Nerima Ward, Tokyo東京都練馬区

Living in Nerima Ward, Tokyo

We have Summarized the livability of Nerima Ward, Tokyo.

What kind of place is Nerima Ward, Tokyo?

Nerima Ward is a city with a relaxing and comfortable residential area.

Nerima Ward is located in the northwest of Tokyo’s 23 wards and has an area of approximately 48.08 square kilometers.
It borders Saitama Prefecture’s Niiza City and Asaka City to the north, Itabashi Ward and Toshima Ward to the east, Nakano Ward and Suginami Ward to the south, and Nishitokyo City to the west.
It has a population of approximately 738,000 and approximately 384,000 households. (As of March 2023)

Nerima ward is basically a gentle terrain with little elevation difference, but it is slightly higher on the west side and lower towards the east, giving it an almost rectangular shape.
In terms of land use, 61.9% of the ward is residential, and it is characterized by many quiet residential areas with lots of greenery.
There are several theories about the origin of the ward’s name, including one that it was taken from Nerima Castle, and another that it was a place where red soil from the Kanto Loam layer was kneaded, so it is still unclear.
During the Edo period, it developed as a major suburban farming village.
After the Great Kanto Earthquake, the population rapidly increased and urbanization progressed, causing a decrease in the number of people working in agriculture, but even today, as the ward with the largest amount of farmland, it plays a role in urban agriculture.
In 1932, as new wards were being created one after another, this area was once incorporated into Itabashi Ward, but due to the enthusiastic campaigning of local residents, the areas of Nerima-cho, Kami-Nerima-mura, Nakaarai-mura, Shakujii-mura, and Oizumi-mura in Kita-Toshima-gun were separated from Itabashi Ward in 1947 to form Nerima Ward. As a result, it is the newest of the 23 wards of Tokyo, and the third ward to be created.
The center of the ward is around Nerima Station, which is a bustling downtown area with four train lines and large commercial buildings and apartment buildings. It is also characterized by many long-established shopping streets, such as the Nerima Station Chuo-dori Shopping District and the Nerima Arcade Shopping District.
In addition, the area around Ekoda Station is known as a student town, with many campuses such as Sophia University, Musashi University, and Musashino Academia Musicae.
Nerima ward is also famous as the place where Japan’s first color feature-length animations, “The Legend of the White Snake” and “Astro Boy,” were produced, and even today, there are more than 100 animation production companies in the city.
There are many tourist spots filled with nature in the ward.
Shakujii Park is known as a famous cherry blossom viewing spot, and is bustling with tourists in the spring. The park also has a boat dock, making it a recommended spot for families and couples.
Hikarigaoka Park is a facility where you can relax and enjoy sports and seasonal flowers on its spacious grounds. It is a recommended spot that you will want to visit again and again, as it also holds seasonal events.
In addition, the site of Toshimaen, an amusement park that had long been a symbol of the ward and sadly closed in 2020, is set to host an indoor Harry Potter themed facility, Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter, in June 2023, making the area even more popular.

PR video of Nerima Ward, Tokyo

Yori Dori Midori -Nerima | Tree of Wishes-

Nerima Ward 70th Anniversary Commemorative Video

Nerima Hot Line

How is the traffic situation in Nerima Ward?

Nerima Ward is convenient for commuting to work or school, with easy access to Shinjuku and Ikebukuro

There are 7 train lines and 19 stations that run through Nerima ward.

Bus routes are operated by Seibu Bus, Toei Bus, Kanto Bus, and Keio Bus.
There is also a community bus called “Midori Bus” that offers low-cost access to major facilities in the ward.

There are two expressways accessible from the ward, with two entrances and exits.

Roads that pass through the ward include National Route 17, which runs from Chuo Ward, Tokyo through Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture to Chuo Ward, Niigata City, and National Route 254, which runs from Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo through Saitama and Gunma Prefectures to Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture.

How are the rent and land prices in Nerima Ward?

Nerima Ward is a relatively affordable place to live within the 23 wards, and is a great place to live for students and families.

According to information from a real estate information website, the average rent in the ward is about 84,000 yen for a 1K apartment and 123,000 yen for a 2DK apartment within a 10-minute walk from the station.
The average land price is about 1.54 million yen per tsubo.
The average price of a new apartment is 53.69 million yen, the average area is 61.11 m2, and the average price per tsubo is 2.904 million yen per tsubo. (As of 2018-2022)
Nerima ward has many relatively new buildings, especially around the station, and rent and management fees are relatively low compared to Tokyo.
Compared to the surrounding wards, land prices are relatively reasonable and large plots can be secured.
On the other hand, there are many densely populated areas of wooden houses and many narrow and winding roads, so there are areas that are vulnerable to earthquakes and fires, so care must be taken when choosing a property.

How is childcare and education in Nerima Ward?

Nerima Ward: A city with plenty of daycare centers, making it easy for dual-income families to raise children

Nerima ward has 113 nurseries, 44 kindergartens, 67 elementary schools, 38 junior high schools, 13 high schools, 6 junior colleges and universities, and 2 vocational schools.
The “Children’s Medical Expense Subsidy” covers children under 18 years old (as of March 31 after they reach 18 years old) for both outpatient and inpatient care, and is fully subsidized.
Child allowances are provided: 15,000 yen for children under 3 years old, 10,000 yen for the first and second children aged 3 years old or older and not yet entering elementary school, 15,000 yen for the third child and onwards, and 10,000 yen for junior high school students.

Nerima ward also provides a wide range of unique support.
In the “Baby Preparation Class,” you can participate in a class that teaches bathing and gives advice on child rearing.
In the “Postpartum Care Program,” you can receive postpartum care at a facility with midwives or at home for a relatively low fee. This program is for mothers and children under one year old, and you can receive advice on breastfeeding, bathing methods, and general child rearing.
In addition, the city provides “Child Rearing Start Support Coupons” to households with children under two years old, and they can use child rearing classes and helper services free of charge. You can receive eight coupons per child.
As a “Third Child Birth Celebration,” 100,000 yen is paid for each child who has a third or subsequent child.
In addition, the city provides various support, such as providing play areas that parents and children can use and planning participatory events.

Nerima ward has many child-rearing support measures. For example, the Child-rearing Support Center has facilities where parents and children can play together, and a consultation desk for child-rearing. The ward also hosts many events and courses, and has a system in place to support child-rearing.
There are also many public and private nursery schools and kindergartens.
There are also many municipal elementary and junior high schools, and some schools offer unique classes such as English education and programming education. There are also a few private schools, but they are relatively few in number.

How about shopping in Nerima Ward?

Nerima Ward is a city with many supermarkets and other shops that are essential to daily life.

Nerima ward has over 100 shopping streets, large and small. Representative shopping streets include the Nerima Ekimae Chuo Dori Shopping District and the Nerima Arcade Shopping District, which are home to grocery stores, clothing stores, general stores, and many other stores beloved by locals.
In addition, Hikarigaoka IMA, a large shopping mall directly connected to Hikarigaoka Station on the Toei Oedo Line, was renovated in 2020 and is a notable facility with new stores opening. It is home to supermarkets, fashion-related stores, restaurants, and more, so you can do a lot of shopping at once.
There are about 93 supermarkets in the ward, mainly Life, Seiyu, Summit Store, and more, so you will never run out of places to buy daily necessities.

How about jobs and recruitment in Nerima Ward?

Nerima Ward: A city where various companies gather and job openings can be found in many different industries

The average annual salary in Nerima is 4.29 million yen.
Nerima has more than 20,000 business establishments, with a high proportion of wholesale and retail businesses, construction businesses, and accommodation and food and beverage service businesses.
It is also a city with a thriving anime industry, and there are many animation-related companies in the ward.
Nerima has a good employment situation because of the variety of industries.
However, while there are many job openings, the competition tends to be high, so in order to find a job that meets your desired conditions, you need to be creative in gathering information and applying. Also, depending on the industry, you may feel that the salary is low, so it is important to choose the right job according to your skills and experience.

Nerima Ward, Tokyo’s unique subsidy/subsidy system

Nerima Ward, Tokyo’s unique housing assistance and subsidy system

Nerima Ward, Tokyo’s unique childcare support system

Nerima Ward, Tokyo’s unique system for further education and tuition assistance/subsidies