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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Machida
町田市
Skip as a base; use Machida as a half-day stop on the Odakyu line from Shinjuku (29–35 min, ¥360) for parks, print art and Grandberry Park.
Machida is the third most populous city in Tokyo Prefecture, on the Odakyu line 29–35 minutes from Shinjuku and on the JR Yokohama line between Yokohama and Hachioji. The station front is department stores and shopping streets; away from it are parks, a print museum and the Snoopy Museum at Minami-Machida. Most travellers see it as a half day or a rainy-day stop, not a place to sleep.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 町田市
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jun (rainy season), Jul–Aug (hot and humid), late Apr–early May (Golden Week)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥6,000–10,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥10,000–17,000 excl. bed · High ¥17,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | ¥400–700 |
| Noodle soup or a set lunch | ¥800–1,300 |
| Beer: draught in an izakaya / can at a convenience store | ¥500–750 / ¥250–350 |
| Odakyu Shinjuku → Machida (Rapid Express) | ¥360 |
| JR Yokohama line Machida → Hachioji / Yokohama | ¥290 / ¥380 |
| Museum entry (Graphic Arts varies by show; Snoopy Museum, Taigan) | ¥500–1,500 |
| Machida Squirrel Garden | ¥400 adults, ¥200 children 3–12 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ¥2,000–4,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- HND · Haneda
- Kanachu and Keio buses run daily to Machida; one service a day, operator depends on the time — check
- NRT · Narita
- Same joint Kanachu/Keio bus service; check the timetable before you rely on it
Typical fares
- Shinjuku → Machida, Odakyu Rapid Express
- ¥360, 29–35 min
- Machida → Yokohama, JR Yokohama line
- ¥380, 30–40 min
- Machida → Hachioji, JR Yokohama line
- ¥290, 20–30 min
- Taxi, short hop around the station
- ¥1,000–1,500 (check)
Get around
Trains run along the prefectural border, so buses do the work inside the city. Odakyu, JR Yokohama and Tokyu Denentoshi lines meet the centre; use a Suica or other smart card on buses and trains. The three sight clusters — Machida station, Minami-Machida and Yakushiike — are each walkable once you arrive.
See and do
Known for
- Machida City Museum of Graphic Arts
- Snoopy Museum Tokyo
- Yakushiike Park and the Shikisai no Mori gardens
- Grandberry Park, Minami-Machida
- Pokémon manhole covers (Satoshi Tajiri's childhood town)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo (Shinjuku) | Odakyu Rapid Express or Express from Machida, every 10 min or less | About 30–35 min |
| Hachioji | JR Yokohama line from Machida | 20–30 min |
| Yokohama | JR Yokohama line from Machida, or from Higashi-Kanagawa for more frequent trains | 30–40 min |
| Kichijoji | Odakyu to Shinjuku, then the JR Chuo line | About 1 h |
Sleep
- Machida Station area
- Odakyu and JR exits, department stores and the Nakamise shopping street; business hotels within a few minutes' walk.
- Minami-Machida / Grandberry Park
- Redeveloped around the Tokyu Denentoshi line station; shops, a cinema and a park, quieter at night.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu |
| This one, please | これをくださいkore o kudasai |
| How much is it? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
| Can I pay by card? | カードで払えますか？kādo de haraemasu ka |
| Where is the toilet? | トイレはどこですか？toire wa doko desu ka |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- Machida is a commuter city: hotel rates and train crowding peak on weekday mornings and evenings.
- Summer brings sudden heavy showers; carry a folding umbrella in Jul–Aug.
- Winter can snow enough to settle for a day or two; check train status before a day trip.
- Some small shops and older establishments still take cash only.
Very safe, including at night around the station. The real risks are summer heat and humidity, sudden thunderstorms, and winter snow on the trains; keep the usual earthquake and typhoon awareness for the Kanto region.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Machida yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Machida City Museum of Graphic Arts
- Snoopy Museum Tokyo
- Yakushiike Park and the Shikisai no Mori gardens
- Grandberry Park, Minami-Machida
- Pokémon manhole covers (Satoshi Tajiri's childhood town)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Machida City official site: www.city.machida.tokyo.jp/
- Machida tourism guide (local tourist association): machida-guide.or.jp/
- Machida Shikisai no Mori (Yakushiike Park gardens): machida-shikisainomori.com/
- Snoopy Museum Tokyo: snoopymuseum.tokyo/s/smt/page/english?ima=0000
- Wikivoyage: Machida, revision 5099107 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5099107
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Machida町田市
ここまでお願いします
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Machida; most are in Tokyo. The US embassy is in Minato, Tokyo — check the address and hours before you go.
Machida is a Tokyo Prefecture city, not a ward: rail passes and Tokyo metro tickets do not all cover it. Check your pass before boarding.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/machida). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.