Contents
- Location
- Key Stats
- Orientation Around the Station
- Livability
- Useful Info at a Glance
- Shin-Okubo Apartments
Location
Shin-Okubo is located in central Shinjuku Ward. In fact, it’s within walking distance to Shinjuku Station (a long walk at 20 minutes, but still quite accessible). This location is extremely convenient for those working around Shinjuku, or even for commuting from Shinjuku Station. To the north of this neighborhood is Takadanobaba, a popular stomping ground for university students (the prestigious Waseda University is close by) and commuters coming into Tokyo via the Seibu Shinjuku Line. Head west to get to the slightly eclectic, but very livable, Nakano area.
Key Stats
Average Rent in Shin-Okubo
| Apartment Type | Average Rent ($1 = ¥110) |
| 1R 1K | ¥90,900/month ($830) |
| 1LDK 2K 2DK | ¥150,900/month ($1,370) |
| 2LDK 3K 3DK | ¥269,100/month ($2,450) |
Apartments For Rent in Shin-okubo
Train Lines
| JR/Subway/Other | Line |
| JR East |  Yamanote |
| JR East* |  Chuo-Sobu |
| JR East* |  Chuo |
*Access to the JR Chuo-Sobu Line and JR Chuo Line is through Okubo Station, a 400 m walk west of Shin-Okubo Station.
Accessibility
| Transportation to… | Line | Time |
| Shinjuku | Yamanote, direct | 3 min |
| Shibuya | Yamanote, direct | 10 min |
| Tokyo | Yamanote (Shinjuku), transfer to Chuo | 19 min |
| Shinagawa | Yamanote, direct | 23 min |
| Roppongi | Yamanote (Shinjuku), transfer to Oedo | 18 min |
| Yokohama, Kanagawa | Yamanote (Shinjuku), transfer to Shonan-Shinjuku | 38 min |
Orientation Around the Station
Shin-Okubo Station is one of the few JR Yamanote Line stops which isn’t service by any other train lines. Because of this, the station is relatively straightforward to navigate.
- The North Exit (北口) is the only exit to the station. This exits out to Okubo Dori Ave, and a short walk west will bring you to Okubo Station if you’re transferring to the Chuo Line or Chuo-Sobu Line.
Most other Yamanote Line stations have an open plaza area nearby where you can wait for meeting up with friends, but such is not the case at Shin-Okubo Station. It’s not an ideal situation, but you’ll have to make due with the limited space near the ticket machines if you’re waiting on others.
Korean pop culture paradise
Today, Shin-Okubo is most famous for being the premiere Koreatown in Tokyo (smaller Koreatowns like Mikawashima do exist, but are very local and lack the pop culture pizazz of Shin-Okubo). South Korean immigrants began moving to the area in the 1980s, and over the years the area has evolved into a flashy, lively neighborhood with a strong connection to South Korea. You’ll find many Korean restaurants in the area, and any recent fad foods from Korea are imported quickly as well. There are also Korean imported goods stores, both for foodstuffs and for beauty products.
Eating
Okubo Dori Ave. is packed with restaurants (mostly serving Korean cuisine), so it’s easy and convenient to find a bite to eat in the area. Fondue is enjoying a boom in Korea, and the fad food has made its way to Shin-Okubo. You can enjoy a variety of cheesy goodness at Oh! Kitchen N, just a quick walk from the station. If you’re looking for something with unique visual appeal, check out 2D Cafe Shin-Okubo, where the interior is designed in a way to resemble a comic book. And for no-frills authentic Korean fried chicken, head to Shin-chan.
Livability
One of the main points to keep in mind if you’re considering a move to Shin-Okubo is that it is a very international neighborhood. However, unlike other international areas found in Minato Ward, where you’ll find a mix of foreigners from western countries, in Shin-Okubo you’ll primarily find foreigners hailing from Asian countries such as South Korea, Nepal, and Vietnam. Besides this, it is a livable (albeit lively) neighborhood close to Shinjuku and located on the ever-convenient Yamanote Line.
If the crowds and traffic around the station aren’t your ideal environment, you can still find pockets of calm, residential streets. You’ll just have to expect a bit of a walk from the station if that’s what you’re looking for. As stated earlier, an advantage to living in the area is the access to the imported goods supermarkets, which are a great way to find ingredients that you might not be able to easily find in regular Japanese supermarkets.
The area tends to attract single apartment seekers as the area around the station is popular with those enjoying Tokyo’s nightlife scene.
Useful Info at a Glance
Supermarkets
| Nearby Supermarkets | Hours | Address |
| Gyomu Super Shinjuku Okubo Store | 9:00 AM – 9:45 PM | 2 Chome-15-1 Hyakunincho, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 169-0073 |
| My Basket Shinokubo Station South | 8:00 AM – 12:00 AM | 1 Chome-10-7 Hyakunincho, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 169-0073 |
| Asia Superstore | Mon. – Sat.: 9:30 AM – 11:30 PM
Sun.: 9:30 AM – 10:30 PM |
〒169-0072 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, Okubo, 1 Chome−8−2 シャルール新宿 |
| Hanamasa Okubo Store | 24 hrs | 〒169-0072 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, Okubo, 1 Chome−10−15 レックスマンション |
*This is just a selection of supermarkets in the area.
Gyms
| Nearby Gyms | Hours | Address |
| Anytime Fitness Higashi-shinjuku | 24 hrs | 1 Chome-3-15 Okubo, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 169-0072 |
*These are just examples of gyms available in the area.
Language Schools
| Nearby Language Schools | Information |
| MIDREAM NIHONGO CHANNEL | MIDREAM NIHONGO CHANNEL Home Page |
| Kai Japanese Language School | Kai Japanese Language School Home Page |
| Fuji International Language Institute | Fuji International Language Institute Home Page |
| Tokyo World Japanese Language School | Tokyo World Japanese Language School Home Page |
| Mitsumine Career Academy | Mitsumine Career Academy Home Page |
Ward Office, Police, Library
| Nearby Community Center/City Hall/Police Station | Hours | Address |
| Shinjuku Police Station | Mon. – Fri.: 8:30 AM – 5:15 PM
Sat. – Sun.: Closed |
6 Chome-1-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0023 |
| Shinjuku-ward Ōkubo Library | Mon.: 9:00 AM – 9:45 PM
Tue.: Closed Wed. – Sat.: 9:00 AM – 9:45 PM Sun.: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
2-12-7 Okubo, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 169-0072 |
| Shinjuku City Hall Okubo Special Branch | Mon.: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Tue.: 8:30 AM – 7:00 PM Wed. – Fri.: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM Sat. – Sun.: Closed |
2 Chome-12-7 Okubo, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 169-0072 |
Hospitals/Clinics
| Nearby Hospitals/Clinics | Address |
| Tokyo Yamate Medical Center | 3 Chome-22-1 Hyakunincho, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 169-0073 |
| Ohkubo Hospital | 2 Chome-44-1 Kabukicho, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-8488 |
*These are examples of hospitals/clinics in the area.
Parks
| Nearby Parks | Address |
| Toyama Park | 3 Chome-5 Okubo, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 169-0072 |
| Nishi Ōkubo Park | 1 Chome-17 Okubo, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0072 |
| Hyakuninchō Fureai Park | 3 Chome-28 Hyakunincho, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 169-0073 |
Family-Friendly Features
| Nearby Family Friendly Features | Address |
| Hyakunincho Children Hall | 2 Chome-18-21 Hyakunincho, 新宿区 Shinjuku City, Tokyo 169-0073 |
Shin-Okubo Apartments
Apartments for rent near Shin-Okubo Station:
- Okubo Station apartments
- Higashi-Shinjuku Station apartments
- Nishi-Shinjuku Station apartments
- Seibu-Shinjuku Station apartments
- Shinjuku Station apartments
- Takadanobaba Station apartments
Shin-Okubo is a neighborhood with a lively atmosphere, exciting nightlife, and quick access to Shinjuku. If these are priorities in your apartment search, do yourself a favor and check the listings on our website for apartments in the area. Filter your search using our search tools to narrow your results. For example, you can find 1R studio apartments in Shin-Okubo starting at approximately ¥50,000 per month! Those could be very convenient first apartments for moving to Tokyo. Or, if you’re looking for more space, 1LDK apartments in Shin-Okubo can be found at around 100,000 per month!
Apartments For Rent in Shin-okubo
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