Machida 町田市 | |
|---|---|
) Machida City Hall | |
) Flag ) Seal | |
) Location of Machida in Tokyo | |
)  Machida | |
| Coordinates: 35°42′38″N 139°26′19″E / 35.71056°N 139.43861°E | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Kantō |
| Prefecture | Tokyo |
| Area | |
| • Total | 71.80 km2 (27.72 sq mi) |
| Population (February 2016) | |
| • Total | 429,040 |
| • Density | 5,980/km2 (15,500/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 |
| Website | www |
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)
Machida (町田市, Machida-shi) is a city located in the western portion of Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. As of 1 February 2016, the city had an estimated population of 429,040, and a population density of 5,980 persons per km². Its total area is 71.80 square kilometres (27.72 sq mi).
Geography
Machida is located in the Tama Hills of southern Tokyo Metropolis, bordered by Kanagawa Prefecture on the west, south, and east approximately 40-50 kilometers from the center of Tokyo. The Tama River does not flow through the city.
Surrounding municipalities
- Tokyo Metropolis
- Tama
- Hachioji
- Kanagawa Prefecture
- Kawasaki
- Yokohama
- Sagamihara
- Yamato
History
The area of present-day Machida was part of ancient Musashi Province. In the post-Meiji Restoration cadastral reform of July 22, 1878, the area became part of Minamitama District in Kanagawa Prefecture. The village of Machida was created on April 1, 1889 with the establishment of municipalities law. Minamitama District was transferred to the administrative control of Tokyo Metropolis on April 1, 1893. Tama was elevated to town status on April 1, 1913. The town was bombed by American forces on May 24, 1945 during World War II.
Machida expanded through annexation of the neighboring village of Minami on April 1, 1954, followed by the villages of Tsurukawa, Tadao and Sakai on February 1, 1958 to become the city of Machida. A USMC RF-8A crashed in Machida on April 1, 1964. From 1973, the Tama New Town development resulted in a rapid increase in population, turning the city into a bedroom community for Tokyo and Yokohama.
Education
Universities and colleges
- J. F. Oberlin University
- Kokushikan University
- Showa Pharmaceutical University
- Tamagawa University
- Tokyo Kasei-Gakuin University
- Tokyo Jogakkan College
- Hosei University - Machida campus
- Wako University
- Tsurukawa Women's Junior College
Primary and secondary education
- Machida has seven public high schools operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education, including Machida High School. There are also seven private high schools, including Tamagawa Gakuen, and Third Junior & Senior High School of Nihon University[1]
- The Machida city government operates 20 public middle schools and 42 elementary schools. There are also five private middle schools and three private elementary schools.
International schools
- West Tokyo Korean 2nd Elementary School - North Korean school[2]
Transportation
Railway
- ■ Odakyu Electric Railway - Odakyu Odawara Line
- ■ Tokyu Corporation - Tōkyū Den-en-toshi Line
- Minami-machida Grandberry Park - Suzukakedai - Tsukushino
- ■ JR East - Yokohama Line
- Aihara - <Hashimoto - Sagamihara - Yabe - Fuchinobe - Kobuchi> - Machida - Naruse -
Although Hashimoto, Sagamihara, Yabe, Fuchinobe, Kobuchi Station are in Sagamihara, Kanagawa, they are all near the city border.
- Aihara - <Hashimoto - Sagamihara - Yabe - Fuchinobe - Kobuchi> - Machida - Naruse -
- ■ Keio Corporation - Keiō Sagamihara Line
- Tamasakai
Highway
- Tōmei Expressway
- Japan National Route 16
- Japan National Route 246
Politics
Machida is governed by a 26-member city council, whose members are elected for a four-year term.
Mayors
- Tokichiro Aoyama (1958–1970, 3 terms)
- Katsumasa Oshita (1970–1990, 5 terms)
- Kazuo Terada (1990–2006, 4 terms)
- Joichi Ishizaka (2006–present, 4th term incumbent)
Notable people from Machida
- Ami Onuki, half of the J-pop group Puffy
- Taiten Kusunoki, voice actor
- Megumi Toyoguchi, voice actress
- Satoshi Tajiri, creator of Pokémon; based Pallet Town on this town in the original Pokémon Red and Blue
- Masashi Takeda, Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist
Local attractions
- Buaisō museum, former residence of the Shirasu family
- Machida City Museum of Graphic Arts
- Machida Squirrel Garden
- Tadao Park
- Grandberry Park (Grandberry Mall closed in Feb 2017,redeveloped and re-opened in November 2019)
Sports
- F.C. Machida Zelvia, a football club based in Machida
- Pescadola Machida, a futsal club based in Machida
References
External links
Media related to Machida, Tokyo at Wikimedia Commons
Machida travel guide from Wikivoyage- Machida City Official Website (in Japanese)
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