Machida: From the Former Shirasu Residence Buaiso to Yakushi Pond Park and Machida Squirrel Garden

History and Regional Charm

Machida City preserves the nature of satoyama (traditional rural landscapes) and the history of everyday life.

Buaiso in Tsurukawa is a thatched-roof house where Shirasu Jiro and his wife, the essayist Shirasu Masako, lived. In 1942 (Showa 17), the couple bought a farmhouse in what was then Tsurukawa Village. Located on the border between the ancient provinces of Musashi and Sagami, it was named as a pun on buaiso (meaning "unsociable" or "curt").

Yakushi Pond is the pond at the center of Yakushi Pond Park, Machida City's representative park. Created by damming spring water, it was an irrigation reservoir for rice paddies. It is designated as a Tokyo Metropolitan Place of Scenic Beauty and has been selected as one of "Japan's Top 100 Historical Parks." Next door at Machida Squirrel Garden, around 200 Pallas's squirrels are kept in a free-roaming environment.

From the home of a couple who lived through post-war Japan, to a pond protected by locals since the Edo period, and on to a park of small animals. This is a half-day course where you can experience history, nature, and animals all at once.

Major Highlights

• ​Former Shirasu Residence Buaiso​​: After the war, Jiro was asked by Yoshida Shigeru to handle negotiations with GHQ. The main house remains, where Masako is said to have insisted, "Keep it thatched as long as I live," when talk arose of putting on a tiled roof. A small north-facing room that was originally a retirement room became Masako's study, where her vast collection of books remains just as it was.
• ​Yakushi Pond​​: This pond was buried by mud and sand in 1708 (Hoei 5) and 1817 (Bunka 14), and on each occasion it was dredged and dug out again to reach its present state. A taiko-bashi (arched drum bridge) spans the pond, and two Edo-period traditional houses—including the Former Nagai Family Residence, a designated National Important Cultural Property—have been relocated within the park. Plum blossoms, cherry blossoms, Japanese irises, Oga lotus, and autumn foliage shift the colors with each season.
• ​Machida Squirrel Garden​​: Opened in December 1988 as a workplace for people with disabilities. Squirrels run around energetically in a mortar-shaped, free-range enclosure of approximately 2,500 square meters surrounded by special fences. For a fee, you can feed them seeds, and some friendly squirrels will eat directly from your hand.

Recommended Route and Travel Time

The estimated time required is about 4 hours. From the north exit of Tsurukawa Station on the Odakyu Odawara Line, it takes about 15 minutes on foot to reach Buaiso. After viewing the thatched-roof main house and Masako's study, take a walk through the garden surrounded by satoyama nature. Buaiso has closed periods during summer and winter. Check the exhibition page on the official website before heading out.

From Buaiso, Yakushi Pond Park is about 2.9 kilometers away in a straight line to the west-southwest. Return to Tsurukawa Station, take a bus bound for "Yakushidai Center," and get off at the final stop. This is the bus recommended in the access guide for Machida Squirrel Garden from Tsurukawa Station.

Yakushi Pond and Machida Squirrel Garden are adjacent to each other. On the west side of Yakushi Pond stands a large ginkgo tree with an estimated age of about 500 years, along with the Yakushi-do Hall, from which the pond gets its name. Taking a break at Yakushi Chaya teahouse by the pond while admiring the water is also a good option. Machida Squirrel Garden is about 170 meters east-southeast of Yakushi Pond. Since visitors enter the free-range enclosure, wearing long sleeves and long pants that you do not mind getting dirty is recommended. You can also extend your visit to Machida Peony Garden, located about a 7-minute walk from Yakushi Pond.

For the return trip, you can also head to Machida Station. The bus ride between the Yakushi-ike bus stop and the north exit of Machida Station takes about 30 minutes.

Experience Summary

Traces of the couple's life remaining in a thatched-roof house, a reservoir repeatedly dug out again since the Edo period, and the lively sight of squirrels. In Machida, spend half a day connecting with history, nature, and small creatures. If you visit in a different season, the colors of the flowers and trees in Yakushi Pond Park will also change.