In our mission to help apartment hunters find their ideal living environment in Japan, in the Hidden Gem series, we share a variety of neighborhoods that are often overlooked. Today we’re taking a short departure from Tokyo to look at a business/residential neighborhood in Shin-Yokohama, Kanagawa.
As you might guess, Shin-Yokohama is close to the major business and entertainment hub of Yokohama. From Shin-Yokohama Station it’s an 11-minute train ride via the Blue Line to Yokohama. This is a very convenient commute time for getting into Yokohama. This station is also just one stop from Kikuna Station, which is connected to Shibuya via the Tokyu Toyoko Line, giving residents the option to take 30-minute train ride (1 transfer) to head to downtown Tokyo. The Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen also makes a stop through this station, which can make day trips to Atami, Shizuoka (popular beachside resort town) very plausible!
The Shin-Yokohama neighborhood boasts many sports and entertainment venues.
Nissan Stadium is close to the station, and it’s here where sports fans flock to watch J-league soccer games. Around the stadium is Shin-Yokohama Park, a large open space with a variety of sports facilities: tennis courts, playgrounds, skateboard park, basketball court, dog run, etc. Having options for getting involved with sports nearby is a great way to stay active!
And on the flip side of staying active, the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum is a spot where you can experience a variety of ramen styles and even take a ramen noodle making class!
Other conveniences in the area include: Bic Camera (large electronics retailer), Yokohama Arena (shopping mall), and Shin-Yokohama Skate Center (ice skating rink).
The area is primarily a business/commercial district, and while you can find family-friendly apartments in Shin-Yokohama, most would consider the area more convenient for a single apartment seeker. That being said, let’s take a look at a few apartments in the area with the single apartment hunter in mind.
Furnished 1K apartment – ¥115,000/month ($1,058/month)
If you’re only planning on staying in the area for a short-term (minimum length: 1 month) this kind of furnished apartment is a huge time-saver. Not having to worry about furniture and appliances will make your stay in Japan very convenient. Furnished apartments are also a fantastic way to dip your toes into making the shift to living in Japan. Start with a furnished apartment for a few months to get used to your surroundings, then you can choose to move to an apartment that you can choose to decorate to your heart’s content!
1K apartment – ¥114,000/month ($1,048/month)
This apartment is roughly 10 sqm larger than the previous furnished apartment. It features a much larger washroom sink, more closet space, and wider balcony for more natural light. This is a comfortable amount of space for one occupant. Imagine this living space next to the destinations in area and you have a very livable living environment!
1DK apartment – ¥114,000/month ($1,048/month)
And even slightly larger still, this 1DK apartment in the area provides a distinct separate dining area from the bedroom. If having an apartment with multiple rooms is a must in your apartment search then something like this should fit the bill nicely. A plus for this kind of layout is that it is less likely for food smells to linger in your bedroom (depending on how pungent your preferred meals are, of course).
These three apartments are all within a similar price range, but offer different features which will suit different needs.