Walking Tour of Tachikawa, Japan - Tachikawa Monorail, Train Station

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• published: 17 Nov 2012
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Walking around Tachikawa, Japan, you get the feeling that it's a very pleasant place to live. Situated in an urban area, everything you need is within close walking distance. In addition, public transportation provides easy access to the entire metro Tokyo area. Tachikawa reminded me a bit of the Forest Hills neighborhood in New York City. It's a city in itself, yet is part of a much larger metropolis. While there are lots of cars driving around Tachikawa, I got the feeling that many residents don't own one. They simply rely on taxis and trains from the Tachikawa JR Train Station, or ride a bike. The Monorail was the first thing to catch my eye when I began my morning walk around Tachikawa. I hadn't seen a Monorail in years, not since my childhood trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. It really brought back some memories! But it was also nice to see that the Monorail has practical use, not simply as a tourist attraction. The center of Tachikawa is bound by a bevy or staircases, escalators, raised walkways, and train tracks. Surrounded by tall buildings including the Hotel Mets, a Pachinko parlor, a mall, and fast food restaurants like McDonald's and KFC, the bright lights give off the vibe of a mini Times Square. From this point, I made my way into the train station. It was early morning, and the masses were just beginning to shuffle off the trains. The Tachikawa Train Station is like controlled chaos! Everyone is walking at an extremely brisk pace. Some people must have been running late, so they are running! As a slow American, I walked to the side so I wouldn't get knocked over. The running phenomenon is something that I had to get used to when I first started traveling to Japan. I would be at Starbucks or at a noodle shop and the waiter would literally be running to make my food as fast as possible. At first, I felt bad and was inclined to say, "Take your time, it's not a big deal! You don't have to run, I'm not starving here!" But my expat friends had told me, it's no use. Running and doing things as fast as possible is just part of the culture. Probably something we'll never understand as Americans! After leaving the Tachikawa Train Station, I headed up towards Showa Memorial Park. I didn't enter the park, just took a right and explored some of the side streets. I pass a Japanese movie theater and the American themed Jesse James Steakhouse. Next comes a line of Japanese vending machines. The beverage machines have everything from soda and coffee to vitamin water and a ton of other things I'd never seen before. Following the beverage machines are cigarette vending machines. You'll never see cigarette vending machines like that in America, just left outside on the street for underage kids to buy! I noticed some familiar cigarette brands like Marlboro but also lots of new kinds that I had never heard of before. Seven Stars cigarettes, anyone? Finally, I head along some side streets that don't really have any car traffic. I get a few shots of quiet life in the neighborhoods. Many of these buildings appear to be mixed use, with businesses on the first floor and residential units upstairs. Slowly, I mosey my way back towards the hotel. I get one last shot of a taxi line, featuring the Toyota Comfort. The Comfort is a larger model for Japan, a rough equivalent to the Ford Crown Victoria in America. Distinctively, many of the Toyota Comfort taxicabs have the side mirrors on the bottom of the hood. It's a strange look, but I guess it helps the driver keep his head looking straight instead of turning to the side. That concluded my walk around Tachikawa. The last clip of the video is a view from my room at the Crest Hotel. You can see the many different structure styles apparent in Tachikawa. From large residential towers to tiny three story buildings, the city is a work in progress.