Sagamihara

Sagamihara City is the "space city." Sagamihara has JAXA Sagamihara Campus. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Sagamihara Campus opened 1989. For Sagamihara residents, "space" is close. JAXA Campus is open to the public (365 days, free admission). Sagamihara residents can casually visit space development. JAXA launched "Hayabusa." Asteroid explorer. Returned to Earth in 2010. Exhibited at Sagamihara Campus. For Sagamihara residents, "Hayabusa" is pride. Sagamihara's population is about 714,000 (2024). Kanagawa's 3rd largest city (after Yokohama, Kawasaki). But Sagamihara residents look at "space." Not "ground." For Sagamihara residents, "speed" is "rocket speed." Tens of thousands km/h. Car speed (200km/h) is too slow. Sagamihara residents daily encounter the ultimate technology called "space development." Cars, "ground vehicles," are boring for Sagamihara residents. Sagamihara is about 40km from Tokyo. About 50 minutes by train. Many Sagamihara residents commute to Tokyo. For Sagamihara residents, "cars" are unnecessary. Trains are sufficient. Sagamihara residents grow up watching "rockets." Celebrate Hayabusa's return. But not interested in "cars." Sagamihara has no circuit. Nearest is Fuji Speedway (Shizuoka Prefecture, about 60km). For Sagamihara residents, ground motorsport is "small scale." Sagamihara residents are used to the largest scale: "space." The "ground culture" called motorsport is insufficient.