Tama Ward, enriched by the lush natural environment of the Tama River and the Tama Hills, fuses old traditions with new development. In June of 2002 the ward's population exceeded 200,000.
Once famous nationwide for its production of the Tama River Pear, the area has seen a reduction in the amount of cultivated land for fruit amid the wave of urbanization in recent years. However, many farms open to the public still operate along the Nikaryo Yosui Canal today.
Additionally, in one corner of the Tama Hills is the expansive Ikuta Park where the Japan Open-air Folk House Museum, displaying authentic traditional Japanese houses, the Taro Okamoto Museum of Art, Kawasaki, exhibiting the works of Kawasaki's own avant-garde artist Taro Okamoto, and the Seishonen Science Museum, which includes a planetarium and displays relating to Kawasaki's natural environment, can all be found. The area surrounding Ikuta Park is also home to a university and dotted with cultural and educational facilities, making it a popular destination for city residents.
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| The Tama River | The Tama River Pear | Nikaryo Yosui Canal |
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| Japan Open-Air Folk House Museum | The Rose Garden in Ikuta Park | “Tower of Mother” (The Taro Okamoto Museum of Art) |
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| Seaside Portrait”, oil painting by Taro Okamoto, 1973 (The Taro Okamoto Museum of Art) | The planetarium in Seishonen Science Museum is equipped with "Megastar-II Phoenix" that can project approximately 4.1 million stars. |