Tachikawa is a big place. Not just two dimensionally across the ground, but a third dimension, up. With it’s multiple urban layers, there’s only one word that describes the area I’m in right now.

Dense.

Dense as in usage, dense as in the number of businesses that are stacked one atop another, and dense as in the number of people that are traveling on all the levels. Dense in the built-up structures that make up this part of the urban landscape.

I’ve never experienced anything this intense before, and it’s somewhat disconcerting to walk about the area, especially during the part of the day when the crowds are at their heaviest. In Orlando I live in a single family dwelling with roughly a third of an acre of surrounding property. It’s drastically, jarringly different to be here.

If there’s one good feature about the second level over the lower streets, is that they are over the streets. You can quickly walk over traffic rather than try to cross over roadways at street level.

And the construction in this area appears to be booming. There are cranes everywhere, huge works that are both broad and tall in the area.

Away from the multiple levels, down at regular street level, it’s “classical” urban Japan.