Tachikawa, Tokyo

Tachikawa (立川市, Tachikawa-shi) is a city located in the western portion of Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. As of 1 December 2019, the city had an estimated population of 184,183, and a population density of 7560.88 persons per km². Its total area is 24.36 square kilometres (9.41 sq mi).

"Tachikawa" redirects here. For other uses, see Tachikawa (disambiguation).
Tachikawa

立川市
City
Tachikawa City Hall
Flag
Seal
Location of Tachikawa in Tokyo
Tachikawa
 
Coordinates: 35°41′39.2″N 139°25′10.8″E
CountryJapan
RegionKantō
PrefectureTokyo
First official recorded811 AD
City SettledDecember 1, 1940
Government
 • MayorShohei Shimizu (from September 2007)
Area
 • Total24.36 km2 (9.41 sq mi)
Population
 (1 December 2019)
 • Total184,183
 • Density7,560.88/km2 (19,582.6/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Symbols 
• TreeZelkova serrata
• FlowerMagnolia kobus
Phone number042-523-2111
Address1156-9 Izumi-cho, Tachikawa-shi, Tokyo 190-8666
Websitewww.city.tachikawa.lg.jp

Geography

Tachikawa is located on the Musashino Terrace of western Tokyo, approximately 40 km west of the center of Tokyo. The Tama River flows between Tachikawa and the neighboring city of Hino. The Tamagawa-jousui (Tamagawa Aqueduct) flows north of the city, with a great promenade on both banks.

Surrounding municipalities

History

The area of present-day Tachikawa was part of ancient Musashi Province. In the post-Meiji Restoration cadastral reform of July 22, 1878, the area became part of Kitatama District in Kanagawa Prefecture. The village of Tachikawa was created on April 1, 1889 with the establishment of municipalities law. Kitatama District was transferred to the administrative control of Tokyo Metropolis on April 1, 1893. Tachikawa Airfield Was established in 1922 by the Imperial Japanese Army, and Tachikawa was elevated to town status the following year. On December 1, 1940 Tachikawa was elevated to city status.

Notable events

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

Universities and colleges

Primary and secondary schools

Tachikawa has twenty public elementary and nine public middle schools operated by the city government. The city has two public high schools operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education and three private high schools

International schools

Public libraries

The Tokyo Metropolitan Library Tama Library opened in Tachikawa in 1987 to relieve municipal libraries.[5]

Transportation

Railway

Highway

Tachikawa is not served by any national expressways or national highways.

Local attractions

Sister city relations

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.tatikawa-chukou-j.metro.tokyo.jp/
  4. "ウリハッキョ一覧" (Archive). Chongryon. Retrieved on October 14, 2015.
  5. Tokyo Metropolitan Tama Library
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