Card Stores in Japan: Mint Tachikawa Update

I returned to Mint Tachikawa for the first time in over a year to see if anything has changed and to get a better idea of the store's selection so I could write an updated Card Stores in Japan post. Here are my previous posts: 1, 2, 3.

 I didn't walk away with much in terms of cards. It was late and I was tired. I did find this photo and a Hawks V3 postcard (below) for 50 yen each. The store keeps almost all of its singles in binders, and selection for the past 10 years or so is pretty good. There are lots of soccer cards here and a good bit of Calbee from recent years, but I didn't see any vintage Calbee binders. Inserts are included in the binders so they're easy to find if you're looking for something from specific sets.

Prices are standard (60 yen for singles, with inserts generally starting around 300 yen). Cards in the display cases might have been a bit cheaper than usual.

English may be a problem here, depending on who's working the counter. They're younger so they should understand very simple expressions, but my experience shows that the younger generations are frequently afraid to try speaking.

 The store's card section is pretty small in size and selection is limited to only what's important - finding something unique is probably out of the question. It's probably not worth a visit for those who don't live in the area; it's a fairly costly train ride from Tokyo. It is on the train line to Mount Takao though, so it could be a stop on the way back from a hike. Half of the store is anime goods and there are CCGs here as well.

It's located in a mall where each floor is focused on a certain type of store; the fourth floor is the "Hobby and Culture" floor so you'll find a couple other stores that might be worth browsing - an Animate anime/manga-based store, an Americana store, a coin and stamp store, a used book store (which might be temporary), and a couple other things which I forgot already.

 It's easy to get to the store; take the train to Tachikawa Station and use the west ticket gates. Take the north exit; you'll see this sculpture, the trees, and a split in the crossway. Turn right here, and turn left to take the narrow escalator down to the street.

 Walk straight past the electronics store; the mall is called "prom" and the entrance is right after the First Kitchen restaurant. Head up to the fourth floor ("Hobby and Culture") and walk straight; the card store is right there.

The store is open daily 10:00-20:00. This is the Japanese address: 東京都立川市曙町2-11-2　フロム中武4F.

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