2nd visit to Kasukabe city and Crayon Shin Chan game centre
So hello viewers! Shreyas Atre here.
This time my second visit as a Saitama Love Ambassador was to the Crayon Shinchan Game centre in Kasukabe city.
Now you would wonder why I would go to such a place, that too, alone for my visit, and why I would not go to someplace better suited for adults. But since Crayon Shin Chan is a cartoon (or for want of a better word, anime) which is known worldwide and having its origins in Kasukabe city in Saitama Prefecture , I decided that I would go to a place which would symbolize Saitama Prefecture , as well as would establish a good connect with my anime-loving audience at the same time .
So today I will explain how to get to the Shin Chan game centre in Kasukabe city.
First things first, you will have to think about who you want to go with to this place. Now some of you might have guessed already, but this place is suitable for kids and families who want to take their anime loving kids out somewhere on a Sunday afternoon without spending too much money.
So take your kids along with you to this place.
You will require spare change (basically , 100 yen coins) to play these games.
But to my surprise , there was also a 両替 or spare change machine.
In this machine, you can insert notes of denomination of 1000 and get coins in exchange.
So you don’t have to worry about not having any change!
( I have also given the picture of the spare change machine below)
The pictures below (to the left , the money exchange machine and to the right , a Shinchan Purikura or photo machine in which you can take photos and decorate them with Shinchan beside you!
Firstly , you would want to exchange notes for coins by the exchange machine which can be done in 2 simple steps as shown below. I inserted a 500 yen coin and got 5*100 yen coins as shown below.
The next thing I did was I took a Shinchan Purikura.(プリクラ)
Here are some pictures that explain how you can be creative with your purikura.
1)Select the picture frame you want your photo in. You will have to carry out all the selections with a small pen on the corner of the machine since the touch screen will not respond to finger touch.
2)Look at the centre of the camera in front of you. The machine will take your picture 2 times.
3)Select 決定 or ENTER in Japanese. It is the big red button
4)After writing and decorating your picture , print it out by pressing the PRINT or 印刷 button.
5)You will find your printed photo at the side.
You will find your printed photos at the side of the machine . Take a look at the picture to the right.
This thing costs 400 yen.
There is also a section where you can buy Shinchan Merchandise. You can take it to the counter near the entrance and purchase it. The picture to the right shows the merchandise I bought on my visit.This place is an amusement arcade, so there is also a game besides “Shincan”.
But kids would love this place so if you have kids and want a good place for a Sunday outing , so this is it!
Access
As for how to reach the Crayon Shin Chan game centre, it is located near a station called Kasukabe （春日部市）to which you will have to go by train. Going by train is the simplestway, since I really don’t have information about how to go there by bus. It is located 5 minutes by walk from the Kasukabe station so even if you are planning to go by the bus I would suggest getting off at the Kasukabe station.
Since Omiya station is at the centre of the entire transportation hub in Saitama, I shall guide you step –by-step on how to reach the Crayon Shin Chan game centre in Kasukabe. So the first thing I did is I went to Omiya station first.
You will find this place in almost all of my articles from now on .
This is the central waiting area , also known as the tourist information booth located in the centre of the station . You will see it immediately on your front as you exit the station.
To get to Kasukabe city, go to the LEFTof this structure.
I mean walk eastwards straight until you will find a dead end which splits into 2 ways, one to the left and one to the right. Then again, take a LEFT turn over there.
All we have to do is find the Tobu-Noda line which will take us to Kasukabe.(東武野田線)
It is also called the Tobu Urban Park Line. (東武アーバンパークライン)
You will see a yellow signboard on your top as you take your second left turn.
After that get down, and you will find 2 platforms .
You will have to board the train bound for Kasukabe , so board the one on your LEFT and not the one on your right. There are 9 stops till Kasukabe so the best part is that you won’t have to change trains in between.
It should take you exactly 20-21 minutes if you ride on the normal train. (各駅電車)
If it is an express train (急行) , then it should take you even faster , in about 15 minutes and just in 2 stops.
Get down at Kasukabestation .(春日部).
Then all you have to do is find the WEST EXIT (西口)and exit the station .
I have marked the signboard in red circles so you will get an idea where to look for.
Go down the stairs , and exit the station.
You will greeted by the next sight as you get out of the station.
Kasukabe city could be called as a small town , I feel .
You will find a small circular structure in front of you where you will find a taxi stand .
All you have to do is just go EASTWARDS or to the LEFT of this structure.
As you exit the station , just walk towards the left on and on .
You will be greeted by the following sights on your way as you walk leftwards. Ah, Beautiful Kasukabe! I don’t know why but the quiet in this city had a charm of its own.
The taxi stand I was talking about on the left.
You should just walk along the lines of this track and try to find a building called LALA garden.
I just asked the station in-charge where to go , and he told me just to go on walking until I could actually see the building. (It is not easy to spot from this angle , so you will have to walk further).
Go straight to the red arrow in the picture and take a LEFT turn.
You will find a railway track on your left. Keep walking along the railway lines until you walk for about 2 blocks and then TURN RIGHT. WALK STRAIGHT AFTER TURNING RIGHT AGAIN.
If my instructions are confusing , just ask someone. I did. Almost all of the locals know this place so you will not have trouble finding this place .
Enter this building , and go up the escalator and walk straight.
Walk straight along the corridor and then turn right. You will find another escalator.
This will be your final escalator . Go up on the escalator again and you will find the Crayon Shinchan Game centre on your right!
Hooray! You did it!
Now enter the game centre , and if you have any questions , there is an information centre on your immediate left. ( I couldn’t take a picture of the information booth .) You will find Shinchan movie posters of the upcoming and the latest films on your right side. There on your left you will find all sorts of kiddy machines where you can enjoy games such as picking up soft toys, car racing simulation .
Date of visit : 24th November , 2017
Weather : Sunny ( Since it is an indoor recreational place , bad weather will not affect any of your plans!)
Suitable for : Kids, Family outings
Admission Fee Free
Opening 10 AM-8 PM
Address 3rd floor, lala garden kasukabe, Minami, Kasukabe-shi1-1-1, Saitama, 344-0064
Official site http://www.pleasurecast.co.jp/shinchan/
取材協力 ゲーセン クレヨンしんちゃん 嵐を呼ぶ ブリブリシネマスタジオ
URL: http: //shinchan-game-cinema.jp/
© Usui Kiito / Futabasha, Shin Eye, TV Asahi, ADK
