Musashino (武蔵野市, Musashino-shi) is a city located in the western portion of Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. As of 1 February 2024, the city had an estimated population of 147,754 in 78,614 households, and a population density of 13,000 persons per km². The total area of the city is 10.98 square kilometres (4.24 sq mi).
Based on the 2019 survey by SUUMO, the Kichijoji neighborhood of Musashino was the third most desirable place to live in central Japan.Popular attractions in Musashino include Kichijōji; a residential and shopping neighborhood with malls such as Atre Kichijoji, recreational areas such as Inokashira Park, Musashino Chuo Park, Musashino Municipal Athletic Stadium and Musashino Sports Complex.
The station areas at Kichijoji and Musashisakai have a fair number of shops. For a larger selection, take the Chuo Line to Shinjuku or elsewhere in Tokyo.
Musashino is not generally a business or tourist destination, it being largely residential. What hotels do exist are unlikely to have English speaking staff. Kichijoji has many hotels, though. To the east along the Chuo Line are Nakano and Shinjuku, with plenty of places from which to choose. *
Within Musashino, travel by foot, bus or bicycle is practical. The roads here are not so crowded, so using a car is reasonable, too.
Musashino was formed as the result of a merger of several nearby neighborhoods. The most notable of these, Kichijoji is in itself a destination, and has its own article. Train travel is ubiquitous, so the second hub of the city is the area near Musashisakai Station. The remainder of the city is largely residential. There are several universities in the area, including Asia University and Musashino University.
The city is roughly squarish in shape, except that the south central part of the square is a part of Mitaka, the neighboring city to the south. The JR Chūō Line, which runs east-west through Musashino, has two stops in the city: Musashisakai (武蔵境, in the west) and Kichijoji (吉祥寺, in the east). Between those is Mitaka.
