The Seibu Shinjuku Line gets more interesting once you step off the train.
A journey through 18 Anytime Fitness gyms.
Anytime Fitness locations are sometimes right by the station, sometimes a short walk away. The Seibu Shinjuku Line turned out to have a surprising number of locations close to the station. Step out of the ticket gate, and there it is — that happened eighteen times.
This is a record of visiting all 18 locations, one by one, from Nakai to Hon-Kawagoe. The stretch between Seibu-Shinjuku and Nakai — Takadanobaba, Shimo-Ochiai, and others — hasn’t been covered yet. So this piece is limited to the 18 locations actually visited, west of Nakai.
Locations closer to the city tend to be smaller, tucked into shopping streets, while locations further out tend to be larger — standalone buildings or units inside shopping malls. The neighborhoods past the station were often quiet, and looked like comfortable places to live.
No. 1 ／ Seibu-Yagisawa12 pts · Pilgrimage Class
A Hammer Strength certified location. A 10-minute walk from Seibu-Yagisawa Station, this standalone three-story building sits along a large road, with nothing built next to it — the building stands entirely on its own. The second floor holds selectorized machines and treadmills, along with restrooms, showers, and a free water cooler. The third floor holds plate-loaded machines and the free-weight area. Five adjustable benches, with Smith machines and power racks arranged cafeteria-style.
Anytime Fitness Seibu-Yagisawa. A standalone three-story building, with nothing next door.
What stood out. Photos on the official page made this location look small. Walking in proved otherwise — it was clean and spacious, with light pouring in through large windows. Rather than feeling like a gym squeezed into leftover space, the building felt built for training from the ground up. Good enough to make one wonder whether it surpasses Shimoigusa.
Who it suits. Anyone in the suburbs who won’t compromise on either space or equipment. The area around the station isn’t lively, but that quiet feels like part of what this place is.
▶ Full review of Anytime Fitness Seibu-Yagisawa
No. 2 ／ Shimoigusa12 pts · Pilgrimage Class
A Hammer Strength certified location, 10 seconds from Shimoigusa Station. Floors two through four of a four-story building are entirely Anytime Fitness. Five adjustable benches, six Smith machines and power racks. The second floor even has a co-working space.
Anytime Fitness Shimoigusa. 10 seconds from the station, spread across three floors of a four-story building.
What stood out. There are people, but with so much equipment spread across three floors, waiting is rare. The third floor has room to breathe, while the fourth carries the atmosphere of a serious lifters’ space — the character of the gym shifts floor by floor within the same building.
Who it suits. Anyone unwilling to give up either proximity to the station or the range of equipment.
▶ Full review of Anytime Fitness Shimoigusa
No. 3 ／ Shinsayama11 pts · Pilgrimage Class
A single floor inside a shopping mall, on the second level. Six adjustable benches, one shoulder-press bench, five Smith machines. Around six chest machines alone.
Anytime Fitness Shinsayama. A single floor on the second level of a shopping mall.
What stood out. Space, equipment, and cleanliness — all three came together. There were people around, but no stress in training. Large windows looked out onto a quiet, unhurried townscape.
Who it suits. Anyone unwilling to compromise on space or on the number of machines.
▶ Full review of Anytime Fitness Shinsayama
No. 4 ／ Hanakoganei11 pts · Pilgrimage Class
10 seconds from the station. A FamilyMart occupies the first floor, with Anytime Fitness on the second. Four Smith machines, three benches. A protein vending machine on site.
Anytime Fitness Hanakoganei. FamilyMart occupies the ground floor.
What stood out. The only real complaint is the lack of a water cooler — everything else is comfortable. The floor is spacious and clean, with machines set well apart from one another. Walking home along the Tamako cycling road afterward is a good way to end a visit.
Who it suits. Anyone who wants both proximity to the station and comfort.
▶ Full review of Anytime Fitness Hanakoganei
No. 5 ／ Kamishakujii Ekimae10 pts · Worth a Return Visit
A Hammer Strength Silver Plate certified location, occupying the first and second floors of a building. Free water cooler on site, three adjustable benches, five Smith machines and power racks. Dumbbells are split between the left side and the back wall, keeping members from crossing paths.
The Hammer Strength Silver Plate certification plaque on display.
What stood out. The ground floor felt small on entry. Climbing the stairs changed that impression completely — high ceilings, and a Silver Plate plaque mounted firmly on the wall past the free-weight area. A location worth calling a hidden gem within a shopping street. If it were only a little larger, it would likely have earned Pilgrimage Class.
Who it suits. Anyone who wants a well-designed layout and solid equipment, within the constraints of a station-front location.
▶ Full review of Anytime Fitness Kamishakujii Ekimae
Ranks 6–18Digest
The pace picks up from here. Each location came with its own set of conditions.
30 seconds from the station. The entrance looks narrow, but the space runs deeper than expected. Two adjustable benches, one flat bench, one shoulder-press bench, and three Smith machines and power racks combined. Attachments around the cable machines are well stocked — a location with a good balance of equipment, layout, and space.
▶ Full review
15 seconds from the station. Mirrors on the walls make the space feel larger than it is. Three benches combined, four Smith machines and power racks. Not a location built around sheer equipment count, but one that leaves room to train at one’s own pace.
▶ Full review
An 8-minute walk from the station. A tall, narrow building, still fairly new. Large windows let in plenty of light. Three adjustable benches, three Smith machines and power racks. The free-weight area draws serious lifters, giving the place a noticeably energetic atmosphere.
▶ Full review
An 8-minute walk from the station, a standalone location. Two adjustable benches, four Smith machines and power racks. The only way between floors is by elevator, and there’s no restroom on the third floor. Even so, hand-written notes from staff line the walls, and the space overall feels generously open.
▶ Full review
15 seconds from the station, a single-floor location. Three adjustable benches, four Smith machines and power racks, two cable machines. Rare to find plate-loaded machines at a location this size. The path from the dumbbells to the free-weight area is well laid out.
▶ Full review
A 10-minute walk from the station, a single-floor location built like a shopping mall unit. Four adjustable benches, four Smith machines and power racks. Plenty of room around the dumbbells, with an openness reminiscent of a municipal gym.
▶ Full review
A 5-minute walk from the station. New and clean. Four benches, and rarely crowded. On the other hand, there’s no leg press machine.
▶ Full review
A 6-minute walk from Hon-Kawagoe or Kawagoe Station, a single floor on the second level. Two adjustable benches, two Smith machines. A narrow layout in the middle of a shopping district, but since it’s rarely crowded, it doesn’t feel cramped.
▶ Full review
1–2 minutes from the station, on the second floor above a Lawson. Two Smith machines, three adjustable benches. The layout itself isn’t bad, but the narrow, elongated space feels a little tight.
▶ Full review
A 5-minute walk from the station, on the third floor of a building. Two Smith machines, three adjustable benches. Depending on the time of day, waiting can happen.
▶ Full review
A 3-minute walk from the station, a single floor on the second level of a building tucked into a shopping street. One adjustable bench, two Smith machines and power racks. The free-weight area is small and stayed fully occupied throughout the visit.
▶ Full review
A 1-minute walk from the station, nearly connected to the Toei Oedo Line. A standalone two-story building, two floors of space. Four adjustable benches, three Smith machines and power racks. During the visit, the free-weight area was completely full, and there was no ab bench on site.
▶ Full review
A 2-minute walk from the station, on the second floor of a two-story building. During the visit, the benches were all occupied, resulting in a wait.
▶ Full reviewClosingThe pilgrimage continues
Eighteen locations, from Nakai to Hon-Kawagoe. Even along a single line — the Seibu Shinjuku Line — the conditions varied completely from one place to the next: standalone three-story suburban gyms, small locations tucked into shopping streets, spacious units inside shopping malls.
Distance from the station, or the age of the building, doesn’t decide whether a gym is good or not. Floor space, layout, and the comfort of the surrounding neighborhood — all of it together decides whether a place is worth coming back to.
Even the smallest step is still part of the journey.NO RUSH. YOUR JOURNEY.
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