Suginami Ward, Tokyo東京都杉並区

Living in Suginami Ward, Tokyo

We have Summarized the livability of Suginami Ward, Tokyo.

What kind of place is Suginami Ward, Tokyo?

Suginami Ward: a city where a thriving anime industry, popular spots for young people, and quiet residential areas intersect

Suginami Ward is located in the western part of Tokyo’s 23 wards, with an area of approximately 34.06 square kilometers.
It borders Nerima Ward to the north, Nakano Ward to the east, Shibuya Ward and Setagaya Ward to the south, and Mitaka City and Musashino City to the west.
It has a population of approximately 570,000 and approximately 325,000 households (as of February 2023).
The area is located on the Musashino Plateau, and is generally a gently sloping hilly area.
Three rivers flow through the ward: the Shomyo-ji River, the Zenpuku-ji River, and the Kanda River. Despite its location close to the city center, the area is blessed with lush nature.

Suginami Ward was formed in 1932 when the villages of Takaido, Suginami, Iogi, and Wadahorinouchi were merged.
The most likely explanation for the name of the ward is that it comes from the rows of cedar trees that were planted along the Ome Kaido road by the feudal lord Okabe as a mark of the boundary of his domain at the beginning of the Edo period. The rows of cedar trees disappeared before the Meiji period, but the name “Suginami” was later adopted as the name of the village, and is now the name of the ward.
The area has a downtown atmosphere with many old-fashioned shopping streets centered around the stations along the JR Chuo Line. The area around Ogikubo Station is the busiest area in particular, and is a lively area with many large commercial facilities and small stores.
The area around Koenji Station is also famous for the annual event “Tokyo Koenji Awa Odori,” which is a festival that attracts many tourists every year.
A popular tourist spot is “Omiya Hachiman Shrine.” Located on a vast site of approximately 45,000m2, it is a famous place for praying for safe childbirth, and attracts many visitors from far away.
The Tokyo Polytechnic University Suginami Animation Museum is a facility where you can touch many animation-related exhibits. It also offers hands-on programs, making it a recommended spot that can be enjoyed even by those who are not anime fans.

PR video of Suginami Ward, Tokyo

Suginami, the town of anime

Suginami Ward Education Vision 2022 PR film

How is the traffic situation in Suginami Ward?

Suginami Ward: an easy-to-live-in city with easy access to the city center

There are 7 train lines and 18 stations that pass through Suginami Ward.

Local buses are operated by Keio Bus, Kanto Bus, Toei Bus, Seibu Bus, and Kokusai Kogyo Bus.
There is also a community bus called “Sugimaru” that travels around the ward’s major facilities and is available at a low fare.

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

The ward is served by National Route 20, which runs from Chuo Ward in Tokyo through Kanagawa Prefecture, Yamanashi Prefecture, and Shiojiri City in Nagano Prefecture.

How are the rent and land prices in Suginami Ward?

Suginami Ward: Close to the city center and reasonably priced

According to information from a real estate information website, the average rent in the ward for a newly built apartment within a 10-minute walk from the station is about 94,000 yen for a 1K and 150,000 yen for a 2DK. ​​
The average land price per tsubo is about 2.45 million yen per tsubo.
The average price of a newly built apartment is 70.41 million yen, the average area is 60.62 m2, and the average price per tsubo is 3.84 million yen per tsubo. (As of 2018-2022)

Suginami ward has a wide variety of properties, including detached houses, condominiums, and apartments. There are also many second-hand properties, which tend to be priced lower than new properties.
Land prices also tend to be cheaper than in the city center. However, prices can be higher in popular areas such as around train stations.
Suginami ward is popular as an easy place to live, with good transportation access, a wide range of train lines, and a great living environment. The real estate market is also booming, and it is attracting attention as an area for investment and asset formation.

How is childcare and education in Suginami Ward?

Suginami Ward: A city where it’s easy for people with children to live

There are 91 nursery schools, 47 kindergartens, 42 elementary schools, 31 junior high schools, 19 high schools, 9 junior colleges/universities, and 13 vocational schools in the ward.
Child medical expenses subsidies are available for both outpatient and inpatient care for children up to 18 years of age (as of March 31st after they reach 18 years of age), and cover the full cost of care.
Child allowances are provided: 15,000 yen for children under 3 years of age, 10,000 yen for the first and second child aged 3 years 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.)

Suginami Ward also has a wide range of child-rearing support services unique to the ward.
In the “Cradle Interview,” specialized staff such as midwives and public health nurses will consult with pregnant women about childbirth and child-rearing and provide information.
After the interview, you will receive a “Cradle Ticket” that can be used for taxi rides and classes, which is a great system.
In the “Weekday Mother’s Class/Weekday Papa’s Class” and “Holiday Mother’s Class/Holiday Papa’s Class,” you can get information about childbirth and child-rearing in preparation for welcoming a baby, and you can also meet other people.
There are 27 “children’s centers” in the ward, which provide play areas and learning spaces for children from babies to high school students. They also plan experience programs and local events that parents and children can participate in.
The “Children’s and Child-rearing Plaza,” which has six locations in the ward, is a gathering place that supports children’s growth and child-rearing. It is a place where babies and mothers can spend time together, and it also serves as a place for mothers to gather at the same time.

Suginami ward is known as an easy place to live for families with children because it offers a variety of support.
Childcare facilities are also abundant, with public nurseries, certified childcare centers, and private nurseries, providing the necessary childcare facilities to those who wish to enroll their children.
In addition, as a measure to address the problem of children on waiting lists, efforts are being made to provide subsidies to private nurseries in the ward.
In addition, a variety of childcare support programs are being developed for families with children. For example, there is a “Childcare Mother Support Program” for single mothers, widows, divorced people, and those who have experienced domestic violence, and a “Father Support Program” for fathers who are raising children.
There are also a wide variety of educational institutions, and the ward has a wide range of educational institutions to choose from, including not only elementary and junior high schools, but also private schools and international schools.
Private schools start from elementary school and are characterized by their flexible educational programs and distinctive education. In addition, many private schools focus on guidance for entering higher education, and have excellent results in high school entrance exams and university entrance.

How about shopping in Suginami Ward?

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

Suginami Ward is one of the residential areas in Tokyo, and has many commercial facilities, supermarkets, convenience stores, and local shops.
Commercial facilities are concentrated around Asagaya Station and Koenji Station.
Around Asagaya Station, there are Lumine, Bic Camera, Uniqlo, etc., and around Koenji Station, there are Koenji Marui, Life, Don Quijote, etc. These commercial facilities sell a variety of products such as clothing, home appliances, food, and daily necessities.
There are about 74 supermarkets in the ward, mainly Seiyu, Summit, Life, etc. These supermarkets sell products such as food and daily necessities, and you can purchase them at relatively low prices.

How about jobs and recruitment in Suginami Ward?

Suginami Ward: A city where shops of all sizes related to the anime industry gather

The average annual salary in Suginami is 4.78 million yen.
The employment situation in Suginami is relatively diverse because it is located in the city center, and there are jobs in various industries.
There are many commercial facilities and restaurants in the ward, so there tend to be many job openings for staff.
In addition, there are many schools and educational institutions, so there are many education-related jobs. There are also many job openings for individual instruction at cram schools and prep schools.
It is also famous as a place for the anime industry, and there are many anime production studios, so you can expect production-related jobs.
In recent years, with the advancement of IIT technology, the number of IT companies in Suginami has increased, and the number of jobs in related industries has also increased.
However, in popular areas of Suginami such as Kichijoji and Koenji, although there are many job openings, there tends to be a high level of competition due to the large number of applicants.

Suginami Ward, Tokyo’s unique subsidy/subsidy system

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

Suginami Ward, Tokyo’s unique childcare support system

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