Where to Stay in Tokyo: My Surprisingly Simple Advice

I’ve been living in Tokyo for 6 years and working in the Japan travel industry for just as long, and this is probably the question I get asked the most by friends and clients:

“Any suggestions on where to stay in Tokyo?”

And my reply is always the same. And it’s surprisingly direct and simple. So in this article, forget the pros and cons of each area (most other blogs already have great articles about this). Instead, I’m going to give you my top three recommendations in order of preference, the ones I give my family and friends, and explain why they’re the best.

1. Shinjuku

If you’re here to know where the best area to stay in Tokyo is, here you have it. Shinjuku is THE best area to stay in Tokyo in 2024 (and it’s been the case for many years).

The only exception: if you’re a family with young kids, maybe an area like Asakusa might be a better choice (see my recommendation number 2 in this article).

Access to and from Shinjuku

Shinjuku is highly accessible, with many metro stations making it one of the most connected areas in all of Tokyo. For example, within a 15-minute walking distance from the main Shinjuku station, you have: Shinjuku-sanchome, Shinjuku-Gyoemmae, Shinjuku-nishiguchi, Seibu-Shinjuku, Nishi-shinjuku, Higashi-Shinjuku, Minami-Shinjuku, Tochomae, Yoyogi, Okubo, and Shin-Okubo.

And with many metro and train lines, Shinjuku offers unparalleled convenience for accessing any part of the city and serves as a great starting point for day trips outside Tokyo. Some key lines and destinations include:

• JR Yamanote Line: This loop line connects Shinjuku with other major districts such as Shibuya, Harajuku, Ueno, Tokyo Station, Ikebukuro, and Akihabara.
• JR Chuo Line: This line provides rapid service to western Tokyo, including destinations like Nakano, Koenji, Kichijoji, Mitaka (home of the Ghibli Museum), and further out to Tachikawa and Hachioji.
• JR Sobu Line: This line runs east to west and connects Shinjuku to areas like Akihabara, Ryogoku (home of sumo wrestling), and Chiba.
• Odakyu Line: This line is perfect for trips to western suburbs like Shimokitazawa, and scenic destinations like Odawara and Hakone.
• Keio Line: This line provides access to western Tokyo, including the popular hiking destination of Mount Takao.
• Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line: This line connects Shinjuku with central Tokyo areas such as Tokyo Station, Ginza, and Ikebukuro.
• Toei Oedo Line: This line loops through various parts of Tokyo, including Roppongi, Aoyama, and Tsukiji.
• Seibu Shinjuku Line: This line heads northwest to the residential areas of Nakai and Takadanobaba, and further out to Saitama Prefecture

Landmarks and Things to Do

Besides ideal access, Shinjuku is also a fantastic area to stay in. It’s packed with restaurants, bars, shopping malls, various stores, and plenty of attractions and activities. Here are some highlights:

• Golden Gai and Omoide Yokocho: famous nightlife strees filled with small traditional Japanese bars (although nowadays, there are almost more tourists than Japanese people)
• Godzilla Head: iconic landmark atop the Shinjuku Toho Building
• Samurai Restaurant: unique dining experience, one of the most popular attractions in Tokyo. If you like nightlife, this is a really fun thing to do. Read my review here.
• Park Hyatt Tokyo: the hotel from the movie “Lost in Translation”
• Shinjuku Gyoen Park: beautiful green space in the city
• Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building: offers a free observatory with a great 360 view over Tokyo
• Don Quijote: popular discount store
• Shin-Okubo: the Korean district
• Kabukicho: entertainment and red-light district
• Meiji-Jingu: a peaceful shrine within walking distance
• Newly built Kabukicho Tower: entertainment facility with plenty of restaurants, hotels, cinema, live venue, etc.

Shinjuku is located on the western side of Tokyo, and thus also provides good access to West Tokyo, which has many cool areas to visit, such as Nakano, Koenji, Kichijoji, and Shimokitazawa. The East of Tokyo in comparison doesn’t have many areas to visit – apart maybe Disneyland Tokyo.

As for Shinjuku itself, East Shinjuku is more lively, while West Shinjuku is more business-oriented, though it still offers plenty of dining and activities. 

If you’re worried Shinjuku might be too hectic and prefer quieter areas, don’t worry. In Japan, it’s common to find residential areas where you can hear the birds sing, just a few minutes away from bustling streets. And this is the case with Shinjuku. I’d recommend staying in West or South Shinjuku for a quieter experience.

However, if the hustle and bustle isn’t for you, my main recommendation is to explore the beautiful and quiet Japanese countryside. Tokyo is hectic and is the number one destination in Japan, but the country has so much more to offer.

2. Another Major Station

If Shinjuku doesn’t convince you, then I’d recommend staying near another major station.

In 2017, I traveled to Tokyo and made the mistake of booking an Airbnb a bit outside the center as my home base. It was in Kosuge, 15 minutes from Ueno. I had an amazing trip, but the main complaint from myself and the friends I was traveling with was the inconvenience of the Airbnb. Getting to major areas took 40 minutes to one hour, and we always had to be careful about the timing of the last train for our connection to reach Kosuge.

This is why I recommend staying near a major station. Here are my recommendations in order of preference:

• Shibuya: A youthful area with shopping, bars, and restaurants. Surroundings can be surprisingly calm, and it’s within walking distance of Omotesando, Yoyogi Park, Harajuku, and Meiji-Jingu.
• Asakusa: More traditional and a bit cheaper, but very touristy. It’s within walking distance of Tokyo Skytree (which I find overrated, but is one of the top attractions in Tokyo). It’s home to Senso-ji, the most famous temple in Tokyo.
• Ginza: A high-end district with shopping and restaurants, close to Tokyo Station.
• Tokyo Station: The main Shinkansen station of the city, making it very convenient for traveling.
• Ueno: A busy local area with good vibes.
• Roppongi: An expensive area with good nightlife and a business district by day, within walking distance of Tokyo Tower.
• Ikebukuro: Another major station with its own unique attractions and conveniences (if you watched the anime Durarara!! or the 2000’s Japanese TV series Ikebukuro West Gate Park, you’ll recognize a lot of places in Ikebukuro).

3. A Station on the JR Yamanote Line

The JR Yamanote is the most convenient train line in Japan, circling Tokyo and stopping at many major stations you’ll likely use when traveling: Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ueno, Tokyo Station, Ikebukuro, Harajuku, and Akihabara.

Japanese people love this line because of its convenience, and apartments or houses near a Yamanote station usually have higher rents due to this. 

Any station on the Yamanote line makes a great home base for your stay in Tokyo. The closer you are to one of the bigger stations, the better, as you’ll probably need to change lines at one of them to reach other parts of Tokyo.