Where to stay in Tokyo? The best areas

Before looking at the neighbourhoods one by one, there is a rule that simplifies the decision: in Tokyo, the metro location matters more than the neighbourhood itself. A guesthouse 5 minutes on foot from a well-connected station beats a boutique hotel in a pretty but poorly connected area in practical convenience.

The most useful lines for tourists are the Yamanote (the loop connecting Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, Akihabara, Ueno and Tokyo Station), the Ginza metro and the Hibiya and Marunouchi lines. Staying at any station on the Yamanote loop guarantees quick access to almost everything.

That said, the neighbourhoods do have very distinct personalities. A traveller who wants nightlife and transport at all hours will not sleep as well in Asakusa as in Shinjuku. We explain each option.

Before looking at neighbourhoods it is worth knowing the options Japan offers, because they are different from elsewhere and change the budget a lot.

Business hotel (the all-rounder)

It is the most common type of hotel and the one we recommend for most travellers. Small but impeccable rooms, perfectly equipped and almost always next to a train station. Chains such as Toyoko Inn, APA, Dormy Inn or Comfort Inn offer doubles from around 60–100 € a night in Tokyo, sometimes with a Japanese breakfast included. Good value and no surprises.

Hostel and capsule hotel (tight budget)

Hostels (guesthouses) with shared dorms start at 20–35 € per person, and many have a kitchen, which saves on meals. The capsule hotel — an individual pod with a bed, light and socket — is around 30–50 € per person and is a Japanese experience in itself. These figures match the budget tier of our guide to how much it costs to travel to Japan.

Ryokan (the traditional experience)

The ryokan is the traditional inn with tatami, a futon and, in its full version, a kaiseki dinner included. Ryokan with dinner are more typical of onsen areas such as Hakone or Kyoto; in Tokyo there are more modern ryokan that keep the atmosphere (tatami, communal bath) without the dinner. Budget from 80–150 € per person. Worth at least one night.

Apartments and Airbnb: mind the law

Renting an apartment can work out for families or long stays, but in Japan private tourist accommodation is regulated by the minpaku law (Private Lodging Business Act, in force since 2018): a minpaku can only operate a maximum of 180 nights a year and must display its licence number. Only book flats that show that registration number in the listing. The platform removes those that do not comply, so a listing without a licence can cancel your booking at the last minute. When in doubt, a business hotel gives fewer headaches.

Shinjuku is the most practical neighbourhood in Tokyo for most travellers. It has the busiest station in the world, with direct connections to Narita airport (Narita Express), Haneda airport and almost every line in the city. There are hotels in every price range, from international chains to modern ryokan.

What it has

By day: Shinjuku Gyoen Park (entry 500 ¥, about 3 €), the Takashimaya and Isetan department stores, and the free observation deck of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building with views of Mount Fuji on clear days. By night: the Kabukicho district (entertainment and restaurants), Golden Gai (an alley with dozens of bars of 5–10 tables each) and the Omoide Yokocho area with its charcoal yakitori.

Who it is for

First time in Tokyo, travellers who want maximum connectivity, and those after an active nightlife. Also ideal if you arrive by plane and want to reduce the transfer time from Narita or Haneda.

Indicative prices

Business hotel double: 70–130 € / night. 4-star chain hotel: 130–220 €. Hostel dorm bed: 20–35 € / person. Prices rise 20–30% in sakura season (late March – early April).

Shibuya is the young cultural epicentre of Tokyo. Here is the most famous crossing in the world, the Scramble Square complex with its 230-metre observation deck, and the shopping streets of Omotesando (the Japanese version of the Champs-Élysées, but better) and Harajuku a few minutes on foot.

What it has

A mix of international luxury brands and independent Japanese design shops. The best mid-to-high-price ramen, shabu-shabu and yakiniku restaurants. Yoyogi Park, free, where at weekends there are spontaneous performances by musicians and dance groups. And Daikanyama and Nakameguro, 10 minutes on foot, with speciality coffee shops and an illuminated canal in sakura season.

Who it is for

Travellers interested in fashion, design or Japanese urban culture. Also a good base if you visit Harajuku and Omotesando (you avoid a transfer). Slightly more expensive than Shinjuku for the same type of hotel.

Indicative prices

Business hotel double: 90–160 € / night. Boutique design hotels: 150–300 €. There are fewer budget options than in Shinjuku or Ueno.

Asakusa is the neighbourhood where historic Tokyo is best felt. Senso-ji temple (free, always open), the Nakamise streets with craft and souvenir shops, and the bank of the Sumida river with views of the Tokyo Skytree make a setting that is hard to match.

The best thing about Asakusa as an accommodation base is the combination of lower prices than the west of the city and a better location than it seems: the Ginza metro connects Asakusa with Ueno (2 min) and with Shibuya (25 min) without a transfer. And the Tobu Skytree line takes you to Nikko in just over an hour and a half.

Who it is for

Travellers looking for budget without giving up atmosphere. Groups or families (there are good apartments and hostels with a kitchen). Those who prioritise seeing the most traditional Japan and want to go out to photograph the temple at dawn, before the crowds.

Indicative prices

Business hotel double: 55–100 € / night. Private hostel: 40–70 €. Capsule hotel: 30–50 € / person. The prices are the lowest of the main tourist areas.

Ueno is a practical area that many travellers underrate. It has the largest park in central Tokyo, several of the best museums in the country (the Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum of Nature and Science, the National Museum of Western Art — free entry), the Ameyoko market with food and clothing stalls, and one of the city's largest stations with the Shinkansen to Kyoto and Osaka.

Being on the Yamanote loop, Ueno connects in under 15 minutes with Akihabara, Harajuku, Shibuya and Shinjuku. And being more peripheral than these areas, hotel prices are 20–30% lower.

Who it is for

Families with children (park and free museums), travellers who also visit northern Japan (Tohoku, Hokkaido) by Shinkansen, and those looking for lower prices without straying too far from the centre.

Akihabara is the neighbourhood of electronics, manga, anime and video games. If that is not among your interests, it is not an especially useful base. But if that culture does interest you, spending the evening in Akihabara and sleeping nearby is an experience in itself: multi-floor shops with collectible figures, arcades open until the early hours, themed cafes and electronic components at wholesale prices.

The JR station connects with almost the whole city in under 20 minutes, and Ueno is 3 minutes away by metro. Hotel prices are similar to Ueno: lower than the west of the city.

Who it is for

Exclusively for those with an active interest in Japanese pop culture. For everyone else, Shinjuku, Asakusa or Ueno are more versatile bases.

Ginza is the luxury shopping district of Tokyo: Chanel, Louis Vuitton, the Apple Store, and some of the most accessible Michelin-starred restaurants in the world (the concept of "affordable Michelin" works very well in Tokyo). It is a perfect area for those after high-end culinary experiences without paying European prices.

Marunouchi, right next door, is dominated by corporate offices and has less of a neighbourhood feel. But the Tokyo Station area is very practical if you arrive or leave by Shinkansen.

Who it is for

Business trips, couples with a high budget, or those who prioritise fine dining and luxury shopping. The most expensive hotels in Tokyo are in this area (The Peninsula, Palace Hotel): 300–800 € / night for a standard double.

If this is not your first time in Tokyo, or if you are after a more local, less touristy atmosphere, there are residential neighbourhoods with plenty of character that rarely appear in accommodation guides. They are still well connected, but take you away from the bustle of Shinjuku or Shibuya.

Yanaka: the Tokyo of before the earthquake

In the north-east, near Ueno, Yanaka is one of the few neighbourhoods that survived the 1923 earthquake and the 1945 bombings. Narrow streets, wooden houses, temples, cafes in old buildings and a historic cemetery with cherry trees. It is quiet, cheap and very authentic. It connects with the Yamanote loop at Nippori (2 stations from Ueno).

Shimokitazawa: vintage, music and theatre

5 minutes from Shibuya by train, "Shimokita" is the bohemian neighbourhood of Tokyo: second-hand clothing shops, live music venues, independent cafes and small theatres. No skyscrapers or big chains. Ideal if you like the alternative scene and want to sleep away from tourism.

Nakameguro: canal, cafes and design

Between Shibuya and Daikanyama, Nakameguro follows the course of the Meguro river, spectacular in sakura season when hundreds of cherry trees cover the canal. Speciality coffee shops, design boutiques and small restaurants. More expensive than Yanaka or Shimokitazawa, but full of charm and very well connected.

Kagurazaka: the former geisha quarter

A cobbled slope with alleyways, quality French and Japanese restaurants, and a legacy of its past as a geisha district. Central (10 minutes from Shinjuku) but surprisingly quiet and elegant. A good option for couples who already know the city's basics.