Visit Japan Web Nerima
Visit Japan Web invites you to explore Nerima, a centrally located and verdant neighborhood. It is renowned among fans of anime as the birthplace of the industry. It is home to multiple production studios. The surrounding vicinity features several parks and gardens, such as Hikarigaoka Park and Makino Memorial Garden.
During the Edo period, this area was mainly for farming, cultivating daikon radishes, gobo burdocks, and potatoes. Following the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake, a significant number of people from central Tokyo relocated to this area. In 1952, the Japan Self-Defense Forces set up a base there. The headquarters of the first division of the eastern group of the Ground Self-Defense Force is currently located there. Grant Heights had been Narimasu airfield under the Imperial Japanese Army until the conclusion of World War II. The runway now serves as the main street in front of the IMA department store in Hikarigaoka.
Nerima is host to numerous anime studios. Many of them played a significant role in establishing the genre in the mid-20th century. Toei Animation produced Japan’s first full-length color anime film, “The Tale of the White Serpent,” and their building now houses the Toei Animation Museum. Additionally, Mushi Production, another animation studio, created the first anime TV series, “Astro Boy”.
Hikarigaoka Park is a former military housing complex and airfield in northern Tokyo. It has transformed into a sprawling park with expansive open spaces and tree-lined pathways. Visitors can enjoy the company of 17,000 trees and numerous blossoming plants. During spring, 1000 cherry trees and spacious fields make it an ideal location for cherry blossom picnics, while its pathways offer a perfect opportunity to admire the vibrant fall colors.
