Mitaka Stn. South Smoking Spot

( Unilocal 100 Challenge 2015 — ⁶⁄₁₀₀)
Japan has been undergoing a gradual transformation of outlawing smoking in more and more public places. Fortunately, JT (Japan Tobacco consortium) has been supportive of the changes while providing outside and special facilities for smokers to practice their habit in peace.
Most of the major train stations have designated outdoor smoking areas in varying states of cleanliness and upkeep. As Mitaka station is a one the major stations along the JR Chuo line, it is has a high level of passenger traffic passing through at all hours of the day.
Here, there is only ONE smoking area, on the southeast side of the station (this review). Because of the high volume of people, it is crowded at all hours of the day, but especially during the morning (8:00 am ~ 9:30 am) and evening (5:30 pm ~ 7:00 pm) commuter hours.
What this means is not only a lot of people and smoke, but garbage. Most people try to be courteous and not leave their garbage or stuff empty cigarette packs into the ash receptacles, but there are exceptions.
Also, the «walled off» area is too small for the constant volume of users, so there is spillover into the walkway area at the top of the stairs (leading down to street level and the Ghibli Museum bus stop). I’m sure many foreign tourists were a bit disgusted as they made their way to the bus.
This smoking area is good in concept but because of the small area, high number of users and too infrequent cleaning cycle, it tends to be overrun by ashes, some garbage and upon occasion when the ash receptacles get filled, big, stinky clouds of smoldering cigarette butts.
Use if you need to smoke, stay upwind to avoid second-​hand smoke (as if that really makes a difference).