Every Anytime Fitness is the same. Before I joined, that was my assumption. The same sign. The same 24-hour doors. The same machines. That was the image in my head.

But 67 visits later, I knew better. The equipment, the space, the air of the surrounding streets — all of it differs. Some gyms greet you the moment you leave the station; others stand alone along a wide suburban road. Some neighborhoods make for a dull walk home; others let you follow a river as far as you like. N=1. A record of one person’s own two feet.

🌏 日本語版はこちら / Japanese version

No. 5 ／ SHAKUJII-KOENShakujii-Koen

Here begins the Top 5. At No. 5 is Shakujii-Koen, a three-minute walk from the station on the Seibu Ikebukuro Line. A Hammer Strength certified gym. Close to the station, yet spacious — with a sense of room you clearly don’t find along the Chuo Line. That ease is something the Seibu Line seems to make possible.

Shakujii-Koen ／ Three minutes from the station. Only four benches, but the rest of the machine lineup is exceptional. The real draw is the walk through the park on the way home.

Why it stands out. The machine lineup is, above all, abundant. There are only four benches, so they can get busy, but with so many other machines you can train much as you would with free weights. The number of showers and toilets is more than enough — a small thing that matters more than it sounds. The one missed beat is the lack of a water dispenser.

What stayed with me. On spec alone, it gives way to the four gyms above it. It earned its place in the Top 5 because of the walk home. After training, you can stroll through Shakujii Park — green, easy on the legs, lovely even at night. A gym where both the room and the neighborhood made me want to come back.

Who it’s for. Those who want both station-side access and real equipment. Those who like to walk through a green neighborhood after a session. For anyone living around Nerima or along the Seibu Line, it earns a confident recommendation.

▶ Read the full Shakujii-Koen review

No. 4 ／ TAMA CENTERTama Center

One minute from Odakyu Tama Center Station. The moment you pass the gate, it’s already there. Directly connected to the station — and to a 7-Eleven as well. Four benches, five Smith and power racks. Right by the station, and still room to breathe on the floor.

Tama Center ／ Connected to the station and a 7-Eleven. A luxurious interior and generous space you wouldn’t expect from a suburban gym.

Why it stands out. Connected to the station, yet roomy — and quiet. The interior is genuinely upscale, with a refinement rare for a suburban gym. The showers and toilets are wide and barrier-free. There’s no water dispenser, but with a 7-Eleven attached, you’re never short of a drink or a snack.

What stayed with me. The gap between station-side convenience and this much comfort. You can reach it without getting wet on a rainy day, and on the way home you can carry on to Tachikawa. A location that widens not just your training but the whole shape of a day off.

Who it’s for. Those who dislike crowds. Those who want to keep going on rainy days. Those living in the Tama area. A perfect fit for anyone who wants to train at their own pace in a clean, pleasant space.

▶ Read the full Tama Center review

No. 3 ／ SHIMOIGUSAShimoigusa

Ten seconds from the south exit of Shimoigusa Station. Step out, and it’s right in front of you. Three floors across the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. A Hammer Strength certified gym. Six Smith and power racks, five adjustable benches. And on the second floor, even a co-working space.

Shimoigusa ／ Ten seconds from the station, across three floors. From beginner-friendly to serious lifting, each floor has its purpose. Practically a theme park.

Why it stands out. It compromises on neither access nor equipment. The third floor has room to spread out; the fourth is built for serious lifters. People are around, but with so many machines spread across three floors, you almost never wait. There’s even a co-working space where calls are allowed — the facilities leave nothing to complain about.

What stayed with me. The first time I came, I honestly thought, “A gym like this, along the Seibu Line?” Station-close, and this much scale and equipment. If there’s a weakness, it’s only that the walk home along the Seibu Line is a little dull. That’s all.

Who it’s for. Those who refuse to give up either access or equipment. From beginners to advanced lifters. Anyone who likes to switch floors depending on the mood of the day.

▶ Read the full Shimoigusa review

No. 2 ／ MUSASHI-URAWAMusashi-Urawa

Five to seven minutes from the west exit of Musashi-Urawa Station. A Hammer Strength Silver Plate certified gym. Two floors across the 2nd and 3rd, and simply spacious. Six Smith and power racks, five adjustable benches. A water dispenser. A co-working space too.

Musashi-Urawa ／ Hammer Strength Silver Plate certified. Across two floors, it felt slightly larger than Shimoigusa — one of Saitama’s strongest gyms.

Why it stands out. The third floor carries a fully serious-lifter air. The machine lineup is rich, and even when people are around, you don’t wait. With the second and third floors separated, the crowd disperses and it never feels cramped. The mood resembles Shimoigusa, but here it felt a touch more spacious.

I thought I was touring gyms.
Before I knew it, I was walking the city.

What stayed with me. I hadn’t expected a gym this good in Saitama. On the way home, I walked all the way to Urawa — a calm, urban air, different from Tokyo. A place that stayed with me not just as a gym, but along with the memory of its streets.

Who it’s for. Those who want to train hard for real. Those seeking space away from the crowds of central Tokyo. For anyone living in southern Saitama, a confident recommendation.

▶ Read the full Musashi-Urawa review

No. 1 ／ SEIBU YAGISAWASeibu Yagisawa

Ten minutes from Seibu Yagisawa Station on the Seibu Shinjuku Line. A Hammer Strength certified gym. A three-story standalone building, with nothing built beside it — this Anytime Fitness stands alone along a wide road. Five Smith and power racks, five adjustable benches. And space, plenty of it.

Seibu Yagisawa ／ A three-story standalone building, with the feel of a structure built for training alone. Wide windows, open and airy. The gym that surprised me most, saved for last among 67.

Why it stands out. New and clean — and with space to spare. Shimoigusa is rich in machines but a little tight on room; here, you get both the equipment and the openness. The windows are wide, and the air feels open. This isn’t a gym squeezed into spare space in a building; it has the feel of a building made for training itself.

What stayed with me. On the official page, I honestly thought it looked small. But the moment I opened the door, it exceeded everything I’d imagined. “This might surpass Shimoigusa.” That’s what I thought. The joy of this pilgrimage lies in the gap between the photo and the place — and here, that gap was at its largest. The very last of 67. Farthest away, and the most surprising. So this is where I placed No. 1.

Who it’s for. Those willing to ride the train just to train hard in a spacious gym. Those who want to keep their own pace in a quiet suburb. And with 12 free parking spaces, those who’d rather drive. The area around the station isn’t lively. But somehow, that quiet is good, too.

▶ Read the full Seibu Yagisawa review

IN CLOSINGThe pilgrimage continues

This ranking is not the final version. It is a checkpoint, at 67 gyms. At 80, at 100, the order will surely shift. Some gym I haven’t seen yet may overtake one of these five. Going to find out is part of the joy of the pilgrimage.

Before I joined, I thought every Anytime Fitness was the same. But 67 gyms on foot taught me otherwise. Under the same sign, there is this much difference in equipment, in neighborhoods, in air. I thought I was touring gyms — and before I knew it, I was walking the city. All of it was the pilgrimage. The pilgrimage continues.