Expressive bread at Pain Pati bakery in Machida, Japan, on April 3, 2024. (Claire Jenq/Stars and Stripes)
Grandberry Park, a sprawling shopping outlet in Machida only 30 minutes from Camp Zama, the headquarters of U.S. Army Japan in greater Tokyo, is a breezy option to beat the heat this summer.
With more than 240 stores, including a market, a movie theater and multiple play spaces, there’s something for everyone in the family.
First, start your morning with a latte at Cat Café MOFF. The cost is 700 yen, or $4.36, for 30 minutes, then 250 yen for every 10 minutes afterward. There’s a maximum of 1,900 yen on weekdays and 2,900 yen on weekends. Children under 3 years of age are free.
As with many cat cafes in Japan, entrance also requires that visitors purchase a drink from the cafe menu. While there are many tempting beverages, including fruit-flavored sodas, the menu’s real highlights are the drinks that come with latte art. Patrons can choose their favorite cat from the cafe’s list, which features actual cats at the cafe, and its picture will be printed on foam.
There are cozy, semi-private booths all throughout the facility where cats lounge lackadaisically on tables, towers and pillows.
A Somali cat known as Sorari at Cat Cafe MOFF on June 28, 2024. (Claire Jenq/Stars and Stripes)
Remove your shoes, settle in and sip your latte while surrounded by the soft, furry animals. Make sure to follow the cafe’s cat coding system. Cats without a collar are friendly and fine to pet. A blue collar means cats may nip when taking treats, and a red collar means hands off.
After half an hour of relaxation, walk the circumference of Grandberry Park. Window shop or pop into any store that strikes your fancy. There are outlet shops for many brands that Americans will recognize, such as Under Armor, Gap and Coach.
Alternatively, you could walk to Tsuruma Park, adjacent to the shopping center. There are walking paths and playgrounds perfect for letting children burn off any restless energy.
Visit Seafood Jo’s for an American-style seafood lunch once you’ve worked up an appetite. The seafood skillet with shrimp and mussels, simmered until tender in a garlicky white wine sauce, is to die for.
A bowl of shoyu ramen served at Afuri in Machida, Japan, Nov. 22, 2023. (Claire Jenq/Stars and Stripes)
Another great restaurant option is Afuri, especially if you’re vegan. This ramen chain offers a rich vegetable broth as well as meat and seafood options in a modern and aesthetic venue.
Further around the outlet is a large splash pad. Make sure to pack a towel and a change of clothes, as children are irresistibly drawn to the sparkling streams of water. Parents can relax in the shade while seated on the steps of a large staircase above the splash pad. There’s a Gong Cha at the top of the stairs where you can order refreshing Taiwanese teas for takeout.
Children enjoy the splash pad on a hot day at Grandberry Park on June 29, 2024. (Claire Jenq/Stars and Stripes)
Finish your day buying groceries at Gathering Market. Stop by Nakayo Shoten for fresh fish and seafood. There’s a delicious bakery called Pain Pati where you can purchase western and Japanese breads and pastries. Buying a treat like pain au chocolat or melonpan to eat on the trip home is the sweetest way to end your day at Grandberry Park.
On the QT
Location: Grandberry Park, 194-8589 Tokyo, Machida, Tsuruma, 3 Chome-４-1
Directions: Just over an hour drive from Yokota Air Base, a half hour from Camp Zama and just over 20 minutes from Naval Air Facility Atsugi. By train, 25 minutes from Odakyu Sagamihara Station.
Times: Open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily
Costs: Parking in the garage is 250 yen for 30 minutes. Three hours for free with combined purchases above 20,000 yen, around $123.
Food: Many restaurants and cafes
Information: Online: gbp.minamimachida-grandberrypark.com/en
