Foreigner-Friendly Rental Listings in Tokyo, Japan
Home to every corner of life Tokyo has to offer, you’ll always find something new and unique in Shinjuku. It also features the famous Shinjuku station, Tokyo’s busiest transport hub.
• Convenient inner-city living
• Great for dining and entertainment
• Stores for every major brand, from clothing to electronics
• Home to unique neighborhoods, Okubo and Kagurazaka
Shinjuku Ward, located in west-central Tokyo, is one of the city’s busiest areas. It is comprised of a number of smaller districts, choosing an area to live can be quite the task. To help you get started, these are the main business and residential areas of Shinjuku.
In southern Shinjuku lies the beautiful and spacious Shinjuku Gyoen-Mae Park and the immense Shinjuku Station. The park and station are so large that parts of them stretch into the neighboring Shibuya Ward.
Okubo
Just north of Shinjuku station, Okubo is famous as Tokyo’s Korea Town. The main shopping street has a variety of stores selling a range Korean cosmetics, K-pop goods, and authentic Korean snacks and ingredients. It’s also the best place in Tokyo to get delicious Korean barbecue!
Ochiai
The quiet residential area is in northwest Shinjuku. Close to the popular transport hub Takadanobaba station, convenient for commuting via the JR Yamanote, Seibu Shinjuku, and Tokyo Metro Tozai lines.
Kagurazaka
Near Iidabashi station and historically home to Japan’s famous Geisha, Kagurazaka continues to hold an essence of elegance and sophistication. Cobbled streets combined with a French influence gives a relaxing vibe away from the stresses of city life.
Yotsuya
Areas combining quiet residential with business are not rare in Tokyo, but few do it as well as Yotsuya. Situated in south-east Shinjuku, Yotsuya manages to combine great transport access, family comforts and plenty of greenery.
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 Shinjuku is approximately ¥4,606 per square meter (¥428/ft²).
Watch out for Godzilla in Kabukicho!
The cobbled streets of Kagurazaka
Shopping and Entertainment
Shinjuku station itself hosts a number of shopping and dining complexes, such as Lumine and MyLord, with plenty of shops and restaurants. The newest is NEWoMan Shinjuku, situated above the south exit, which is slightly more upscale. Surrounding the station you’ll find all the major stores from Don Quijote (miscellaneous goods) and Bic Camera (electronics) through to Zara and LUSH, catering to even the fussiest shopper.
North of Shinjuku station is Kabukicho, known as Tokyo’s red light district, featuring more alcohol and food options than any sensible person would attempt on a night out. Despite its reputation, the area is popular among both foreign tourists and Japanese salarymen after work for a quick drink. Not everyone is after the seedier side of things, but perhaps don’t hang around during the early hours of the morning.
Shinjuku is an especially popular area with movie-goers, offering the Toho, Picadilly and Wald 9 Cinemas. A film fan will have plenty of popcorn-filled evenings for all the big blockbusters.
In the lesser-known district of Kagurazaka, you can spend hours wandering the cobbled footpaths and enjoying the boutiques and cafes. Tokyo’s highest concentration of French restaurants and bakeries, topped with authentic French music playing on all the street corners, make this a must visit for anyone hankering for a delicious pastry and cup of coffee while they watch the world go by.
Gyms and Parks
There are several gym chains located in Shinjuku but the most prominent is Anytime Fitness, with twelve gyms spread across the district. Shinjuku’s public gym, the Shinjuku Sports Center, is situated near Takadanobaba and offers weight machines and a lap pool for only ¥400 entry. Please click the map above to see the location of all the gyms.
The most well-known park in Shinjuku is, without a doubt, Shinjuku Gyoen. Just a short walk from Shinjuku station, the park is divided into three main garden areas showcasing Japanese, English, and French landscape design. It also features over a thousand cherry blossom trees and is a favorite during the viewing season. If you have children, Meiji Jingu Gaien is popular for its fun playground equipment and nearby eateries. Both parks have very affordable entry fees.
Shinjuku Gyoen Park is beautiful in all seasons
English Speaking Services
NCGM Center Hospital, Tokyo Medical University, and Seibo Hospital are three fully-equipped hospitals in Shinjuku offering care in English and/or interpretation services. All three facilities provide English guidance on their websites on how to receive medical care.
Very few hair stylists and beauticians in Shinjuku advertise themselves as English-speaking, so those craving a pampering will find themselves needing to visit other areas of Tokyo such as Minato and Shibuya.
International Schools
There are two small international schools situated in Shinjuku. Tesoro International School offers classes for children up to 6 years of age, and Waseda International Christian School provides an English curriculum and bible study for students in elementary, middle, and high school.
Despite the lack of international schools in the immediate area, Shinjuku’s central location and large number of train lines make it easy for students to commute to school in other areas of Tokyo. You can read our article on the Top International Schools in Tokyo for more information.
International Supermarkets
There are a number of Seijoishi (成城石井), Kaldi Coffee Farm, and Gyomu Super stores located across Shinjuku which sell a variety of imported goods.
Hanamasa, located in western Shinjuku, is a wholesale supermarket very popular with the expat community for its large cuts of meat. It’s also great if you’re shopping for a family as they sell many ingredients in bulk at discounted prices.
If you’re looking for ingredients from other parts of Asia, particularly Thailand, make sure to visit Asia Superstore in Okubo.
We’ll show you what to expect from different neighborhoods and what its like to live there.
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Popular Neighborhoods Nearby
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.
Shibuya City Guide
CITY CENTERINTERNATIONAL VIBE
Perhaps no place says ‘Welcome to Tokyo’ quite like Shibuya with its world-famous crossing, countless restaurants, shops for every conceivable desire, and an unrivaled night scene.
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 its family-friendly neighborhoods and affordable living, Setagaya is one of Tokyo’s most popular residential areas. Secluded from the hustle and bustle, you might forget you’re in Japan’s largest city!
