Tachikawa Manga Park

In short

Tachikawa Manga Park is a facility for enjoying manga, located on the second floor of the Tachikawa City Children's Future Center. The building is a renovated former Tachikawa City Hall. Most of the floor is covered with tatami mats, allowing visitors to relax and read from a collection of approximately 40,000 volumes on floor cushions (zabuton) or in nooks designed like traditional closets (oshiire).

• ​Tatami and Closets​​: Amidst an interior of tatami and wood reminiscent of a traditional Japanese house, there are numerous closet-style reading spaces.
• ​Bookshelves by Genre​​: Books are arranged by genre, such as "History, Culture, and Music," making it easy to find works by subject regardless of the author.
• ​Picture Book Corner​​: Featuring around 2,500 picture books, this area can be enjoyed together with small children on the tatami mats.

History and Highlights

Tachikawa Manga Park is located on the second floor of the Tachikawa City Children's Future Center. This building was originally the city hall of Tachikawa. When the city hall relocated in May 2010, foot traffic on the south exit side declined, and the vibrancy of the shopping streets gradually faded. The aging former hall underwent seismic retrofitting and extensive renovations, reopening in December 2012 as the Children's Future Center.

Tachikawa Manga Park was selected through a business competition aimed at utilizing the former city hall building and revitalizing the south exit area. It is said that the primary reason for this proposal lay in the location of Tachikawa itself. The area along the Chuo Line has a receptive and welcoming culture toward subcultures such as manga and anime, and it has served as the setting for numerous works, including "Saint Young Men" (Saint Oniisan), which was also adapted into a movie. The facility opened on March 20, 2013, and in July of the same year, the closet-style reading spaces were significantly expanded.

The facility aims to be a place where the whole family can enjoy manga together. In addition to manga for children, it also stocks titles that parents' generations were captivated by in their youth.

Viewing and Experience Points

• ​Tatami and Closet-Style Reading Spaces​​: Featuring an interior of tatami and wood inspired by traditional Japanese houses, most of the floor is covered in tatami. There are small desks and cushions, as well as many closet-style reading spaces.
• ​Bookshelves by Genre​​: The collection consists of approximately 40,000 books, categorized on the shelves by genres such as "History, Culture, and Music" and "Daily Life, Childcare, and Health." This makes it easy to find works by subject regardless of the author. Rare editions of "Norakuro" can also be viewed.
• ​Picture Book Corner​​: There are about 2,500 picture books. The floor is covered with tatami, offering peace of mind even if babies crawl. Visitors can sit together on stepped tier-like seating to read picture books or read aloud to children.

Travel Tips

It is a 13-minute walk from the South Exit of JR Tachikawa Station, a 12-minute walk from Tachikawa-Minami Station on the Tama Monorail, and a 7-minute walk from JR Nishi-Kunitachi Station. Enter through the entrance on the second floor of the Children's Future Center and place your shoes in a coin locker. The locker key serves as your admission card, which you scan to pass through the entrance gate. Books are not available for loan and must be read within the facility. You may bring your own food and non-alcoholic drinks, but alcohol is not permitted. Manga can also be read on the terrace accessible from inside the facility, which is reserved exclusively for visitors. Re-entry is not permitted after leaving.