Kugenuma tops SUUMO’s 2026 metropolitan livable cities ranking

Recruit’s SUUMO has released its ‘2026 Livable Cities Ranking: Metropolitan Area Edition,’ based on a survey of approximately 250,000 residents regarding their desire to continue living in their current areas.

Kugenuma, located on the Enoshima Electric Railway line, ranked first. The area is noted for its accessibility to Fujisawa, Yokohama, and Shinagawa, as well as relatively lower housing costs compared to neighboring Fujisawa and its proximity to Kugenuma Kaigan Park. The ranking also highlighted strong community engagement, such as beach cleanups and local markets.

Nine of the top ten locations were stations within Tokyo. The survey noted that top-ranked areas tend to be residential neighborhoods located two to three stations away from major terminal stations, characterized by high levels of civic pride and active community participation in activities like disaster drills and local greetings.