1D nanostructured sodium vanadium oxide, i.e. Na2V6O16·nH2O, was introduced as a novel anode material for aqueous sodium ion batteries. A simple hydrothermal method is employed to prepare bundles of straight nanobelts whose crystals grow along the (010) direction. In each bundle, most nanobelts are aligned along the same direction. Sodium vanadium oxide hydrate has a layered structure, and that sodium ions are located at the interstices between layers. The solid-state diffusion coefficient of sodium ion in the bulk of Na2V6O16·nH2O is in the order of magnitude of 10–14 cmS−1. The discharge/charge capacity fades quickly in the initial few cycles upon galvanostatic cycling. It is revealed by ex-situ XRD analyses that this fast capacity fading can be attributed to the irreversible phase transition which mainly occurs in the first discharge. A full aqueous sodium ion battery was built using Na2V6O16·nH2O as anode and Na0.44MnO2 as cathode. Although its charge capacity fades quickly in the initial few cycles and stabilizes in the following cycles, its discharge capacity is comparatively stable upon cycling.