Tucked into a quiet residential neighborhood in Kurashiki, Okayama, there’s a legendary spot that most visitors to Japan will never stumble across: Tamashima Playland. Open since around 1970, this amusement center — run by the local Pochitama Group — is part karaoke joint, part batting range, part dart bar, and part retro arcade, all crammed into one delightfully chaotic property.
I wasn’t expecting much of a crowd on a weekday afternoon, but there were more visitors than I anticipated. Here’s what I found wandering through every corner of it.
Chaos in the parking lot before you even step inside
The parking lot alone sets the tone. Faded Showa-era rides and playground equipment are scattered around like an afterthought — including an Anpanman ride sitting in front of a backdrop that made for one of the more surreal photo ops of the day.
Nearby, an object I could only guess used to be a merry-go-round seat sat with no clear purpose, adding to the floating, disconnected feeling of the whole space.
Near the entrance, a sign lists operating hours — 11:00 AM to 5:00 AM — right next to a much sterner warning: break the rides, pay a 50,000 yen fine.
I later learned this place used to be a hangout for local biker gangs back in the day, which might explain the tone of that sign. Whatever the reason, it’s clear the owners want these old machines respected and preserved.
Inside: Showa and Heisei nostalgia, side by side
Stepping inside feels like walking into a world where time simply stopped. Showa-retro and Heisei-retro atmospheres blend together seamlessly, and there’s a strange, comforting pull to the place — the kind that makes you want to just stay a while.
Deeper in, past a ladder suspended oddly in midair, the interior spills out into an outdoor area with karaoke rooms, coin games, and free-to-play rides. It’s peak dreamcore. A staircase nearby leads to a second-floor karaoke room, and looking down from above reveals stacks of sofas piled on shelves, along with a slide and a (broken) trampoline — like some kind of secret hideout only locals know about.
Trying the old rides myself
I’d been hoping to try the “King Hammer” machine, but it was out of order. Undeterred, I tried a coin-operated ride instead — 100 yen per go — and it still moved, lit up, and made an impressive amount of noise. The rocking motion had a surprisingly perfect rhythm to it.
Next was a punching game called “Captain Zodiac,” manufactured back in 1993. Its skeleton mascot has seen better days, but the machine itself still works perfectly. Throwing a punch at it was harder than I expected.
Tucked in a corner, a medal game section lets you trade 100 yen for 10 medals. I found an old “Kurohige Kiki Ippatsu” (Pop-Up Pirate) medal game, won a small jackpot almost immediately, and tried my luck on a Pokémon slot machine too — out popped a coin right away. The odds here might be more forgiving than usual.
A basketball court hiding among the arcade machines
Somewhere between all the arcade cabinets, I unexpectedly wandered into a basketball shooting area — 100 yen for 12 shots. I aimed for the easiest hoop and still barely made anything in, though watching the mechanism launch the ball back out was half the fun. Between all the different games, a single day barely feels like enough time to try everything.
A graveyard of forgotten outdoor rides
Outside, dozens of retired rides sit quietly, long since abandoned by the children who once rode them. A stray umbrella rests on one seat; a capsule toy sits forgotten near an Anpanman ride’s feet. Each one has its own distinct design — fun to look at, but tinged with a certain melancholy.
Further back, I found a ride shaped like the Sunflower ferry, plus baseball- and strike-out-themed game booths, both out of service.
There used to be a bento stand in this area too, apparently. The whole outdoor layout reminded me of the rooftop arcades that used to sit atop department stores — and given how many decades this place has survived, it feels almost miraculous that it’s still running at all.
A deceptively difficult ninja game
One game caught my eye — something like “I think I played this as a kid, but I’m not sure.” The rules were simple: hit the ninja target with a ball. Simple doesn’t mean easy, though — I didn’t land a single hit. I also tried something called “Russian Dynamite” for the first time, and lost that one too, but the losing animation was so over-the-top I couldn’t help but laugh. Old arcade games clearly didn’t hold back on personality.
Snack break at a genuinely ancient vending machine
Rather than grab food from the in-house menu, I decided to see what the retro vending machines had to offer. Both machines were types I’d never seen before — insert coins, and a lock releases so you can open the compartment yourself. Food only, no drinks.
I also found a popcorn vending machine and went with the caramel flavor. The popcorn came out freshly warmed — almost too hot to handle.
A quick round at the batting center
Once I’d eaten, I moved on to the on-site batting center. One free drink comes with every session, so I happily grabbed a Coke. It’s been a while since I last picked up a bat, and it felt heavier than I remembered. I started at the easiest setting (70 km/h) and worked up to 80 km/h on a slightly broken machine that somehow still ran fine. A great way to burn off some energy.
Even the bathroom is packed with arcade machines
After all that, a bathroom break revealed arcade cabinets lining the walls in there too — something you’d only notice if you actually needed to use it. Looking up, the ceiling showed some serious wear, a small reminder of just how long this place has been standing.
An unexpected encounter: the arcade’s resident cats
While taking photos, I ran into a completely unplanned surprise — cats. A retro arcade plus cats is a combination that photographs itself. One cat turned into two, then three, and eventually a litter of kittens showed up too, friendly and clearly used to visitors. Even the mother cat came out to say hello eventually.
An alien-shaped ride and a Meiji chocolate vending machine
Back near the cat-filled parking lot, a few more rides remain — including a strange alien-shaped one I’d never seen before. Turns out the text on it was in English, suggesting it might have been imported from overseas at some point. Its cheerful alien face was oddly endearing.
This section apparently used to have even more games — frisbee and basketball machines among them — but today it mostly serves as storage. I also spotted an old Cup Noodle-branded machine that hit me with a wave of nostalgia, and an aging Meiji chocolate vending machine nearby. I bought a bar just to try it, only to notice afterward that it was slightly past its expiration date. No harm done.
Evenings belong to the high schoolers and their cheap karaoke
Thanks to a nearby high school, the place fills up with students once the afternoon winds down — mostly for the absurdly cheap karaoke. Curious, I booked an hour for myself. The system requires one drink order, but you’re welcome to bring your own food. With that one drink, songs cost just 30 yen for 30 minutes. Rooms lock from the inside and, oddly, one even had a massage chair. No wonder the students keep coming back.
As night falls, the whole place shifts its mood
Once the sun goes down, the atmosphere outside shifts completely — from nostalgic daylight charm to something a little eerier, a little more dreamlike. It’s the kind of “daydream” feeling that’s hard to describe unless you’re standing in it.
Final thoughts
Fifty-plus years on, and this place is still standing, still running, still full of life in its own strange way. Being there in person — the sounds, the smells, the specific texture of nostalgia — is something photos alone can’t fully capture. Walking out, I was already thinking about where to go next.
Location visited this time
Tamashima Playland
Address: Tamashima Aga-zaki, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture
Hours: 11:00 AM – 5:00 AM
This place is home to a genuinely rare collection of retro rides and machines. If you visit, please treat the equipment gently so it can keep running for years to come.
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