MACHIDA

city, Tokyo Metropolis (to), Honshu, Japan, on the border of Kanagawa Prefecture (ken). Situated on the southern slopes of the Tama Hills, the city was formed by the amalgamation of Hara-Machida and three neighbouring villages in 1958. During the Meiji era (18681912) Hara-Machida was a market for goods (mostly silk) destined for the port of Yokohama. In 1908 the railway between Yokohama and Hachioji passed through the city, increasing its importance as a trade and transport hub. Machida later developed as a residential suburb of the TokyoYokohama Metropolitan Area; large-scale housing was constructed, and the population almost tripled between 1960 and 1970 but slowed throughout the late 1970s. Pop. (1983 est.) 308,031.