Where to Stay in Tokyo

As with real estate, the most important aspect of hotel selection is location, location, location. Choosing the right location can make or break your holiday. Famous travel personalities including Anthony Bourdain and Rick Steves talk about the importance of selecting a central location near the things you want to do so you don’t waste precious vacation time traveling long distances to get to things you want to see and do. It’s generally not worth it to book a value hotel that is not in the best location to save a little money because you will ultimately pay in time, inconvenience, and transportation costs. This is one area I won’t compromise on.

Matching the hotel's vibe and the area to your personality and travel needs will easily improve your holiday.

Tokyo can feel confusing. Instead of viewing it as one giant megalopolis, consider it as numerous neighborhoods, each with its unique feel and attractions.

This list will help you choose the ideal location for your preferred style of travel.

Along with Shinjuku, this is one of the biggest, most eventful areas you can visit/stay. The iconic images of throngs of people at the Shibuya Crossing speak to the area itself. The energy here is palpable. You will be in the heart of the action. People go here to do everything and anything. As soon as you step out your door, you will have thousands of restaurants to choose from as well as lots of cool shops, bars, karaoke places, etc., at your disposal. There are endless things to do in Shibuya and it’s vibrant 24/7. It tends to skew a bit younger, but there is something for everyone. There are lots of excellent hotel options here.

Similar to Shibuya, Shinjuku is filled with cool things to do and tons of people everywhere. It also caters to nightlife. You will find more restaurants than you could eat at in your entire lifetime. Every night there will be people going out to eat, drink, and celebrate. There’s also a lot of shopping you can do during the day (Uniqlo, Kinokuniya Books, boutiques galore). There are some amazing hotels in this area. If you want the “Lost in Translation” experience, the Park Hyatt is in Shinjuku. The rooms have great views, and Anthony Bourdain was a fan of the Park Hyatt. Unfortunately, the Park Hyatt is currently undergoing comprehensive restoration and is due to reopen in Oct. 2025.

Akasaka (not to be confused with Asakusa) is an under-rated and still mostly under-the-radar area to stay.

Since it’s not as well-known as Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Ginza the hotels tend to have lower prices. There are high-end options as well if you want to splash out and spoil yourself (The Okura Tokyo, Hotel New Otani). Akasaka is also very convenient as it has 4 useful train lines that will conveniently take you to popular tourist destinations. For example, the Metro Ginza Line goes to Ginza, Shibuya, Ueno, Asakusa, and Omotesando. Using the Metro Ginza Line more than the JR Yamanote Line is a great Tokyo hack. It is much less crowded and generally has smaller stations to navigate. It’s one of the most useful lines along with the JR Chuo Line. Akasaka also has nice nightlife that is not too crazy, but not too tame.

Stay here to experience a musician/hipster vibe with tons of live music bars, great curry shops, amazing used and vintage clothing shopping, fewer crowds, my favorite Tokyo coffee shop, and a more intimate, small neighborhood vibe. Shimokitazawa Station has two lines, the Keio-Inokashira Line which you can take to get to Shibuya, Koenji, Kichijoji, and the Odakyu Odawara Line which goes to Shinjuku. There aren’t a lot of places to stay in Shimokitazawa, but I’ve heard good things about The Mustard Hotel.

Tokyoites routinely vote Kichijoji as the part of Tokyo they would most like to live in. It is like a smaller version of Tokyo itself. You could go to Tokyo and just stay in Kichijoji and have an amazing time. There’s plenty of nightlife including fancy restaurants, live music bars/clubs, jazz bars, and one of my favorite places in Tokyo, the famous Harmonica Yokocho. There are malls and shopping galore, including vintage/used clothing and antique goods stores. The Ghibli Museum is located in this area as well. Like most places in Tokyo, the food in Kichijoji is excellent. Kichijoji Station is on the Chuo line which is super convenient to access numerous other fun areas including Shinjuku, Nakano, Koenji, and Tokyo Station. I wrote more about the Chuo line here. It is also on the Keio Inokashira line which will take you to Shimokitazawa, Shinsen, and Shibuya. 

This is ground zero for otaku (geek) things. This word doesn’t carry the same connotations it might in other countries. It is used more to describe people who are hardcore into certain hobbies. For people who dig anime, manga, Japanese collectibles (toys, figurines, dolls, etc.), cosplay, the latest electronics, and things of that nature you will feel right at home here. Actually, you may be overwhelmed, and your head might explode (in a good way). 

A trendy, upscale area filled with boutiques, sidewalk cafes, and of course, the Daikanyama T-Site. It is a great area to shop without the busyness of Shibuya. It is, however, near Shibuya, so you can easily access all those shops and Shibuya nightlife.

For people who enjoy the best of everything and want the most convenient access to the fanciest restaurants and most upscale stores, Ginza is the place to stay. It is more on the quiet side at night. So if you want the party to be right outside your hotel door, you may prefer Shinjuku, Shibuya, or Roppongi.

Roppongi is a unique mix. Like Ginza, Roppongi has 5-star hotels, swanky restaurants, and high-end shopping. Unlike Ginza, Roppongi is a notorious party area at night filled with restaurants, bars, and wild clubs.

This is a more expensive neighborhood with a higher amount of expats. It has a laid-back, and fancy vibe. You can hang out at the lively Ebisu Yokocho, or visit any of the numerous elegant restaurants. 

I’ve put these two areas together because they are so close to one another. Staying in this location gives you easy access to all the goodness of these parts of Tokyo. If you love high-end food and luxury shopping, this neighborhood is perfect as you can make Ginza your main attraction. If you are a runner, running around the outside of the Imperial Palace is a convenient and memorable way to get your fix. And being near Tokyo Station gives you convenient access to the Yamanote Line, Chuo Line, and to the Shinkansen when you are ready to go to other cities. You also get to experience the entire universe that is Tokyo Station, with all its shopping and food options. You can check out Ramen Street and all the character stores.

Note: You will most likely use the JR Yamanote Line frequently since it connects Tokyo’s most famous/popular areas. I recommend looking into and becoming familiar with the JR Chuo Line and the Metro Ginza Line because they are less busy than the Yamanote and connect numerous fun neighborhoods in Tokyo, often more directly than the Yamanote Line. Obviously, this depends on where you are staying.

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