Postretirement Benefits (Narrative) (Details) $ in Millions	Feb. 01, 2020 USD ($) officer beneficiary participant retiree	Feb. 02, 2019 USD ($)
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Disclosures [Abstract]
Number of total participants in SERP benefits plan \| participant	57
Number of officers and select employees eligible for SERP benefits \| officer	11
Number of retirees eligible for SERP benefits \| retiree	44
Number of beneficiaries eligible for SERP benefits \| beneficiary	2
Accumulated benefit obligation \| $	$ 222	$ 188

Number Of Beneficiary Eligible For Supplemental Retirement Plan Benefits

No definition available.

Name:	jwn_NumberOfBeneficiaryEligibleForSupplementalRetirementPlanBenefits
Namespace Prefix:	jwn_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of officers and select employees eligible for Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan benefits.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	jwn_NumberOfOfficersAndSelectEmployeesEligibleForSupplementalRetirementPlanBenefits
Namespace Prefix:	jwn_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number Of Retirees Eligible For Supplemental Retirement Plan Benefits

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	jwn_NumberOfRetireesEligibleForSupplementalRetirementPlanBenefits
Namespace Prefix:	jwn_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number Of Total participants Eligible For Supplemental Retirement Plan Benefits

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	jwn_NumberOfTotalParticipantsEligibleForSupplementalRetirementPlanBenefits
Namespace Prefix:	jwn_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of actuarial present value of benefits attributed to employee service rendered, excluding assumptions about future compensation level.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (e)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAccumulatedBenefitObligation
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDisclosuresAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration