Livability Report
NasushiobaraLivability Score
Tochigi·Pop. 112,455
Nasushiobara lies in northern Tochigi Prefecture and occupies the northwestern part of the wide Nasunogahara plain. To the west and north, the mountains form part of Nikko National Park, with Shiobara Onsen and Itamuro Onsen among them. The alluvial fan to the southeast holds dairy and rice farming land. Before the Edo period the plateau was short of water, and settlement advanced after the Nasu Canal opened in the Meiji era. The city was formed in 2005 by the merger of Kuroiso, Nishinasuno and Shiobara, and its built-up areas spread around three JR stations, including the Shinkansen station at Nasushiobara.
Published 2026-03-15 · Article updated 2026-10-09 · Data updated 2026-10-20
Where in Japan
Overall Score
41.0
61.3
50.8
35.1
48.6* These scores are based on statistical analysis of public data and do not represent a definitive assessment of any area. Actual livability varies depending on individual values and lifestyle.
5-axis scores
Safety41.0Cost61.3Convenience50.8Welfare35.1Economy48.6Basic Information
Population
112,455
Prefecture
Tochigi
Q&A with Kai
Alex, Yuki, and Kai discuss what it's really like to live here.
A highland town opened by a canal
Yuki
I picture hot springs and dairy farms. What was this land like originally?
Alex
How long has the name Nasushiobara existed?
Yuki
What industries support daily life today?
Kai
A plateau short of water. Before the Edo period, Nasunogahara was described in verse as a place with not even a handful of water. The turning point came in 1885 when the Nasu Canal opened. The canal is a man-made waterway for farm water, and settlement advanced. Inami Josaku, Yaita Takeshi and others of the Nasu Kaikonsha cleared land.
Safety
Alex
As someone moving in, how should I read how often crime happens here?
Yuki
What rules decide how that rate is counted?
Kai
The crime rate is the guide. Based on Tochigi Prefectural Police figures by municipality, recorded penal code offenses in 2025 came to 7.17 per 1,000 residents, higher than the median for Japan's larger municipalities. The figure counts offenses recorded by the police and excludes traffic accidents and harm the police never recorded.
Cost of living
Alex
If I rent, what rent should I expect?
Yuki
How are land use and land prices related here?
Kai
Average rent for rented homes is the guide. In the 2023 Housing and Land Survey it was 44,095 yen a month, lower than the median for Japan's larger municipalities. The Tohoku Shinkansen and Utsunomiya Line run through the city, and built-up areas spread around Nishinasuno, Nasushiobara and Kuroiso stations. Check rents of homes currently on offer in property listings.
Convenience
Alex
How much are rail and buses used for commuting and school here?
Yuki
Since when has the Shinkansen station been in the city?
Alex
How many shops are there for everyday shopping?
Kai
The share is on the small side. In the 2020 Census, 3.9% of commuters and students used rail or bus, lower than the median for larger municipalities. The figure does not show what everyone else uses. Behind it is the road network: two Tohoku Expressway interchanges and National Route 4 run through the city.
Welfare
Alex
How should I look at childcare support and the education environment here?
Yuki
What exactly do the medical facility numbers count?
Kai
The city issues its own childcare vouchers, and in July 2025 it won the municipal category of the 6th Japan Childcare Support Award. Check voucher use and eligibility on the city's childcare page. As a guide to education, the FY2024 School Basic Survey counts 29 elementary, junior high and high schools in the city.
Economy
Alex
What is the income level of working residents?
Yuki
How are people moving in and out?
Alex
How big is that difference relative to the city's size?
Kai
In the Ministry of Internal Affairs' FY2025 taxation survey, taxable income per taxpayer was 3,311,674 yen, an average level among Japan's larger municipalities. It averages residents who pay tax here, not wages of jobs in the city. Industries include dairy, factories and hot spring tourism, with rubber product makers such as tyre plants.
Share of people living here
Yuki
How is the residency rate at the end calculated?
Alex
There is a small gap. How should I read that for daily life?
Kai
It is the ratio of two populations: the 2025 Census count divided by the Basic Resident Register count as of 1 January 2026, which gives 97.9% for Nasushiobara. The Census counts people living in a place, while the register counts registrations, so timing and method differ. It is an average level among larger municipalities.
Who this city suits
Families with children
The city issues its own childcare vouchers, and the award-winning Nasushiobara Library Miruru has a picture book area for small children. A 2019 declaration commits to community-wide watching over children on school routes. One thing to weigh: medical facilities per resident are lower than the median.
Young singles
Average rent is lower than the median, and the city's pages describe rent and Shinkansen pass subsidies for movers from the Tokyo area. Check eligibility on the city page. One thing to weigh: the share commuting by rail or bus is low, so check transport options before choosing a home away from the stations.
Seniors
Shiobara Onsen and Itamuro Onsen are within the city, and the Tochigi Medical Association Shiobara Onsen Hospital began as a spa sanatorium. Built-up areas centre on three stations, so check the distance and transport between home and your hospital, and confirm services on the hospital's pages.
Remote workers
With a Shinkansen station in the city, if your work involves business trips, check travel to the station and journey times with the railway operator. The city has mountain areas and hot spring districts. Land prices are lower than the median. One thing to weigh: retail shops per resident are high, but shops serving hot spring visitors may be included.
Disaster risk and hazard maps
The city's hazard map page lists a disaster hazard map, avalanche danger sites, irrigation ponds, the Mt. Nasu volcano hazard map and handbook, an inland flooding map and a map of past flooding. The disaster hazard map, prepared in March 2022, shows river flood zones and sediment disaster warning areas. Areas newly designated by Tochigi Prefecture after that date are shown through a link on the city page. The inland flooding map covers the planned public sewer area and adjoining areas with past flooding, using a maximum assumed rainfall of 153 mm in one hour. It is not a citywide assumption. Mt. Nasu is an active volcano; the city page, updated in December 2021, says it has been calm since a small eruption in 1963. Check the latest city or Japan Meteorological Agency guidance for current conditions. When choosing a home, check the official maps at address level.
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Detailed Data
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Crime Rate (per 1,000) | 7.17 | 2025 |
| Avg. Land Price (¥/m²) | 20,325 | 2026 |
| Avg. Rent (¥) | 44,095 | 2023 |
| Public Transit Usage (%) | 3.9 | 2020 |
| Retail Establishments | 1,069 | 2021 |
| Retail Establishments (per 1,000) | 9.51 | 2021 |
| Restaurant Establishments | 585 | 2021 |
| Restaurant Establishments (per 1,000) | 5.20 | 2021 |
| Residency Rate (%, census ÷ resident register) | 97.9 | 2025 |
| Medical Facilities (per 10,000, hospitals + clinics) | 6.31 | 2023 |
| Hospitals | 6 | 2023 |
| Hospitals (per 10,000) | 0.53 | 2023 |
| Clinics | 65 | 2023 |
| Clinics (per 10,000) | 5.78 | 2023 |
| Schools (elementary + junior high + high) | 29 | 2024 |
| Schools (per 1,000) | 0.258 | 2024 |
| Schools (per habitable km²) | 0.132 | 2024 |
| Taxable Income per Capita (¥) | 3,311,674 | 2025 |
| Net Migration | 6 | 2025 |
| Net Migration Rate (%) | 0.01 | 2025 |
| Total Population | 112,455 | 2025 |
| crime_count | 806 | 2025 |
| crime_count_pref | 12,780 | 2025 |
| crime_rate_pref_per_1000 | 7 | 2025 |
| habitable_area_km2 | 220 | 2024 |
| resident_registry_population | 114,896 | 2026 |
Data sources
| Indicator | Source | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Population | 2025 Population CensusStatistics Bureau of Japan | 2025 | |
| Crime Rate (per 1,000) | Reported penal code offenses by municipalityTochigi Prefectural Police | 2025 | Counted where offenses occur; per 1,000 uses the 2025 census population |
| Avg. Land Price (¥/m²) | Official land prices (National Land Numerical Information L01)Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism | 2026 | Residential sites only; simple average of sites |
| Avg. Rent (¥) | 2023 Housing and Land SurveyStatistics Bureau of Japan | 2023 | Monthly rent of rented housing; next survey in 2028 |
| Public Transit Usage (%) | 2020 Population Census (means of commuting)Statistics Bureau of Japan | 2020 | To be updated when the 2025 census commuting tables are published |
| Retail Establishments (per 1,000) | 2021 Economic Census for Business ActivityMIC and METI | 2021 | Next survey in 2026 |
| Restaurant Establishments (per 1,000) | 2021 Economic Census for Business ActivityMIC and METI | 2021 | Next survey in 2026 |
| Medical Facilities (per 10,000, hospitals + clinics) | Survey of Medical Institutions (System of Social and Demographic Statistics)Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare | 2023 | Hospitals and clinics combined |
| Schools (per habitable km²) | School Basic Survey and habitable area (System of Social and Demographic Statistics)MEXT and Statistics Bureau of Japan | 2024 | Elementary, junior high and high schools per habitable km² |
| Taxable Income per Capita (¥) | Survey on municipal tax assessmentMinistry of Internal Affairs and Communications | 2025 | Taxable income per taxpayer |
| Net Migration Rate (%) | Report on Internal MigrationStatistics Bureau of Japan | 2025 | |
| Residency Rate (%, census ÷ resident register) | Census population ÷ resident register populationMinistry of Internal Affairs and Communications | 2025 | Resident register population as of January 1, 2026 |
Sources (24)
- 那須塩原市 那須塩原市の概要
- 那須塩原市 那須塩原市の歴史
- 那須塩原市 「第6回日本子育て支援大賞」受賞
- 那須塩原市 子どもを見守るまち 那須塩原市
- 那須塩原市 病院
- 那須塩原市 移住をご検討の方へ
- 那須塩原市 ハザードマップ
- 那須塩原市 防災ハザードマップ（2022年3月作成）
- 那須塩原市 内水浸水想定区域図
- 那須塩原市 浸水実績マップ
- 那須塩原市 那須岳火山防災マップ・ハンドブック
- 栃木県警察 市町村別 包括罪種別 刑法犯認知件数（令和7年 確定値）PDF
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- e-Stat 令和7年国勢調査 人口等基本集計（統計表ID 0004065881）
- e-Stat 令和5年住宅・土地統計調査 借家の1か月当たり家賃（統計表ID 0004021452）
- e-Stat 令和2年国勢調査 通勤・通学利用交通手段（統計表ID 0003454513）
- e-Stat 令和3年経済センサス‐活動調査 産業別民営事業所数（統計表ID 0004005684）
- e-Stat 社会・人口統計体系 学校数（学校基本調査、統計表ID 0000020205）
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- 国土地理院 重ねるハザードマップ
Data years: mainly 2025 (2020–2026 by indicator)
Published 2026-03-15 · Article updated 2026-10-09 · Data updated 2026-10-20