Living in Tokyo

Top 5 Trending Neighborhoods in Tokyo This Month

September 17, 2017

Tokyo is a big city, and everyone is always on the move. People are always moving, too. From one apartment to another, that is!

Below are the top five trending neighborhoods this month for people searching for housing on Real Estate Japan.

1. Takadanobaba

As a stop on the Yamanote, Seibu Shinjuku, and Tozai lines, Takadanobaba is a major commuter hub. From here, it’s only two stops to Shinjuku and five stops to Shibuya on the Yamanote line.

On Real Estate Japan, Takadanobaba is a popular choice for students studying at Japanese language schools in Takadanobaba and Shinjuku.

Takadanobaba, Tokyo. Please click on the photo to see rental listings in Takadanobaba.

Takadanobaba is thought of by locals as a college town because of nearby Waseda University and the many vocational and language schools, including the Sendagaya Japanese Language School, near the station.

The area near the station has a great mix of ethnic (especially Indian) restaurants, ramen shops, cafes, and izakaya (Japanese pubs) all competing for your yen at student-friendly prices.

Apartments for Rent in Takadanobaba

Share Houses, such as XROSS House shown above, are a good choice for a budget short-term stay. Total monthly cost is ¥39,800 ($359). Please click on the photo to see the listing.

If you will be in Japan for longer than a year, a private apartment may be a better option. Please click on the photo for current listings in Takdanobaba.

2. Azabu Juban

Synonymous with wealth and privilege and home to many foreign embassies, Azabu Juban and its immediate vicinity ranks among Tokyo’s most prestigious residential areas. International, central and convenient, traditional shops and a famous summer festival give a strong sense of local history and an authentic charm.

Azabu Juban shopping street. Here you’ll find Western-style restaurants and cafes alongside traditional shops selling *taiyaki* (carp-fish shaped confectionary filled with azuki beans), noodle restaurants, and antique shops.

Apartments for Rent in Azabu Juban

There are a range of high-end rental properties to choose from in Azabu Juban, including a spacious 4BR apartment in the Azabu Gardens West complex.

It’s not all luxury properties in Azabu Juban. There are also many budget to mid-range options available. Please click on the photo for current listings.

3. Roppongi

At number three is Roppongi. World famous for its nightlife scene, Roppongi has gone upmarket in recent years, as the Roppongi Hills and Tokyo MidTown mega-complexes have brought high-end office, residential, and entertainment to this area historically popular with westerners.

Roppongi Hills and Tokyo Tower illuminated by Christmas lights.

Apartments for Rent in Roppongi

The Roppongi Hills Residence is considered to be one of the most desirable addresses in Tokyo. This penthouse 34th-floor 4BR unit is currently available. Please click on the photo for the listing.

There are plenty of budget and mid-range options available in Roppongi. Please click on the photo for current listings.

4. Ikebukuro

A stop on the Yamanote line, Ikebukuro is also a major commercial and shopping district (really, a mini-city inside Tokyo) and the second busiest station in the world after Shinjuku.

It is uber-urban and convenient. Here you will find the Sunshine City complex (which includes a 60-story mixed-used skyscraper with an observation deck, aquarium, planetarium, and shopping mall), branches of Seibu and Tobu, two large department store chains, major electronic chains, and shopping and restaurants galore. In recent years, it has also developed a small otaku sub-culture.

Live here if you want to be right on the Yamanote line and have easy access to points in north and west of Tokyo and shopping at your doorstep.

The Ikebukuro station area as seen from the Sunshine City observation deck.

From budget to high-end, there is a wide range of properties to choose from in Ikebukuro. Please click on the photo for current listings.

5. Nishi Waseda

Nishi Waseda is a stop on the Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin line and a neighborhood most well-known for being home to the main campus of Waseda University. Gukushuin Women’s College is also nearby.

A 15-min walk away to the northwest along Waseda Dori will take you to Takadanobaba, the top trending station this month.

The Nishi Waseda neighborhood is, of course, popular with students looking for affordable housing, but because it’s only about a 30-min train ride from here to Shinjuku it’s also popular with office workers and families.