Minato Ward Guide

Minato Ward is the center of international living in Tokyo. The high concentration of foreign company headquarters and embassies, plentiful western-style housing options, international schools, and many services and businesses geared to Westerners make it the go-to choice for most expat professionals and their families.

Minato Ward is the center of international living in Tokyo. The high concentration of foreign company headquarters and embassies, plentiful western-style housing options, international schools, and many services and businesses geared to Westerners make it the go-to choice for most expat professionals and their families.

The majority of foreign residents living Minato Ward are concentrated in a handful of iconic, high-end residential and commercial neighborhoods: Akasaka, Aoyama, Azabu Juban, Omotesando, Roppongi, and Shirokane. Minato is especially popular with Americans, Canadians,  Europeans, and Australians living long-term in Tokyo.

Contents

Minato quick facts

  • Population: 257,426 (as of January 1, 2019)
  • Area: 20.37 km²
  • Density: 12,638 (/km²)
  • Population of foreign residents: 20,057 (7.8% of total population of Minato)
  • About 4.3% of the total resident foreigner population of the Tokyo 23 Wards lives in Minato.

Major Train Stations

Station Train Lines
Roppongi  Toei Oedo
 Tokyo Metro Hibiya
Azabu Juban  Toei Oedo
 Tokyo Metro Namboku
Shirokanedai  Toei Mita
 Tokyo Metro Namboku
Shinagawa  JR East Yamanote
 JR East Keihin-Tohoku
 JR East Tokaido
 JR East Yokosuka
 Keikyu Main Line
Shimbashi  JR East Yamanote
 JR East Keihin-Tohoku
 JR East Tokaido
 JR East Yokosuka
 Tokyo Metro Ginza
 Toei Asakusa
 Yurikamome

Main residential neighborhoods

Click on the links below to visit the in-depth neighborhood guide.

Minato Ward ranks high for

  • Convenience and ease of Western-style living.
  • Proximity to iconic shopping and entertainment centers like Roppongi Hills.
  • Proximity to many international corporate headquarters and embassies.
  • Concentration of international schools.
  • Ease of getting medical care in English.

Who lives in Minato Ward?

  • Many foreign executives and their families.
  • Many embassy staff and their families.
  • People who want to live in the heart of “international Tokyo” and to be near English-friendly shops and services.
  • Families who want to be near international schools.
  • Professionals on short-term assignment in Tokyo.

Recommended Agents in Minato Ward

Ai Create Co., Ltd.

Ai Create is a bilingual Japanese-English broker based in Minato Ward. We specialize in helping ex-pats find their ideal home in Tokyo and supporting them through the entire rental process. We want our clients to come to Japan without having to worry about getting everything started on their own. And our goal is to be number one in customer satisfaction in the real estate industry.

Location: Uetake Building 3F, 3-2-2, Nishishinbashi, Minatoku, Tokyo Japan 105-0003

Website: AI CREATE official website

See current property listings: For Rent Properties listed by AI CREATE

Popular housing searches in Minato Ward

Location and highlights

Geographically, Minato lies at the center of the city, facing the man-made islands of Tokyo Bay. The word “minato” means “harbor” in Japanese, with the eastern border of Minato touching Tokyo Bay and connecting to Koto Ward via the Rainbow Bridge. Minato occupies a central position in Tokyo and is surrounded by six other wards: Chiyoda, Chuo, Koto, Shinagawa, Shibuya, and Shinjuku, making it the city’s literal hub.

Many of the capital’s most iconic landmarks, such as Tokyo Tower, and major business districts are located here, including Toranomon, Shimbashi, and Shiba.

Minato is also home to major destination shopping and entertainment complexes, including Roppongi Hills, Tokyo MidTown, Toranomon Hills, ARK Hills, and Shiodome Sio-Site.

However, Minato is not just an urban jungle. There are pockets of green space throughout the city, which lend a relaxed atmosphere to the nearby residential neighborhoods. These include the Institute of Nature Study, Aoyama Cemetery, Shiba Park.

Some of the city’s most desirable (and high-end) residential neighborhoods are located in Minato, as mentioned above in the key residential neighborhoods section.

Apartments for Rent in Minato Ward

Properties for Sale in Minato Ward

 

Lead photo: Winter Illumination in Tokyo seen from Roppongi Hills via iStock

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