5 Coolest Neighborhoods to Stay in Tokyo

5 Coolest Neighborhoods to Stay in Tokyo

One of the most important decisions to make when traveling is which hotel to stay in. The hotel and the neighborhood it’s in determine to a pretty large extent how your vacation will be. Tokyo is huge, and actually, the metropolis is made up of all of the little “villages. The neighborhoods of Tokyo have their own character, and what is the best neighborhood to look for a hotel depends on your interests and what you are looking for. Let us get you started with a description of 5 of our favorite neighborhoods in Tokyo where it’s good to stay!

Monzennakacho : central with a local vibe

This neighborhood is just 2.5 kilometers from Tokyo Station and from Monzennakacho Station you can get to Ginza, Akihabara, Imperial Palace, and more tourist attractions within 15 minutes. Still, the neighborhood has a strong “local vibe”.

In the neighborhood itself, you can find many small eateries and bars, and there is a beautiful temple that holds Buddhist ceremonies several times a day. Within walking distance, you can also find the hip Kiyosumi Shirakawa with its many coffee joints, and Sumo district Ryogoku is also not far away.

Hotels here are pretty budget-friendly and you won’t find big luxury chains here. The two most popular hotels are the Tokyu Stay Monzennakacho and Keisei Richmond Hotel Tokyo Monzennakacho.

Waseda : more space but facilities

Waseda is best known for the university of the same name and is located on the west side of Tokyo. Because of the university, there are many smaller, inexpensive restaurants in the area and it is usually bustling with young people. International cuisines are also well represented because of the many international students. The Ana Hachimangu shrine is interesting to visit and enjoy the peaceful environment.

The Chinzanso hotel is a popular choice in this neighborhood. In terms of budget, it is on the higher end, but then you are in a hotel with one of the most beautiful Japanese gardens in the city. If you want to pamper yourself a bit in terms of accommodation, this is a nice option.

Daimon: many traditional Japanese restaurants

Is good food important during your vacation? Then Daimon is a paradise as there are many great offices in the area. The ‘salarymen’ and ‘office ladies’ who work here often make long days, which means they like to eat out during lunch and after work. These traditional Japanese also like to eat traditional Japanese food, and let that be what many tourists are also looking for.

There are many izakaya (Japanese gastropubs), yakitori tents, and yakiniku restaurants (Japanese barbeque) to be found in Daimon. So having a great adventure and eating amongst the Japanese, and then being back at your hotel within a few minutes is easy to do here. If you book a guide through us it will be made very easy for you, as the guide can help you pick a good restaurant and make a reservation.

There are hotels in all segments in the area, of which the Shiba Park Hotel is a nice mid-range hotel. The Tokyo Prince Hotel is popular at the higher end, and for budget-friendly options, the business hotels are worth checking out. Examples include the Sotetsu Fresa Inn and Hotel Mystays chains, which are also represented in Daimon.

Shibuya : youthful nightlife area

If you’re looking for a hotel within crawling distance of where a significant part of Tokyo’s nightlife takes place, Shibuya is your thing. The neighborhood is mainly populated by youth between 15 and 25, and it’s great for shopping, eating, and clubbing. Famous tourist attractions are also found here: the intersection and the statue of Hachiko the dog are both found here.

This also means that it is not the cleanest neighborhood in Tokyo, nor is it very quiet in the evening. But those who are drawn to Shibuya usually don’t care about those kinds of details.

Because Shibuya is such a major tourist hotspot, there are hotels here for all budgets. In the more expensive segment, there is Cerulean Hotel, in the middle category there is Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu, and for budget-friendly, you can find business hotels and even capsule hotels. The Millenials is well-reviewed as a capsule hotel.

Asakusa : hotspot with traditional atmosphere

Asakusa is one of the must-see neighborhoods in Tokyo. So it is also quite convenient to stay in a hotel there for a few days if you like staying in a hotspot. There is a lot to do in the neighborhood and you can easily spend a day or 2/3 wandering around there to see everything there is to see within 3 kilometers or so.

The downside is that Asakusa is not very central but in the northeast of Tokyo. This makes the train ride a bit longer if you want to explore other parts of Tokyo. This makes the train ride a bit longer if you want to explore other parts of Tokyo. Of course, it is also crowded, but this is not a minor point for everyone.

Hotels in Asakusa are mainly in the middle and cheaper segment. The Gate Hotel Kaminarimon is good in the mid-range segment, and at Red Planet Tokyo Asakusa you will be reasonably cheap due to the simple rooms and B-location in the city.

Booking a hotel in Tokyo

We are regularly asked if we can recommend any specific hotels. Above we have mentioned some that our previous clients have had good experiences with, but as there are so many people with so many wishes, it is not always easy. It mainly depends on your budget what is recommended. It is best to first decide in which neighborhood you would like to stay in and then search Agoda or Booking on that neighborhood and on your budget.

A simple hotel usually costs around 80 euros per night (2 persons), a 3-star hotel is around 120 euros per night (2 persons), and a 4-star hotel easily costs around 350 euros per night (2 persons). So-called business hotels are often clean hotels for a fairly low price.

Good value for money in Japan

Fortunately, it is not difficult to find a good value hotel in Tokyo, especially if it is not super high season. The high season in Japan falls in April, May, and August. Around the cherry blossoms (late March-early April), Japanese Golden Week (late April-early May), and during the overall August vacation period, hotel room prices often go up.

But in general, hotels in Japan are very clean, well maintained, and have good customer service. What is sometimes disappointing is the size of the room and bathroom; these are sometimes of gnome size, especially in the cheaper segment in a central district. So our tip is to look at what is said in the reviews about the size of the rooms and beds.