Machida

Machida, city, southern Tokyo to (metropolis), east-central Honshu, Japan. It is situated on the southern slopes of the Tama Hills and adjoins the cities of Hachiōji and Tama in the metropolis to the northwest and north, respectively. Kanagawa ken (prefecture) borders the city to the east and south.

The city was formed by the amalgamation of Hara-Machida and three neighbouring villages in 1958. During the Meiji era (1868–1912) Hara-Machida was a market for goods (mostly silk) destined for the port of Yokohama. In 1908 the railway between Yokohama and Hachiōji passed through the city, increasing its importance as a trade and transport hub. Machida later developed as a residential suburb of the Tokyo-Yokohama metropolitan area. Large-scale housing was constructed, and the population almost tripled between 1960 and 1970. It continued to grow, but at a slower rate, in the decades after that. Pop. (2005) 405,534; (2010) 426,987.