Along the shopping street on the north side of JR Tachikawa Station, new bronze statues line Tachikawa Avenue. This shopping district, once prosperous as a hub near the former US military Tachikawa Air Base, faced a decline and is now striving to create new appeal.

Heading slightly north from the station’s north exit and turning northeast at the irregular intersection, the first statue to greet visitors is a bronze girl holding a tennis racket. The rabbit standing beside her also holds something—upon closer inspection, it’s a frying pan. Perhaps because it is placed in front of a vocational school entrance, the scene is heartwarming.

After the tennis girl, a baseball boy with a dog

Further along, a bronze statue of a baseball boy appears. He rests a bat on the ground with both hands, gazing into the distance, with a dog at his side. It brings to mind a Dodgers player. The six bronze statues currently in place were installed in February of this year.

Along the approximately 700-meter stretch of the roadside…

JR Tachikawa Station

JR Tachikawa Station is a major railway hub in Tachikawa, Tokyo, operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). Originally opened in 1889, it served as a key transportation link for the Tachikawa Airfield, a significant Imperial Japanese Army base during World War II. Today, it connects multiple train lines and serves as a central gateway for commuters and visitors to the surrounding commercial and cultural areas.

Tachikawa Avenue

Tachikawa Avenue is a major road in Tokyo, Japan, located in the Tachikawa area near the former Tachikawa Air Base, which was used by the U.S. military after World War II. The avenue now serves as a commercial and cultural corridor, lined with shops, restaurants, and the Tachikawa Civic Hall. Its development reflects the area’s transformation from a military hub into a modern suburban center.

US military Tachikawa Air Base

Tachikawa Air Base, located in Tokyo, Japan, was a key United States military installation originally established by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. After the war, it was taken over by the U.S. Air Force and served as a major logistics and transport hub during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. The base was largely returned to Japan in 1977 and has since been redeveloped into a public park and commercial area, though a small portion remains in use as a Japan Air Self-Defense Force base.

JR Tachikawa Station

JR Tachikawa Station is a major railway hub in Tachikawa, Tokyo, serving the Chūō Main Line and several other lines. The station originally opened in 1889, and its surrounding area was significantly developed after a large U.S. military base was established nearby following World War II. Today, the station area is a vibrant commercial and cultural center, known for its shopping and access to the nearby Showa Memorial Park.

Tachikawa Avenue

Tachikawa Avenue is a major road in the city of Tachikawa, located in western Tokyo, Japan. Historically, the area developed around Tachikawa Station and was significantly shaped by the presence of a large U.S. military air base after World War II, which later transitioned into the Showa Memorial Park and commercial districts. Today, the avenue serves as a bustling urban corridor lined with shops, offices, and cultural facilities, reflecting the city’s growth from a military hub into a modern suburban center.

US military Tachikawa Air Base

Tachikawa Air Base was a United States Air Force base located in Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan, established in 1945 after World War II. It served as a key logistics and transport hub for U.S. forces in East Asia during the Cold War, including operations in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. The base was returned to Japan in 1977 and later redeveloped into the Showa Memorial Park and other civilian facilities.