Tachikawa: Parks, Art and Museums

Tachikawa offers a wide range of reasons to visit: the expansive Showa Kinen Park combines nature and activity with a Japanese garden, alongside public art, local history, and exhibitions about picture books and manga. You can shape your trip around whether you prefer cycling, exploring cultural themes, or looking for activities to enjoy with children.

Showa Kinen Park: plenty of room for your own discoveries

The national Showa Kinen Park covers around 180 hectares and stretches across Tachikawa and Akishima. It was created on the site of the former Tachikawa US military airfield as part of a commemorative project. Its size makes the park a destination in its own right; when you visit, set aside time for the area you want to explore.

If you want to experience Tachikawa actively, the park has a 14-kilometre cycling route. You can use a rental bike or bring your own. The route offers a practical way to include some exercise in your visit. If you would rather focus on a single garden area, the Japanese garden offers a different way to explore.

Japanese garden and traditional culture

The Japanese garden covers about 6 hectares and was created in April 1997. It was designed to give visitors the opportunity to experience traditional cultural activities. Its approximate size and date of creation give the garden a distinct place within the larger park: you can choose it as a cultural focus rather than centring your visit entirely on the cycling route. This lets you give different weight to each interest when planning your trip.

Public art and guided tours

FARET Tachikawa Art comprises 109 public artworks by 92 artists from 36 countries. The works represent a wide range of artistic perspectives and countries of origin. If you would like to do more than explore the art on your own, you can consider one of the guided art tours. These are led by members of the volunteer group FARET Club. This gives art lovers another way to spend their time in Tachikawa without focusing their stay entirely on parks and nature.

History, picture books and activities for children

The Tachikawa City History and Folklore Museum’s permanent exhibition is devoted to Tachikawa’s history, folklore and nature. Its subject matter spans from prehistoric times to the present day. This lets you get to know the city from several perspectives: across different eras and through its nature and folklore as well as its history.

PLAY! MUSEUM presents exhibitions about picture books, manga and art. These include interactive and multisensory displays. PLAY! PARK is an indoor play area for children, with workshops on design and music as well as numerous programmes that parents and children can take part in together. For families looking to accommodate different interests, these offer different options: the exhibitions feature art and visual worlds, while the play area focuses on workshops and taking part together.

Which holiday rental suits your stay?

When choosing a holiday rental in Tachikawa, it helps to use your planned activities as a guide. Would you like to make the park and its 14-kilometre cycling route a central part of your stay, are you more interested in public art and guided tours, or would you like to plan visits to museums and family attractions? These differences give your stay its own direction without requiring you to focus on just one theme.

There is also practical information about getting to Showa Kinen Park: the Akebono entrance in the Green Culture Zone is about a 10-minute walk from the north exit of Tachikawa Station on the Chūō Line. If you plan to use this park entrance, you can factor this approximate walking time into your plans.

More places to explore: Koganei, Hachiōji, Akiruno, Taitō, Hino, Kōtō, Kiyose, Musashino.

For the broader travel overview: Tokyo.