Kameari Area Guide

Contents

• Location
• Key Stats
• Orientation Around the Station
• Livability
• Useful Info at a Glance
• Kameari Apartments

Location

Located in Katsushika Ward, Kameari is a slice of Tokyo which retains a very old-school working class neighborhood atmosphere. This neighborhood is located in a relatively central position within the ward. It is has a natural border of the Naka River to the east. The neighborhood of Ayase is to the west, and a little beyond that lies the Arakawa River. South are other residential neighborhoods like Aoto and Ohanajaya. And finally, moving north from Kameari will bring you into Adachi Ward.

Kameari is the main setting for the manga series with the most volumes: Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo (“This is the Police Station in Front of Kameari Park in Katsushika Ward”). Often shortened to Kochikame, this manga depicts the zany hijinks of middle-aged police officer Kanichi Ryotsu. Because of the connection to this fictional work, there are statues scattered around Kameari of the characters in this manga.

Key Stats

Average Rent in Kameari

Apartments For Rent in Kameari

Train Lines

JR/Subway/Other	Line
JR	Joban

Accessibility

Orientation Around the Station

With only one train line servicing this station (JR Joban Line), the layout is fairly straightforward.

• The North Exit (北口) opens up to a bus roundabout for taking public transportation further north from the station. There are a few fast food locations (McDonald’s, Mos Burger, Matsuya, etc.) around the north exit.
• The South Exit (南口) brings you to a larger public transportation loading/unloading zone for taxis, buses, and cars. When walking out of this exit, to your left will be Kameari Lirio shopping mall. Compared to the north exit, the south exit has a livelier feel with more shops and restaurants.

Livability

It is true that Katsushika Ward, and other shitamachi (or traditionally working-class areas of Tokyo) tend to lie in the shadow of Tokyo neighborhoods with more recognizable names. But, if the bright lights of downtown city life aren’t your cup of tea, you might find the quieter streets of Kameari very comfortable.

Despite being roughly 40 minutes away from Shinjuku, you’ll actually find a surprising amount of shopping and entertainment in Kameari. For example, the Kameari Lirio shopping mall is home to major retailers like Nitori (furniture and home goods), DAISO (100 yen store), and Nojima (electronics store).

A short walk from the south exit (roughly 7 minutes) will bring you to another shopping complex: Ario Kameari. This is a more recent addition to the Kameari landscape, and the stores inside reflect a younger, fashion-forward clientele. With shops like UNIQLO, niko and…, and H&M, this shopping mall is a popular location for young adults killing time on a weekend. There is also a MOVIX cinema in the complex with 10 screens showing the latest movie releases.

There’s even a small shopping street south of the station. Kameari You Road (亀有ゆうろーど) or also known as Kameari Ginza Shopping Street (亀有銀座商店街). This is where you can really experience the heart of traditional Tokyo city life. Established in 1930, there’s a lot of history in this street!

The area north of the station is just ever so slightly more subdued compared to the atmosphere south of the station. The streets north of the station offer plenty of local restaurants and small markets, but doesn’t have the same bustle and energy as the south side of the station. That’s not a bad thing at all, but it is worth mentioning to help round out the complete image of this neighborhood.

Kameari is sandwiched by the Naka River to the east and the Arakawa River to the west. There are pedestrian paths along the rivers which are excellent features for residents to use for jogging/cycling!

Useful Info at a Glance

Supermarkets

*This is just a selection of supermarkets in the area.

Gyms

*These are just examples of gyms available in the area.

Language Schools

Ward Office, Police, Library

Hospitals

*These are examples of clinics in the area.

Parks

Family-Friendly Features

Department Stores

Kameari Apartments

Apartments for rent near Kameari Station:

• Kanamachi Station apartments
• Ayase Station apartments
• Kita-Ayase Station apartments
• Ohanajaya Station apartments
• Aoto Station apartments

Apartments around Kameari tend to be a little be more in the affordable range, and can be great values for first-time apartment renters in Japan. Studio apartments around Kameari Station start from as low as ¥45,000 per month on our listings! Even larger 1LDK apartments can be found from around ¥70,000 per month!

Apartments For Rent in Kameari

Where should you live in Tokyo? Check out our Japan Area Guides to find the perfect place!

Lead photo: Statues of Reiko, Ryo-san, and Nakagawa (the main characters from the long-running KochiKame manga series) greet commuters in front of Kameari Station in Katsushika Ward, Tokyo. Photo by Kae Lu for Real Estate Japan. Taken July 23, 2020

Dive Deeper

• The very northeast corner of Tokyo’s 23 wards, Katsushika Ward are a far cry from the skyscrapers of Shinjuku. This area, along with the surrounding wards of Adachi, Sumida, and Edogawa are all considered shitamachi (lit. “lower city” referring to the historical distinction between higher city center areas and the lower surrounding areas). Katsushika offers a quieter, slower kind of Tokyo lifestyle. Read more about Katsushika Ward on our ward guide here!