Machida City, the Tokyo suburb where Oberlin is located, is a lively, upbeat town which is neither too big nor too small. In Machida are upscale department stores and high-volume discount shops. Nearby are small shops and quiet coffee shops for meeting friends. Machida is a young city and its economy is geared towards young people. Machida is also convenient in terms of location. Well served by trains, it provides easy access to Tokyo proper and also to nearby mountains and beaches.
The Odakyu commuter rail line, which has an express stop in Machida, runs between Shinjuku --- the new power center of Tokyo --- and Odawara and the Izu resort area. The Yokohama Line runs from Hachioji and Mt. Takao with its Tokugawa period shrines, to Yokohama with its Chinatown and trendy shopping areas. For those who want to travel to Kyoto and beyond, the Yokohama line also offers access to Japan's famed "bullet train" (Shin-kansen) from Shin-Yokohama station.
