Akiruno City, Tokyo東京都あきる野市

Living in Akiruno City, Tokyo

We have Summarized the livability of Akiruno City, Tokyo.

What kind of place is Akiruno City, Tokyo?

Akiruno City is a comfortable place to live surrounded by nature and has easy access to the city center.

It is located in the western part of Tokyo and has an area of approximately 73.47 square kilometers.
It is bordered by Ome City and Hinode Town to the north, Hamura City and Fussa City to the east, Hachioji City to the south, and Tama Town and Hinohara Village to the west.
It has a population of approximately 79,000 and approximately 37,000 households (as of July 2023). The Okutama mountains stretch to the west of Akiruno City, and the eastern part is a flat area surrounded by gentle hills, with relatively many rivers flowing in the southern and northern parts. The mountainous area is home to the Akigawa Valley, which stretches for approximately 20 km from Akiruno City to Hinohara Village, as well as many areas where you can enjoy mountain and river activities such as campsites and barbecues, making it a popular leisure spot in the city center for tourists.
The origin of the name “Akiru” comes from the fact that this area has long belonged to Akirugo, and an old shrine in the former Itsukaichi Town was also called Akiru Shrine, the first joint venture of the four municipalities in the Akigawa River basin, the Akiru Public Medical Center, was located there, and the flat area expected to support the development of the area is called Akiru Plateau, so the name “Akiru” has been familiar to people, and by adding “no” to the end of “Akiru”, the plain to the west of the Tama River is called “Musashino”, while the plain to the east is called “Akiruno”.

Akiruno City’s history dates back to the Edo period, when the water transportation industry was thriving, and scenes of timber being transported to Edo by floating on the Tama River and Akigawa River could be seen.
In the early Meiji period, it belonged to Kanagawa Prefecture, and in 1888, the municipal system was implemented, and the villages of Higashiakiru, Nishiakiru, Masudo, Meiji, Mitsuri, and Komiya were born, and Konakano was merged into Itsukaichi Town. In 1893, it was transferred to Tokyo Prefecture. In 1955, during the Showa period, Higashiakiru Village, Nishiakiru Village, and Tanishi Village merged to form Akita Town, and Itsukaichi Town also expanded its boundaries.
After that, in 1972, Akita Town became Akigawa City when it was incorporated as a city, and in 1995, Akigawa City and Itsukaichi Town merged to form Akiruno City.

Today, Akiruno City is a town with a good balance of quiet residential areas and industrial areas surrounded by rich nature such as mountains and rivers. A famous tourist spot in Akiruno City is “Tokyo Summerland“. It is a popular facility where you can enjoy all day long, with Japan’s largest lazy river, Adventure Dome (indoor pool) where you can enjoy the pool regardless of the season or weather, and the outdoor amusement park area “Thrill Mountain”, as well as a wide range of restaurants.

PR video of Akiruno City, Tokyo

Tokyo Akiruno Immigration/Settlement PV

[Movie] Akiruno Monogatari: Sky Blue Traveler

How is the traffic situation in Akiruno City, Tokyo?

Akiruno City is a city with good public transportation and convenient access to the city center.

There is one train line in Akiruno city with five stations. It takes about 81 minutes from Higashi-Akiru Station to Tokyo Station and about 65 minutes to Shinjuku Station.

Nishitokyo Bus operates local bus routes within Akiruno city.
To access the expressway from Akiruno city, use the Akiruno IC on the Metropolitan Intercity Expressway.
To access the national highway that runs through Akiruno city, use National Route 411, which runs from Hachioji city through Okutama town in Nishitama district to Kofu city in Yamanashi prefecture.

How are the rent and land prices in Akiruno City?

Akiruno City is a quiet residential area surrounded by nature, with many properties on large plots.

According to information from a real estate information site, the average rent in the city for a newly built apartment within a 10-minute walk from the station is about 63,000 yen for a 1K and 72,000 yen for a 2DK.
The average land price per tsubo is about 330,000 yen per tsubo.
Akiruno City is located in the western part of Tokyo, relatively far from the city center, and has quiet residential areas surrounded by nature.
There are many residential areas and the population density is not high, so it is suitable for those looking for a relatively spacious living environment. In addition, it is an area with a lot of nature left, with an abundance of mountains, rivers, and parks, making it ideal for those looking for an environment where they can enjoy nature.
Overall housing prices tend to be lower than in the city center.
In recent years, new residential areas have been developed, and there are some places where areas with increasing housing supply and existing residential areas are mixed together.

How is childcare and education in Akiruno City?

Akiruno City is an attractive city with a wide range of childcare facilities and schools, making it an ideal place to raise children in a natural environment.

Akiruno City has 17 nursery schools, 6 kindergartens, 12 elementary schools, 6 junior high schools, and 3 high schools. There are no junior colleges or universities.
The pediatric medical expenses subsidy covers both outpatient and inpatient care for children up to the age of 18 (as of March 31st after they reach the age of 18), and full financial assistance is provided.

Akiruno City also has its own comprehensive support system.
“The Akiruno Childbirth and Child-rearing Support Project” provides a “companion-type consultation support” program in which all pregnant women are interviewed by a public health nurse or other specialist to provide information on child-rearing and discuss any concerns they may have, as well as financial support in the form of a gift certificate (worth 50,000 yen) to pregnant women who have attended the interview.
Additionally, when a newborn baby is born, we present a message card and a coupon worth 3,000 yen as a celebration gift.
“The Happy Baby Club (Mother/Parent Class)” holds lectures and events to provide necessary knowledge for welcoming a baby. It is a reassuring support system where you can receive direct guidance on diet, childcare tips, etc. from childcare professionals such as midwives and public health nurses.
In addition, there are a variety of support systems in place for families with children, such as “newborn visits” where midwives and other caregivers visit homes after a baby is born, and assistance measures available for cases where you need to leave your child in someone else’s care for unavoidable circumstances.

How about shopping in Akiruno City?

Akiruno City is a town with everything from supermarkets to specialty stores, so you won’t be short of daily necessities.

Akiruno City is home to a number of commercial facilities, with Akigawa Station at the center of the area.
Basically, there are many small and medium-sized shops, and there are very few large facilities or department stores.
“Akiruno Rupia” is a three-minute walk from Akigawa Station. The first floor is home to restaurants, drugstores, and a child-rearing plaza called “Rupia Akirunokko,” making it a popular complex for families with children to socialize. The second floor also houses child-rearing-related facilities, where you can get advice from specialized counselors and obtain information on child-rearing. It also has a multipurpose hall and meeting rooms, making it a place of relaxation for residents.
“Kopio Akiruno” is a 14-minute walk away and is a convenient facility housing a grocery store, dry cleaners, hospital and more all in one compact store.
“The Akigawa Farmers Center” is a direct sales store run by the JA, and is popular as a place where you can get freshly picked vegetables and fruits. It is always bustling with customers, as it also stocks locally branded eggs, meat, and other ingredients that are hard to find at regular supermarkets.
The city also has about 10 stores, including Inageya and Super Ozam, so you won’t have any trouble buying groceries. Among them, Akiruno Tokyu, located in front of Akigawa Station, is a relatively large facility that has not only groceries but also a drugstore, clothing store, restaurants, and more, making it a convenient place where you can get everything you need.

How about jobs and recruitment in Akiruno City?

Akiruno City is a city with an industrial park and job opportunities in a variety of industries.

The average annual salary in Akiruno City is 3.4 million yen.
While Akiruno City has many quiet residential areas surrounded by nature, there are also many small and medium-sized companies and several industrial parks within the city, so you can expect to find manufacturing and office work jobs.
In addition, there are a relatively large number of supermarkets and shopping districts, so there are also a certain number of sales and food service job openings.

Akiruno City, Tokyo’s unique subsidy/subsidy system

Akiruno City, Tokyo’s unique assistance and subsidy system

Akiruno City, Tokyo’s unique childcare support system

Akiruno City, Tokyo’s unique system for further education and tuition assistance and subsidies