Tachikawa

This article is about the city in Tokyo. For the airbase at Tachikawa, see Tachikawa Airfield. For the aircraft company at Tachikawa, see Tachikawa Aircraft Company Ltd. For the character in Digimon Adventure and its sequels, see Mimi Tachikawa. For the character in World Trigger, see Kei Tachikawa.
Tachikawa
立川市
City

Flag

Location of Tachikawa in Tokyo Metropolis
Tachikawa

Location in Japan

Coordinates: 35°41′N 139°25′E / 35.683°N 139.417°E / 35.683; 139.417Coordinates: 35°41′N 139°25′E / 35.683°N 139.417°E / 35.683; 139.417
Country Japan
Region Kantō
Prefecture Tokyo Metropolis
Government
 • Mayor Shohei Shimizu (since September 2007)
Area
 • Total 24.38 km2 (9.41 sq mi)
Population (February 1, 2010)
 • Total 178,064
 • Density 7,303.69/km2 (18,916.5/sq mi)
Symbols
 • Tree Zelkova serrata
 • Flower Magnolia kobus
Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
Website www.city.tachikawa.lg.jp/cms-sypher/www/english/index.jsp

Tachikawa (立川市 Tachikawa-shi) is a city located in western Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. The city was founded on December 1, 1940.

As of February 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 178,064 and a population density of 7,303.69 persons per km². The total area is 24.38 km².

Showa Memorial Park, an expansive leisure and recreational facility operated by the national government, occupies 1.49 square kilometres of land that was formerly part of Tachikawa Air Base in Tachikawa and neighboring Akishima.

Geography

Tachikawa is about 40 km west of the center of Tokyo. Kunitachi, Kokubunji, and Kodaira are east of Tachikawa, Higashiyamato, and Musashimurayama are north of Tachikawa, Fussa, and Akishima west of Tachikawa, and Hino to the south.

Transportation

Tama monorail

Tachikawa is on the JR Chūō Line. Trains traveling west from Tokyo Station through Shinjuku stop at Tachikawa Station before continuing to Hachiōji and Takao. The JR Ome Line and Itsukaichi Line also serve the city, stopping at Tachikawa and Nishi Tachikawa stations. The Nambu Line links Tachikawa and Kawasaki, following the Tama River. The northern areas of Tachikawa are on the Seibu Haijima Line.

The Tama Toshi Monorail Line carries traffic north and south from Tachikawa. Several stations are in the city, and Tachikawa Minami and Tachikawa Kita stations flank JR Tachikawa Station. On a clear day, the monorail offers spectacular views of Mt. Fuji and the Tama region.

National Route 20, the Kōshū Kaidō, carries automobile and truck traffic through Tachikawa in the east-west direction.

Bus service links Tachikawa and the major airports in the region, Haneda and Narita.

The Tama River flows between Tachikawa and Hino.

Tamagawa-jousui (Tamagawa water supply) flows north of town, a great promenade is located on both banks. Tamagawa-jousui is also the name of a station.

Points of interest

The area around the Tachikawa JR train station features several large department stores, including Lumine, Isetan, and Takashimaya as well as one of the newest and largest cinemas in the Tokyo area. Numerous restaurants, izakaya, bars, and pubs are located on both the north and south sides of the station. The famous HALF TONE Jazz club serves up great local and international jazz nightly. In recent years a thriving red-light district has emerged on the south side of the station. This district is large enough that many locals now refer to it as the "mini-Kabukichō" after the famous cabaret district of Shinjuku. Also located near the train station is a large keirinjou (競輪場), or bicycle racetrack, in which spectators place wagers on the results of bicycle races, much as in horse racing. Finally, the honbu of Satojuku, a significant style of karate with origins in Kyokushinkai is located on the south side of the station.

Notable events in history

On May 12, 2011, a robbery of the largest amount of money in Japanese history took place in the city. On that day at 3 a.m., two men wearing masks broke into the office of a security company, bound the sole security guard, beat him until he revealed the code to the company's vault, and then made off with 70 bags of cash containing ¥604 million. The security guard, 36, was seriously injured. Hideaki Ueki, 31, Yutaka Watanabe, 41, Tsutomu Sakuma, 37, and three others were later arrested and charged with perpetrating the crime. All the men allegedly had ties to the Yakuza.[1][2]

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Tachikawa operates its public elementary and junior high schools.

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education operates public high schools:

In addition the metropolis operates the Tachikawa International Secondary Education School.[6]

International schools:

Public libraries

The Tokyo Metropolitan Library Tama Library opened in Tachikawa in 1987 to relieve municipal libraries.[8]

Sister city

Tachikawa is also a sister city to San Bernardino, California. In addition, it participates in a high school exchange program with San Bernardino.

References

  1. ↑ Kyodo News, "Man arrested, another wanted in nation's biggest cash robbery case", Japan Times, 2 June 2011, p. 1.
  2. ↑ Kyodo News, "Sixth man apprehended over cash heist in Tachikawa", Japan Times, 1 August 2011.
  3. ↑ http://www.kitatama-h.metro.tokyo.jp/
  4. ↑ http://www.sunagawa-h.metro.tokyo.jp/
  5. ↑ http://www.tachikawa-h.metro.tokyo.jp/
  6. ↑ http://www.tatikawa-chukou-j.metro.tokyo.jp/
  7. ↑ "ウリハッキョ一覧" (Archive). Chongryon. Retrieved on October 14, 2015.
  8. ↑ Tokyo Metropolitan Tama Library

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tachikawa.
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