The northern part of Machida climbs into the Tama Hills, where the old ridge roads once linked villages scattered through woods and valleys. Today much of the area is covered by Tama New Town, one of the largest housing developments in Japan, built from the 1960s onwards, but the ridges still offer views, and pockets of woodland, temples and farms survive between the estates.
Machida has a few surprises. The Machida Squirrel Garden lets visitors walk among free-roaming squirrels, a favourite with families. The Tama Hills also hold remnants of satoyama, the traditional landscape of coppice woods, rice terraces and ponds, preserved in parks where volunteers keep the old practices alive. In early summer, fireflies glow along the streams on warm evenings.
As a start and fuel stop, northern Machida is convenient, with service stations and convenience stores along the main roads. The Tama ridge road, which runs along the crest of the hills, offers a pleasant, winding route with views over the estates and the plain, and it leads west towards Hachiōji and the mountains of Okutama and Chichibu.
Traffic is heavy in Machida, especially at rush hour, and the roads are lined with traffic lights. An early start is essential if you want to reach the mountains before the crowds. Once you are past Hachiōji, the roads climb into the hills and the forests close in, and the city feels far away.