Nakai carries a different kind of weight. Inside, a panel lays out the entire history of Anytime Fitness in Japan, condensed onto one wall.
Stepping out of Nakai Station, the gym is right there. Almost zero walking distance.
The Toei Oedo Line connects nearly directly, and the Seibu Shinjuku Line exit sits right beside it.
In terms of access alone, this is one of the best-located gyms I have visited on this pilgrimage.
I arrived on a Saturday, just before noon. Past the shopping street, into a 2-story standalone building, through the reception on the 1st floor.
Inside, the crowd felt distinctly urban. The free-weight area was completely full, and I waited a moment before I could use it.
Convenience and crowding. Nakai captures that trade-off well.
What makes this location stand out, though, is neither the equipment nor the address. It is a single panel on the wall, and a training facility standing next door. A short walk around the neighborhood reveals another side of this gym worth recording here.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Address | Tokyo Traffic Kaihatsu Nakai Building, 3-2-4 Kamiochiai, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 161-0034 |
| Nearest Station | Nakai Station (Seibu Shinjuku Line / Toei Oedo Line) |
| Walk Time | 1 minute (official) / roughly 0 minutes in practice |
| Monthly Fee | ¥8,250 (tax included, ¥7,500 before tax) |
| Phone | 03-5348-5658 |
| Official Site | https://www.anytimefitness.co.jp/nakai/ |
Equipment
- Water server: Yes (hydrogen water)
- Private shower: Yes
- Private changing room: Yes
- Wi-Fi: Yes
- Body composition scale: Yes
- Personal trainer: Available
- Protein server: Yes
- Bike parking: None (parking prohibited in front of the gym)
- Car parking: None
- AED: Yes
- Contract locker: Available (open slots)
- Free for high school students: Yes
- Smith machine / power rack: 3
- Adjustable benches: 4
- Machine brands: PRECOR / Concept2
Access
The gym sits almost directly in front of Nakai Station.
Both the Seibu Shinjuku Line and the Toei Oedo Line connect nearly at the doorstep, making this one of the most convenient locations from central Tokyo among the gyms visited so far.
Atmosphere and Facilities
A standalone 2-story building facing the main street. Like the Seibuyagisawa location, it stands out simply because there are few tall buildings nearby. The building itself is fairly new. The 1st floor holds reception and the stack-weight machines, while the 2nd floor has the shower, restroom, and free-weight area.
There is no free water server. The restroom and shower are reasonably spacious.
A tanning machine is installed on the 2nd floor, which, honestly, felt like space that could have gone toward a larger free-weight area instead. There was not even an ab bench in sight.
Because the floors are split, it is impossible to see whether the 2nd-floor free-weight area is available while training on the 1st floor. If it turns out to be full, there is nothing to do but head back down. This kind of layout inefficiency is a common weakness of compact, urban locations.
And then, the single panel that makes this location special.
Inside, a panel traces the history of Anytime Fitness Japan from 2010 to 2024. It lays out the timeline in numbers: the first store, then 100 locations, then 500, then 1,000. The entire network I have been slowly working through on this pilgrimage is condensed into that one wall.
Nakai itself is woven into that history — not the first store, but opened in 2012 and renovated in 2024, both recorded right there on the panel. Across more than 70 locations visited so far, few have their opening year and renovation year laid out this clearly. It also explained, in one glance, why the facility felt newer than expected.
Crowd Levels
I visited on a Saturday, just before noon, and the free-weight area was completely full.
The crowd skewed young and urban. The adjustable benches sit close to the dumbbell area, so paths cross often with other members mid-set.
This is a gym where you need to keep an eye on availability while training. On top of that, there was a faint, distinct smell not uncommon in gyms located in busier parts of the city.
The Surrounding Area
Right outside the station, a lively shopping street greets you.
Walk past it, though, and the scenery shifts to rows of high-rise buildings. That contrast is part of what makes the Nakai area interesting.
And one more sight unique to this location. Right next to the gym stands AFJ NAKAI CAMPUS, a training facility run by Anytime Fitness Japan. It is the kind of shot that never shows up in an ordinary gym review.
This may well be where the trainers behind the entire chain are developed. What exactly happens inside remains a small mystery from the outside, but the building unmistakably carries the feel of a training facility.
On the way back, I walked along the Myojoji River. Like much of the Seibu Line area, it is a far more pleasant walk than anything found closer to central Tokyo.
Nearby is also Tetsugakudo Park, and I took a short detour there on the way home. This pilgrimage was never meant to stop at the gym doors; walking the surrounding streets is part of it too.
Overall Impressions
The access here is among the best of any gym visited on this pilgrimage.
That said, the crowding, the layout, and the equipment leave something to be desired.
It is a gym that fully embodies the trade-off of urban Anytime Fitness locations: convenience, at the cost of a bit of stress.
Still, I don’t want to file Nakai away as just another location. The history panel inside says it plainly: an entire chain’s journey from its first store to 1,000 locations, condensed onto one wall. The training facility next door, the shopping street by the station, the Myojoji River, Tetsugakudo Park. Inside the gym and outside of it, together, this turned into a pilgrimage tracing how far this chain has come.
The pilgrimage continues.
Rating
| Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Access | ★★★★★ |
| Equipment | ★★☆☆☆ |
| How Uncrowded | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Value for Money | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Would Visit Again | ★★★☆☆ |
| Overall Score | 6 |
| Pilgrimage Class Rated Yes if this is a gym any Anytime enthusiast would find worth visiting, even from far away. |
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📖 Japanese Review → エニタイムフィットネス中井店レビュー
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