Foreigner-Friendly Rental Listings in Ikebukuro in the Toshima Ward, Tokyo, Japan
A bustling and dynamic neighborhood with many retail stores, restaurants and many forms of entertainment. Ikebukuro station is one of Tokyo’s main transport hubs with many train lines to get you around town.
• Vibrant central area with convenient connections to the rest of the city
• Multiple shopping options surrounding the station.
• Many choices for international restaurants and markets.
• Famous for anime, manga, and cosplay goods catered to women.
Located north of Shinjuku, Toshima is a primarily residential ward with many laid-back neighborhoods and affordable housing. It is one of the most international wards in Tokyo, with a foreigner population of almost 20,000. It shares a border with two prestigious universities: Waseda to the south in Shinjuku, and Tokyo University to the east in Bunkyo.
Toshima is by and large famous for being home to Ikebukuro – the second busiest station in Japan – which functions as a main point of access into central Tokyo. Ikebukuro is a thriving commercial and entertainment district, providing many shopping and dining options for commuters and locals alike.
The price of an apartment will vary depending on its features, the age of the building, and distance from the train station. Keeping this in mind, the average rent for an apartment in Toshima is approximately ¥3,975 per square meter (¥369/ft²).
There are multiple shopping options surrounding Ikebukuro station. You can enjoy shopping for more high end goods at Marui or Lumine, one of the many department stores in the area. Or if you are in search of a bargain you can take advantage of the two Don Quijotes or multiple Uniqlos by the station.
Sunshine City, a building complex in East Ikebukuro, offers days' worth of entertainment. It has an observatory, an aquarium, a planetarium, and many shopping/dining options. It even hosts a Namco amusement park and a theater.
If you are interested in manga and anime, then Ikebukuro has a lot to offer. Take a walk down Otome road, a shopping center famous for catering to women, and you can find many stores offering anime, manga, and cosplay goods. Or visit Animate’s flagship location offering nine floors dedicated to otaku culture.
Gyms and Parks
If you are a gym rat, don’t worry, Toshima has plenty of options for facilitating those gains. With multiple Anytime Fitness locations, a Gold’s Gym in Otsuka, and many smaller gyms in the Ikebukuro area, there is always a convenient location nearby to stay in shape.
While there are no well renowned parks in the Toshima area, this doesn’t mean there aren’t any good outdoor areas to relax when the weather is nice. Nishi Ikebukuro Park is a quaint forested area that has a small playground for the little ones. And Minami Ikebukuro Park, while really just a big well maintained patch of grass, is perfect for a picnic with friends and loved ones. You can even pick up some craft beer or a grilled sandwich from adjacent restaurant Racines Farm to Park.
Minami Ikebukuro Park
English Speaking Services
With the high population of foreigners living in Toshima, it is no surprise that there are many English speaking facilities available to its residents. For your dental needs you can go to Haplus. Or you can go to Yamashita Medical Clinic in Otsuka for a general practitioner. And for the religious, you can even attend an English mass at St Patrick’s Church.
International Schools
There are two international schools in Toshima. There is the New International School in Minami Ikebukuro which offers bilingual classes from preschool to grade 12. And there is the International Islamia School in Otsuka which utilizes a combination of International and Islamic curriculum.
International Supermarkets
There are multiple Seijoishi and Kaldi Coffee Farm locations across Toshima, which sell a variety of imported goods. The Garden Jiyugaoka near Ikebukuro station is an upscale supermarket with an excellent selection of imported cheeses. There are also a few smaller supermarkets specializing in Indian and Chinese ingredients.
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Deciding where to live in Tokyo is essential to finding the right apartment for you.
Browse these nearby Area Guides to learn more about each area.
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