongside salad and a drink. We of course had to try. The staff was friendly and patiently explained each of the beers. It was fun tasting the various kinds. They also have a store in Jiyugaoka if you are so inclined.

CRAFT BEER KITCHEN　Tama Plaza
1-10-8 2F Utsukusigaoka, Aoba, Yokohama, Kanagawa
URL：https://tabelog.com/kanagawa/A1401/A140201/14052763/

CRAFT BEER KITCHEN　Jiyugaoka
2-9-6 Luz自由が丘 B1F Jiyugaoka, Meguro, Tokyo
URL：https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1317/A131703/13186904/

See Mt. Fuji from the park!
Behind Social Residence Tama Plaza is a big park. There is an observation deck of sorts where you can see the whole town, and on a clear day, even see Mt. Fuji. We tried to get our best shots of the snow-capped mountain.
There is also a really, really long slide! We decided to be brave and go down it. We had lots of fun!
Shin-Ishikawa is a quiet spot in the evenings from which you can have a great view of te city below.

Shin-Ishikawa Park
2-12 Shin-Ishikawa, Aoba, Yokohama, Kanagawa
URL：http://www.city.yokohama.lg.jp/aoba/00life/16doboku/kouen/kouen139.html

Well-loved cake bakery in Tama Plaza
This cake shop just opened last March, 2016. Their huge display case shows off great-looking cakes and other baked goods. They take great care in using fresh fruits and other carefully-selected ingredients. The mont blanc and pistachio cakes were particularly delicious. We wished we could try them all! There is also an eat-in space so you can enjoy tea time there as well.

BABON
1-5-3 Utsukusigaoka, Aoba, Yokohama, Kanagawa
URL：http://www.babon.jp

Tama Plaza is a great place to shop, but you can also take in the beauty of the changing seasons. In the fall, the streets are lined with leaves in fall colors, but in the spring they become washed in the pink of the sakuras lining the roads. You may find yourself pausing to appreciate the beauty when walking around. As the town gets busier with more families and development, you can still take a breather among the different things the seasons bring.

We hope you enjoyed our look at Tama Plaza! It's a beautiful area, with many families, nice cafes, all the things you need for your daily life, and just a nice place to live. Plus, you have great access to Tokyo and Yokohama. At the north end of Tama Plaza station as well as around Azamino station there are lots of izakayas and place to drink with your friends and housemates. You can find takoyaki or Okinawan food too, as well as plenty of ramen shops.
After we finished our Exploration, we sat down and enjoyed the cakes we'd bought from BABON. We were full from our lunch, but the cakes put a nice sweet touch on a great day!