If you are not very familiar with Tokyo, it can feel almost impossible to know where to start when choosing an area to live. Tokyo is vast, and without local knowledge, everything can look equally confusing at first glance.
Before looking at floor plans or listing photos, it’s important to imagine how you want to live in Tokyo.
Most clients do not have clear preferences at the beginning. Especially in an unfamiliar city, where there are so many options, it’s very easy to feel overwhelmed and unsure about what is truly best.
That’s why I work with clients to clarify their priorities—thinking together about what is realistically possible in Tokyo—and then select areas and properties that best match their overall vision and needs.
Some people actually feel overwhelmed if they are asked too many questions, so I adjust my approach on a case-by-case basis. But I usually talk through these topics casually during our conversations.
- How long of a commute is acceptable for you?
- Do you work from home?
- Do you prefer a quiet environment, or do you enjoy lively neighborhoods?
- Are you comfortable walking from the station, and if so, how many minutes?
- Do you like neighborhoods with a traditional, local “shitamachi”(old charm) atmosphere?
- Or do you prefer Tokyo’s most modern and cutting-edge areas?
- How do you usually like to spend your weekends?
- How often do you go grocery shopping? (Refrigerators in Japan might be smaller than those in your countries!)
By talking over these points together, we gradually narrow down suitable areas and properties.
As a next step, when further refining specific locations and properties, below are key points to consider when choosing a property’s area and location—including factors that don’t appear in listings and may not always be highlighted by your agent.
Location and Rent: What Really Drives Prices in Tokyo
In Tokyo, rent prices are driven primarily by transportation convenience and distance from the station.
A good starting point is to think about where you commute to—such as your office, school or your child’s school—and decide how many minutes of travel time you are willing to accept. From there, consider areas within that radius and compare their characteristics.
Transportation Considerations
Tokyo has an extremely well-developed public transportation system. A 20-minute train ride can take you in almost any direction.
That said, if you dislike commuting, it’s often better to look for areas where you can minimize travel time, or even live within walking or cycling distance. If you need to commute during peak hours, it’s also important to consider whether you can tolerate Tokyo’s notoriously crowded trains.
On the other hand, some people don’t mind being on the train. In those cases, living a bit farther from the city center often means lower rent and a calmer residential environment.
Families and School Considerations
For families with children, it’s common to struggle between living close to school or close to work. This choice depends entirely on each family’s values.
Ideally, attending a school close to your workplace is the most convenient. In central areas like Roppongi and Azabudai, there are international schools such as ASIJ preschool, British schools, Tokyo International School, International School of the Sacred Heart and so on.
However, well-established international schools with spacious campuses—such as ASIJ and St. Mary’s International School—are often located slightly outside the city center.
When considering international schools, think about whether car drop-off is possible, whether school buses are available, and how easy the commute is by train.
(Education options will be covered in a separate article.)
Distance from the Station
In Tokyo, the closer a property is to the station, the more expensive the rent tends to be. If you expect to use trains frequently, living near a station is ultimately more convenient, with more shops and daily amenities nearby. However, station areas are often commercial zones, which can feel busy and cluttered. If you prefer a calm residential neighborhood, looking a bit farther from the station can make sense—particularly when it allows you to rent a property of similar quality at a more reasonable price.
Safety
However, especially for women, keep in mind that residential neighborhoods in Tokyo can become very quiet at night, with little foot traffic. While Tokyo is very safe, walking alone at night on streets with almost no people around may not feel comfortable. This is another important factor worth considering when choosing your home.
The atmosphere of a neighborhood can feel very different during the day compared to at night, so it’s important to keep that in mind when viewing properties.
Terminal Stations and Rent Levels
Major terminal stations such as Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, and Shibuya are large commercial areas, so there are relatively few residential properties directly nearby (though you will find apartments if you walk a bit).
In redeveloped stations like Shibuya, some commercial buildings now include residential floors on upper levels. If you really want to live close to a terminal station, looking between that station and the next one is often a good strategy.
In general, rent decreases the farther you move from terminal stations.
Express Stops vs. Local Stops
Stations where express trains stop tend to be more convenient and therefore slightly more expensive. Stations served only by local trains can have fewer services and feel less convenient.
However, express trains are often crowded, so if you’re comfortable taking local trains at a slower pace, this may not be an issue.
Even along the same train line, convenience can vary greatly from one station to the next depending on how developed the station area is.
Hidden Pitfalls of Train Lines
Some train lines are consistently crowded, prone to delays, or only served by local trains, which can mean fewer services than expected. Japan’s trains have been famous for their punctuality, but in recent years delays have become more common as rail networks have expanded and grown increasingly complex. (As a Japanese, I personally find it hard to tolerate waiting more than 10 minutes for a train at the station.) Since delay patterns tend to vary by train line, it’s a good idea to understand these differences when deciding where to live. These factors are not always obvious from listings alone, so consulting an agent is the most reliable way to avoid unpleasant surprises.
If You Rely on a Car
If your main mode of transportation is driving, proximity to a station becomes much less important. Instead, you should focus on whether parking is included or if nearby parking is available.
That said, it’s important not to underestimate Tokyo traffic. A 30-minute drive in Tokyo traffic might be very different from a 30-minute drive on a quiet highway in your country.
Slopes and Elevation
Tokyo has many hills and slopes more than you expect. Even if a property is listed as “a few minutes from the station,” steep slopes can make the walk more challenging than expected, so this is something to check carefully.
That said, areas on higher ground are often considered higher-grade residential neighborhoods.
Alternative Transportation
Bicycles are also a convenient way to get around, but even cyclists can struggle to find parking. In Japan, bicycles parked in unauthorized areas may be removed by local authorities. In that sense, rental bicycles are extremely convenient, as they eliminate the need to search for parking spaces.
In recent years, shared bicycles and electric scooters have become much more common in Tokyo and are very convenient. Considering crowded trains and traffic congestion, choosing a property with these options in mind can be a practical approach.
Your choice of train line significantly affects your daily life, and even stations on the same line can feel very different. Understanding each area’s characteristics and finding a property that truly fits your needs is much easier—and more reliable—when working with an agent who knows Tokyo well.
Lifestyle & Hobbies
Where Do You Want to Escape on Weekends?
Tokyo is surrounded by mountains, so by traveling just a short distance outside the city by car or train, you can enjoy the sea or the mountains even on a day trip. However, because Tokyo itself is so massive, crossing the city to reach the opposite side can be surprisingly time-consuming.
For this reason, your personal preferences—such as loving the ocean or wanting to go skiing almost every weekend in winter—can also become an important factor when deciding where to live.
- Northern areas offer easy access to Chiba, where many golf courses are located. Chiba has also gained attention in recent years for second homes, such as in Katsuura, where you can enjoy a marine lifestyle. Access to Narita Airport is another advantage.
- Southern areas provide easy access to Kanagawa, making weekend trips to Shonan, Hayama, Hakone, and Izu very convenient. These areas also offer easier access to the Tokaido Shinkansen without going all the way to Tokyo Station, making trips to Osaka and Kyoto smoother. Proximity to Haneda Airport is another benefit.
- Western areas offer good access to Nagano and popular resort areas such as Karuizawa, , making them a great choice for snow sports lovers.
- Central Tokyo provides easy access to expressways, making weekend escapes to the suburbs manageable. Dining and shopping options are unmatched, making it ideal for those who enjoy eating out. Some central business areas can feel surprisingly quiet on weekends, which I personally enjoy.
Disaster Preparedness & Safety
Tokyo is very safe, but there is also the reality that we must always be prepared for natural disasters.
Things I check with clients include:
- Flood and earthquake hazard maps
- Building age and compliance with current earthquake resistance standards
- Whether the property is in a low-lying or reclaimed area
Even if a building meets modern earthquake standards, properties on soft ground or in flood-prone areas can be more vulnerable.
- Tokyo has many rivers, and river-adjacent areas often have softer ground. In addition, many waterfront areas are built on reclaimed land. While these areas are engineered with this in mind and are not automatically dangerous, they are sometimes avoided from a ground-condition perspective. That said, riverside and waterfront properties often offer excellent views.
- While walking through the city, you may sometimes notice pleasant greenways that are ideal for walking and enjoying the surroundings. Greenways were typically built over former rivers, meaning the ground in these areas is also considered relatively weak.
- Older neighborhoods may have very narrow, unplanned streets where emergency vehicles have difficulty accessing properties. In addition, such areas often have dense clusters of older wooden houses, which can increase fire risk and make firefighting more difficult.
(Disaster preparedness will be explained in more detail in a separate article.)
One more Tip
As mentioned, Tokyo is also a city with many hills. Areas with names including “-dai” or “-yama” are often on higher ground and tend to be desirable residential neighborhoods.
If You Want to Keep Rent Low
Tokyo’s borders are lined by rivers such as the Tama River and Arakawa. Simply crossing into neighboring prefectures like Kanagawa, Saitama, or Chiba often results in noticeably lower rent.
While crossing rivers by car can be inconvenient due to bridge access, by train it’s often just one or two stops away, with little loss of convenience. These areas also tend to have more affordable shops and lower overall living costs compared to central Tokyo.
My Personal Recommendations
My clients often ask, “So where is actually good to live?”
Tokyo has so many interesting and wonderful neighborhoods that narrowing it down to just a few is truly difficult. That said, I’d like to share the areas I personally recommend most.
Hiroo
A rare balance of convenience, livability, and greenery. If you want to actively enjoy Tokyo, living closer to the city center is often more practical. While Hiroo is known as an expensive area, it also has many older buildings, and depending on conditions, you can sometimes find surprisingly reasonable options.
Ebisu
The neighboring station between Hiroo and Shibuya. With access to both the Hibiya Line and JR Yamanote Line, it is actually more convenient than Hiroo in some ways. It offers large station buildings, refined complexes like Ebisu Garden Place, and many local restaurants. Despite being just one stop from Shibuya, it remains calm and mature. Daikanyama is within walking distance, making it one of my top recommendations for living alone in Tokyo.
Sakurashinmachi
A quiet residential area slightly outside the city center. The station area features a large, well-organized shopping street lined with cherry trees—quite rare in Tokyo. Komazawa Park is within cycling distance. Although the Den-en-toshi Line can be crowded, access to Shibuya is excellent, offering a balance of calm living and convenience.
Musashi-Koyama
A unique blend of strong local character and modern redevelopment. Just four minutes from Meguro Station on the Meguro Line, it features a lively covered shopping arcade full of traditional local shops. At the same time, ongoing redevelopment has added a modern touch. One Italian client once described Musashi-Koyama as “the Venice of Tokyo” (though I can’t fully confirm that!). The large Rinshi-no-Mori Park is also nearby.
Finding a Home That Truly Fits Your Life
Photos and online listings don’t tell the full story. The most popular area is not always the best for you. Choosing a home in Tokyo is about aligning your priorities with the realities of the city.
If you’re unsure where to start, feel free to reach out
As a Tokyo native and an independent real estate agent, I work across all areas of Tokyo and the surrounding regions, without being limited to specific locations or listings. I do not have to prioritize company interests, and I always act in my clients’ best interests.
I take the time to understand your priorities and circumstances, help you narrow down the areas and properties that best fit your needs, and guide you through the process with practical, local insight.
Beyond home searching, I also support clients with other relocation-related challenges that come with moving in Japan, helping you avoid common pitfalls and settle in with confidence.
The consultation is completely free, so please feel free to reach out.
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