Choosing the best place to stay in Tokyo is not particularly easy. In fact, we would say that it is one of the most complicated cities in which to find accommodation, and not precisely because there are no options, on the contrary. Being in front of a huge city, in which tourist attractions are scattered throughout the city and in which you will never, no matter how much you want to, be in the center, makes choosing a good place to sleep in Tokyo is somewhat complicated.
That’s why based on our two visits to the city, the second of which lasted 10 days, including a two-month stay living in an apartment in Gion in Kyoto, during which we published this guide to Tokyo, we leave you a selection of places to stay in Tokyo and the best neighborhoods. Let’s get started!
Neighborhoods where to stay in Tokyo
The first thing to understand a little of the city is to know how it is distributed or organized. Tokyo has 23 special regions, which in turn are divided into districts, and 30 common municipalities.
These are the 23 special regions and their respective districts:
- Adachi (足立区): in the northern area, includes the districts of Kitasenju and Takenotsuka.
- Arakawa (荒区): includes the Arakawa, Nippori and Minamisenju districts.
- Bunkyo (文京区 Bunkyō): this residential area includes the Hongo, Yayoi and Hakusan districts.
- Chiyoda (千代田区): here are the districts of Nagatacho, Kasumigaseki, Otemachi, Marunouchi, Akihabara, Yurakucho, and Iidabashi and are located the Imperial Palace, which occupies 12% of the area, Tokyo Station, the Nippon Budokan and Yasukuni Shrine.
- Chūō (中央区): here are the districts of Ginza, famous for being one of the commercial areas of the city, Nihonbashi, Kachidoki and Tsukiji, where the famous fish market used to be located. This is one of the regions and districts that we will focus on in the post as it is one of the best places to stay in Tokyo.
- Edogawa (江戸区): includes the Kasai and Chuo districts.
- Itabashi (板橋区): the Itabashi and Takashimadaira districts are located here.
- Katsushika (葛飾区): in the northeastern part of the city, includes the Tateishi, Aoto and Koiwa districts.
- Kita (北区): crossed by the Arakawa and Sumida rivers, it includes the Akabane, Oji and Tabata districts.
- Koto (江東区 Kōtō): in the eastern part of the city and bordered by the Arakawa and Sumidagawa rivers, is this special region in which the districts of Kiba, Ariake, Kameido and Toyocho are located.
- Meguro (目黒区): known for some of the embassies located here, we can find the districts of Meguro, Nakameguro and Jiyugaoka.
- Minato (港区): south of the Imperial Palace, this special region is one of the most touristy and includes the districts of Odaiba, Shinbashi, Shinagawa, Roppongi, Toranomon, Aoyama, Azabu, Hamamatsucho and Tamachi.
- Nakano (中野区): includes the Nakano district.
- Nerima (練馬区): includes the districts of Nerima, Oizumi and Hikarigaoka.
- Ota (大田区 Ōta): this is where Tokyo International Airport or Haneda Airport and Toho University are located and the Omori, Kamata and Haneda districts are located.
- Setagaya (世田谷区): the Setagaya, Sangenjaya, Shimokitazawa and Tamagawa districts are located here.
- Shibuya (渋谷区): in the west of the city this special region is another of the most touristic and also one of the best options where to sleep in Tokyo, as it is very well connected with the rest of the city. It includes the districts of Shibuya, Harajuku, Yoyogi, Ebisu and Hiroo.
- Shinagawa (品区): includes the Shinagawa, Oimachi and Gotanda districts.
- Shinjuku (新宿区): known for being another of the commercial areas of the city, where skyscrapers and luxury hotels abound, it includes the districts of Shinjuku, Takadanobaba, Okubo, Kagurazaka and Ichigaya. This is also another of the best options where to look for a hotel in Tokyo.
Shinjuku - Suginami (杉並区): the Koenji, Kamiogi and Asagaya districts are located here.
- Sumida (墨田区): includes the Kinshicho district and is one of the most touristy areas of the city.
- Toshima (豊島区): here we find the districts of Ikebukuro, Senkawa, Sugamo and Komagome.
- Taitō (台東区 Taitō): location of Ueno park, Sumida park and Sensō-ji temple, this special region includes the districts of Ueno and Asakusa. This is also where the Sumidagawa fireworks, the Asakusa carnival and the Sanja Matsuri festival take place, making it another of the most touristy areas and as such, another possible place to stay in Tokyo.
1. Shibuya, the best place to stay in Tokyo
Famous for being the place where the most famous crossroads in the world is located, the Shibuya area is, in our experience, one of the best places to sleep in Tokyo.
Besides being one of the commercial areas of the city, it is a very lively place, both day and night and has a large number of hotels and restaurants.
It is also very well connected to the rest of the city, since one of the most important stations of the city is located here.
The price of accommodation in Shibuya is usually 120 euros per night, although you can find more affordable options and more expensive options depending on the time of year and the area you are looking for.
2. Shinjuku, a central and well-connected area to sleep in Tokyo
In the western part of the city, Shinjuku is another area where to stay in Tokyo if you want to be in a central, well connected and above all, lively place; as this district is known for being one of the most entertaining in the city, especially the nights of Kabukicho, and also a reference as a shopping area.
In addition, Shinjuku Station is located here, one of the busiest and best connected to the rest of the city, so staying here is always a good choice.
The price of accommodation in Shinjuku is usually 60 euros per night although there are accommodations for all budgets.
3. Ginza, the commercial area and one of the most expensive in Tokyo.
Located in the southeast of the city, Ginza is another of the commercial areas and is also one of the most recommended places to stay in Tokyo, although we warn you, it is not particularly economical.
Here there are plenty of shopping malls, luxury stores and skyscrapers as well as being an area very well connected to the rest of the city so sleeping in Tokyo in this location is a good choice.
The price of accommodation in Ginza is usually 150 euros per night.
4. Nihonbashi, the center of the city and another of the most recommended areas to stay in Tokyo
Known for the Nihonbashi Bridge, this area is considered the center of the city and is one of the places with the best connections in Tokyo, so sleeping here, which is also a short distance from Ginza and Akihabara, is one of the best options for accommodation in Tokyo.
Also in this area are the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the Bank of Japan and throughout the neighborhood there is a wide range of restaurants and traditional shops, where you can buy a souvenir that goes beyond the usual souvenirs.
The price of accommodation in Nihonbashi is usually 70 euros per night.
5. Akihabara, manga and technology in Tokyo
If you like technology, electronics or manga (or all of them), Akihabara may be your ideal place to sleep in Tokyo.
Known for being a temple for the geeks, this area of the city is well connected to the rest of the city with the Hibiya line, although in our experience, it would not be the best option to stay in Tokyo, as we believe it is an area to visit, but not to stay, especially if it is your first visit to the city.
Here you can also find some of the most famous cosplay cafes in the city. The price of accommodation in Akihabara is usually 80 euros per night.
6. Asakusa, the most traditional area of Tokyo
Known for being the place where the Sensoji Temple is located and where the Sanja Matsuri festival is held, one of the most important in the city, Asakusa is one of our favorite places to stay in Tokyo.
Here you can find one of the most traditional areas of the city and also a wide range of accommodation and restaurants.
It is also very well connected to the rest of the city with the Ginza line. The price of accommodation in Asakusa is usually 50 euros per night.
7. Ueno, another of Tokyo’s quieter areas
Although it is not our favorite area to sleep in Tokyo, Ueno, known for being one of the quietest neighborhoods in Tokyo and for its famous Ueno Park, can be a good option to stay in Tokyo if you are looking for a quiet place but well connected to the rest of the city with the Ginza line.
The price of accommodation in Ueno is usually 50 euros per night.
Tips for finding cheap accommodation in Tokyo
In addition to the recommendations of areas and the selection of hotels in each of them, we want to help you with the choice of your hotel in Tokyo leaving you a series of tips for your search.
- As in other cities in Japan, accommodation in Tokyo is not excessively expensive, being able to find hotels for about 50 euros a night, even in highly recommended areas.
- It is worth taking a little time and reviewing the areas we recommend to stay in Tokyo, especially Shibuya, Asakusa and Nihonbashi, which we believe are the best areas to look for a hotel in Tokyo.
- If your trip is in high season, especially during the cherry blossom season, we recommend that you book your hotel as far in advance as possible, as prices tend to rise sharply and the city is practically sold out.
- Remember that to avoid paying commissions and to always have the current exchange rate we recommend you to use the Revolut card and the N26 card, which are the ones we use, are free of charge and will save you a lot of money.
