YUNIKA>Real Estate Solution

Odakyu-Tama Center Station Project

In December 2004, GOLD ON Tama Center A opened in the heart of Tama Center's commercial district located beneath the elevated Odakyu-Tama Center Station on the Odakyu-Tama Line. Yunika obtained the property below the elevated station thanks to the success of our previous ventures in this neighborhood and our relationship with the Odakyu Electric Railway company.

Project Site

Location	Odakyu Marche Tama Center, 1-11-2 Ochiai, Tama-shi, Tokyo
Nearest stations	Odakyu-Tama Center Station on the Odakyu-Tama Line Keio-Tama Center Station on the Keio-Sagamihara Line
Development challenges	Location under elevated Odakyu-Tama Line train station
Contracted space	1,485.48m²
Previous tenant	None
Status on transfer	N/A

Project Schedule

2001 Jul.	Information obtained on property.
2004 Sep.	Construction starts on tenant space.
2004 Oct.	Contract for lease signed; blueprints for interior and pachinko island layout drafted and finalized.
2004 Nov.	Construction completed.
2004 Dec. 1	Opens.

Property Obtained through Yunika Success
and Corporate Relationships

The City of Tokyo drew up plans for developing a new area called Tama New Town based on the New Residential Urban Area Development Act Trust Law passed on July 11, 1963. Yunika and Odakyu Electric Railway had each developed separate commercial buildings in front of Odakyu-Tama Center Station, the most popular part of what would be Tama New Town, and had also been working together to invigorate Tama Center ever since 1990.

Based on the successes we have enjoyed since we began focusing on development in the Tama Center area, as well as our relationships with other companies in the area, Yunika's proposal for developing the nearly 1,500m² of space below the elevated Odakyu-Tama Center Station was accepted. It was here that we opened GOLD ON Tama Center A, providing amusement for train passengers and passersby.

Revolutionizing Conventional Ideas to Achieve the Unprecedented

At the time we initiated this project, Odakyu Electric Railway had never before opened a pachinko parlor as part of the entertainment offered at their stations. The stereotypical image of pachinko parlors initially made the city hesitant to approve a GOLD ON parlor as a tenant for the space below the station. Inviting the owners to visit our outlets a number of times to get a sense of the latest in pachinko parlors, and adapting our plans to incorporate the owners' wishes, we finally received the go-ahead to make our concept a reality.

Answering Owners' Concerns - Blending into the Surroundings

Since our pachinko parlor would be located below the elevated train station, the station owners were concerned that this outlet suit its surroundings and not impose on neighboring businesses and residents (in terms of image, noise, odor, etc.). In visiting our other parlors as we worked with the owners to adapt our proposal to allay their concerns, they expressed a particular interest in our GOLD ON Shinagawa outlet, and we drew up a proposal for a similar pachinko parlor at Odakyu-Tama Center Station. For more information on the sophisticated, clean and highly exclusive feel of our GOLD ON Shinagawa outlet, see our Shinagawa Project page.

The owners were most concerned about the smell of cigarettes, and we understood that the negative impression of the smell of cigarettes and smoke is what typically comes to mind when most people think of pachinko. We took it upon ourselves to resolve these problems and revolutionize the image of the pachinko parlor, emphasizing above all in this project the need to blend into our surroundings. We answered the owners' concerns and met their needs with detailed calculations to ensure the highest quality, cleanest air around the outlet, installing nearly twice the usual number of the most advanced air purifiers.
Working with the owners to find ways to meet their needs, our proposal was approved, and this project is one of the shining lights in our pachinko parlor business.

Problem-solving to Create a Relaxed Pachinko Playing Atmosphere

The most difficult problem we faced in designing the space was the massive pillars in the space. When Yunika begins design and planning for an outlet, supporting pillars are a top concern, so much so that we specifically ask architects not to place pillars within operating spaces (the floor space holding pachinko machines). In this case, however, the outlet was constructed underneath a train station, which meant that not only were more pillars used for retrofitting, but these pillars were 2-3 times as wide as those in a typical tenant space. Needless to say, the structure posed significant planning problems.

In addition to the pillars, the ceiling height also required special design solutions. The ceiling formed by the station floor would not provide sufficient protection against wind and rain, which meant that a proper ceiling conforming to legal standards and regulations was needed. Most of the pachinko parlors we had opened in the past were quite spacious with five-meter-high ceilings, and we were looking at a space with a ceiling only three meters high. To compound this, our tallest pachinko islands (the equipment mounted with pachinko machines) measure 2.70 meters. Our design challenge was to work around these structural difficulties to create the comfortable, clean atmosphere the owners requested.

The result of careful studies on how to create an open feel and comfortable space in a rather cramped environment was an emphasis on horizontal (rather than vertical) visual space. One solution was the use of glass panels for all walls facing the aisles.

To deal with the pillars and low ceiling, we came up with a simple, bold interior design and layout. In addition to the glass walls, wide aisles provide a spacious comfortable space for customers, and we included a wide variety of different pachinko games.

We welcome you to enjoy this parlor and experience for yourself what our pachinko innovation is all about. GOLD ON Tama Center A is located directly across from the East Exit of Odakyu-Tama Center Station.

Project Success and Future Development

The success of this project will be evident in the number of customers we attract, and our entire development team looks forward to the loyal, enduring customer base we anticipate. Launching this new pachinko parlor has, after all, been a labor of love and devotion for our entire team - and for the companies we have partnered with, as well.