19 Dec Which Tokyo Neighborhood Suits Your Personality?

With a population of over 9 million people, the city of Tokyo has a neighborhood to suit every conceivable personality type. So, instead of choosing your new apartment based on your work commute alone, why not try living somewhere that matches your interests?

Here are our suggestions for all you explorers, digital nomads, historians, anime-lovers, and fashionistas!

The Explorer

You live to travel and plan on seeing as much of Japan as you can. You may be based in Tokyo for work, but hope to spend your weekends and holidays traveling as much as possible and seeing all the wonderful sights this exciting country has to offer. How can someone with so much wanderlust pick only one area to live in?

If you’re planning on traveling extensively and visiting the other 46 prefectures of Japan, we recommend looking for an apartment situated near Ueno, Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shinjuku, or Shibuya stations. These massive transport hubs provide the most direct access to bullet trains (shinkansen), and Haneda and Narita airports.

Click to view apartments near: Chiyoda (Tokyo), Shinagawa, Shinjuku, Shibuya

The Digital Nomad

So you came to Japan on your own and you, for the most part, are your own boss. Well, we have both good and bad news. The bad news is that Tokyo has very little in terms of free public wifi. Coworking spaces are also considerably more expensive than other cities in Asia at about ¥1500 – ¥2000 per day (and above). However, the good news is that times are changing! As more Japanese people take up freelance work, more affordable workspaces are opening to meet the demand.

If you don’t wish to work from home, or just like to get out now and again, our top recommendation for remote working in Tokyo is Shibuya. Featuring several popular coworking spaces such as Creative Lounge MOV and PoRTAL, Shibuya is also full of cafes that provide free access to power-points and wifi. Shibuya station also gives you easy access to Nagatacho in Chiyoda, home of Yahoo! Lodge – a free coworking space with ample power points, wifi, and its own cafe. Other areas with popular coworking spaces include Shinjuku and Koenji.

Click to view apartments near: Shibuya, Shinjuku

The Historian

You love Japanese history and culture and are eager for any opportunity to immerse yourself in olden-day Tokyo. If this sounds like you, then you will love exploring the hidden alleyways of Kichijoji, Koenji, and Asakusa. All these areas possess that old-Japan feel with traditional shopping streets and small eateries.

If the industrial age is more your cup of tea, you will enjoy living near Tokyo station with its iconic red brick building. There’s also Shimbashi station, which is considered to be the birthplace of the Japanese railway. Japanese people often say the beginnings of Tokyo city can be felt in the areas of Shimbashi and Tokyo.

Click to view apartments near: Chiyoda (Tokyo), Minato (Shimbashi)

The Anime Fan

If you enjoy Japanese animation (Who doesn’t know Sailor Moon?), you probably know that much of the background art featured in anime is based on real-life locations across Japan. If you want to experience life in the area of your favorite Tokyoite character, live in Shinjuku to see the famous scenery from “Your Name”, Azabu-Juban for “Sailor Moon” locations, and Shibuya for scenes from “Bakemono no Ko”.

As for shopping, even after many years, Akihabara is still considered the place for the widest range of anime and electronic goods. Search for an apartment in Chiyoda or Chuo, for the easiest access to Akihabara. You may also consider living in or near Nakano. Many anime fans are beginning to flock to the more retro Nakano Broadway shopping mall for its selection of manga, figurines, electronics, and Japanese nostalgia, all under one roof.

Click to view apartments near: Chiyoda, Chuo

The Fashionista

You know J-fashion like the back of your hand and follow Tokyo Street Fashion on Tumblr. If you love the fashion culture of Japan and want to surround yourself with the latest trends (or start one yourself), you had best find yourself an apartment in Shibuya, Harajuku, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Roppongi, or Aoyama-Itchome.

From modern and chic Aoyama-Itchome, to youthful and creative Harajuku, each of these districts has its own style and can be distinguished by true fashion followers. Tokyo Girls Collection, a popular Tokyo fashion show, is always held in or around these fashion hotspots.

Click to view apartments near: Shibuya (and Harajuku), Shinjuku, Toshima (Ikebukuro), Minato (Roppongi and Aoyama-Itchome)

Looking for an apartment in Tokyo?

Contact us with your criteria!

We love the challenge of finding the perfect apartment to suit our clients’ personalities, requirements, and lifestyle.