Suginami Ward is one of the westernmost of the 23 special wards of Tokyo. It’s sandwiched between Nerima Ward to the north and Setagaya Ward to the south. It’s a residential ward that is a great option to consider for those commuting to downtown Tokyo for work. A number of stations on the convenient JR Chuo Line (Rapid) are located in Suginami (including Ogikubo, Asagaya, and Koenji).
Contents
- Suginami quick facts
- Main residential neighborhoods
- Suginami ranks high for
- Who lives in Suginami Ward?
- Popular housing searches in Suginami Ward
- Location and highlights
Suginami quick facts
- Population: 569,132 (as of January 1, 2019)
- Area: 34.06 km²
- Density: 16,710 (/km²)
- Population of foreign residents: 17,722 (3.1% of total population of Suginami)
- About 3.8% of the total resident foreigner population of the Tokyo 23 Wards lives in Suginami.
Major Train Stations
| Station | Lines |
| Ogikubo |  JR Chuo Line |
 Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line |
|
| Koenji | JR Chuo Line |
| Eifukucho |  Keio Inokashira Line |
| Shimo-Igusa |  Seibu Shinjuku Line |
Main residential neighborhoods
Suginami ranks high for
- Quiet residential neighborhoods within commuting distance to downtown Tokyo.
- Neighborhoods in the area have rather famous events and festivals. The yearly Koenji Awaodori is one of Tokyo’s largest summer festivals with almost 1.2 million visitors coming to Koenji over the course of a weekend. Neighboring Asagaya holds a Jazz festival every year.
- Enjoys popularity as a livable area of Tokyo that balances city convenience with residential quietness.
Who lives in Suginami ward?
- Can be quite affordable, and there are attractive housing options for students.
- If you need to transfer at Shinjuku Station, living in Suginami Ward is a good option for lowering your rent (while still having a doable commute) because the major lines that run east-west through Suginami Ward all have stops at Shinjuku (Chuo Rapid and Marunouchi lines) or originate in Shinjuku (Keio line).
- If you need to transfer Shibuya Station, consider the many residential stations along the Keio Inokashhira line in Suginami Ward, including Eifukucho and Takaido.
Popular housing searches in Suginami Ward
- Apartments in Suginami Ward offered by the GaijinPot Housing Service (entire application process handled in English, overseas applications ok, utilities can be set up for your arrival)
- Affordable apartments close to station (apartments within 10 minutes from Koenji Station)
- Houses for rent in Suginami Ward
Location and highlights
There is a good amount of open green space in this ward, including Wadabori Park which is located in the middle of Suginami Ward and provides residents with peaceful respite from the city.
Suginami Ward is home to a few different universities: Tokyo Women’s Christian University, Meiji University Izumi Campus, Joshibi University of Art and Design, and others.
The major train lines crossing through Suginami Ward are:
- Chuo Main line
- Keio line and Keio Inokashira line
- Seibu Shinjuku line
- Marunouchi line
If you work on any of these lines, stations located in Suginami Ward may be a good option for lowering your rent.