Machida, Tokyo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Machida 町田市
City
Machida City Hall
Flag Seal
Location of Machida in Tokyo
Machida Location in Japan
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Tokyo
Town settled	April 1, 1913
City settled	February 1, 1958
Area
• Total	71.80 km2 (27.72 sq mi)
Population  (April 2021)
• Total	428,851
• Density	5,972.9/km2 (15,469.6/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Symbols
• Tree	Zelkova serrata
• Flower	Scarlet sage
• Bird	Common kingfisher
Phone number	042-722-3111
Address	1-20-23 Nakamachi, Machida-shi, Tokyo 194-8520

One of the ponds of Yakushi-Ike Park in Machida

A road lined with cherry blossom trees in Machida

Machida (町田市, Machida-shi) is a city located in the western part of Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. As of April 2021, about 428,851 people live there. The city covers an area of 71.80 square kilometers.

Machida is often thought to be more connected to Kanagawa Prefecture than to Tokyo. This is because of its location and other reasons.

Where is Machida Located?

Machida is in the Tama Hills area of southern Tokyo. It shares borders with Kanagawa Prefecture on its west, south, and east sides. The city is about 40 to 50 kilometers from the center of Tokyo.

Machida's Landscape

The highest point in Machida is Mount Kusato, which is 364 meters tall. There are not many flat areas near Machida Station. The Sakai River flows to the west and south of the city. The Tsurumi River runs almost through the middle of Machida.

Neighboring Cities and Towns

Machida is surrounded by several other cities.

Cities in Tokyo Metropolis

• Tama
• Hachioji

Cities in Kanagawa Prefecture

• Kawasaki
• Yokohama
• Sagamihara
• Yamato

What is Machida's Climate Like?

Machida has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has warm summers and cool winters. There is usually little to no snowfall.

The average yearly temperature in Machida is 14.0 °C. The city gets about 1621 mm of rain each year. September is usually the wettest month. Temperatures are highest in August, around 25.3 °C. They are lowest in January, at about 2.8 °C.

How Has Machida's Population Grown?

The number of people living in Machida has grown steadily over the last 100 years.

A Brief History of Machida

The area that is now Machida was once part of an old Japanese province called Musashi Province.

Becoming a Town and City

• On April 1, 1889, Machida became a village. This was part of a new system for local governments.
• In 1893, Machida became part of Tokyo Metropolis.
• On April 1, 1913, Machida was officially made a town.
• During World War II, on May 24, 1945, the town was bombed.
• Machida grew by joining with nearby villages. It became the city of Machida on February 1, 1958.
• In 1964, a plane crashed in a residential area of Machida.
• Starting in 1973, the Tama New Town project caused Machida's population to grow very quickly. Many people moved there to live and commute to Tokyo and Yokohama for work.

Learning in Machida: Schools and Universities

Machida has many schools for students of all ages.

Universities and Colleges

High Schools

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government runs seven public high schools in Machida:

There are also seven private high schools, including:

Junior High and Elementary Schools

The city government of Machida operates 20 public junior high schools and 42 elementary schools. There are also five private junior high schools and three private elementary schools.

Combined Schools

• Yukinoki Gakuen (ゆくのき学園) - This school combines Oto Elementary and Musashigaoka Junior High School.

Public Junior High Schools

Public Elementary Schools

Machida also has one special education school for students with disabilities.

International Schools

• West Tokyo Korean 2nd Elementary School [ja] - This is a North Korean school.

Getting Around Machida: Transportation

Machida has several train lines and highways that help people travel.

Train Lines

Odakyu Electric Railway - Odakyu Odawara Line

• Machida - Tamagawagakuen-mae - Tsurukawa

Tokyu Corporation - Tōkyū Den-en-toshi Line

• Minami-machida Grandberry Park - Suzukakedai - Tsukushino

JR East - Yokohama Line

• Aihara - Machida - Naruse

Keio Corporation - Keiō Sagamihara Line

• Tamasakai

Highways

• Tōmei Expressway
• National Route 16
• National Route 246

Famous People from Machida

Many notable people have connections to Machida:

• Ami Onuki - Half of the J-pop music group Puffy.
• Taiten Kusunoki - A voice actor.
• Megumi Toyoguchi - A voice actress.
• Satoshi Tajiri - The person who created Pokémon. He based Pallet Town in the original Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue games on this city.
• Masashi Takeda - A Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist.

Fun Places to Visit in Machida

• Buaisō museum - This was once the home of the Shirasu family.
• Machida City Museum of Graphic Arts - A museum focused on graphic arts.
• Machida Squirrel Garden - A place where you can see and interact with squirrels.
• Tadao Park - A local park.
• Grandberry Park - A redeveloped shopping and entertainment area that reopened in 2019.

Sports in Machida

Machida is home to a few sports teams:

• F.C. Machida Zelvia - A football (soccer) club.
• Pescadola Machida - A futsal (indoor soccer) club.

See also

In Spanish: Machida (Tokio) para niños