Where to stay in Tokyo – the best neighborhoods

Let's face it: choosing the best place to stay in the world's largest metropolis can feel overwhelming, even for the most seasoned travelers!

But you're in luck! Since you've made it here, I'll help you tackle that challenge. And after you've put these tips to the test, let me know how your Tokyo stay went — either in the comments below or over on Instagram at @danae_explore!

We've been to Japan twice; the first time we stayed for a month, and the second time we spent nineteen days there. Here's the post with our 4-week Japan itinerary which also includes accommodation tips for every city we visited. The itinerary for the second trip is in this Instagram post.

First of all, follow me on Instagram @danae_explore – that’s where you can keep up with my trips, find lots of travel tips, and send me a DM anytime! I love chatting about travel

In total, across both trips, we stayed 14 nights in Tokyo! That gave us plenty of time to explore the city and experience all the neighborhoods I recommend in this post.

Putting together this selection was a real team effort. In addition to combing through blogs for reliable recommendations from people who had actually been to Tokyo, we also got help from a friend who has lived there for over ten years. We visited Japan House in São Paulo and spoke with the team at JNTO (Japan National Tourism Organization, an official Japanese government agency that offers free tourist information), and we also had the support of a travel agent we trust.

So grab a pen and paper, or get your browser bookmarks ready — there are lots of great suggestions ahead to help you choose where to stay in Tokyo!

This is just the beginning.,Japan has so much more to offer. Here on the blog, in addition to our 4-week itinerary from the first trip, there are itineraries for Kyoto, Hiroshima and Miyajima, a winter adventure in Sapporo, and for those who want to get off the beaten path, the charming villages of Magome and Tsumago and the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route. Let's make this trip happen!

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Getting to know Tokyo

Tokyo at a glance

Before deciding where to stay — especially in a megacity like this — I like to have a general sense of how the city is laid out and where the main attractions I want to visit are located. I'd suggest you do the same: pull up Google Maps and take a look at the overall map of Tokyo, or check out our Japan travel map, which has everything we visited already marked and organized.

It's also worth figuring out how you'll get around. In Tokyo, the answer is straightforward: subway and train. Forget about cars, taxis, or ride-hailing apps like Uber or Grab. The fastest, most affordable, and most practical way to get around is by rail — plus your own two feet for shorter distances.

When choosing where to stay, being close to a subway station was a top priority for us, ideally one where several lines meet.

Planning a trip to Japan? You're in the right place! We've been twice, and I'm sharing itineraries and all our tips right here on the blog and over on Instagram. To get started, here are things you need to know before visiting Japan.

How to get around in Tokyo

Just take a look at the Tokyo Subway map — it looks like a tangle of spaghetti, but with Google Maps, you'll find yourself riding the subway like a local in no time!

Google Maps will plan your route step by step, showing you exactly which stations, lines, and even which subway cars to take. It'll also tell you how to transfer, where to exit, the fare, travel time, and even how crowded each train is likely to be. In short, Google Maps does all the heavy lifting; all you have to do is follow along.

On top of the subway network, there are train lines operated by JR (Japan Railways) as well as a few private lines. But don't stress — everything is fully integrated into Google Maps, so you'll have no trouble getting where you need to go.

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Stay near a subway station

A popular tip is to stay near the Yamanote Line, JR's circular line (highlighted in light green on the map above). While that can be convenient, it's not a requirement — we stayed quite far from the Yamanote Line on our first trip and had no trouble getting around.

That said, if you stay close to a Tokyo Subway line, you'll be able to use unlimited travel passes on the subway. These are sold at ticket counters in major stations and are valid for 24, 48, or 72 hours (¥1,000, ¥1,500, and ¥2,000 per adult in 2026). They don't cover the Yamanote Line or any other JR or private lines. On our first trip, we bought these unlimited passes and used them exclusively, getting everywhere we needed to go on Tokyo Subway lines alone.

If you've already activated your JR Pass, it's valid on JR lines running through Tokyo, including the Yamanote Line. Note that it's not worth activating the JR Pass just for your days in Tokyo — better to save it for longer intercity travel.

Another option is to pay per trip. Tickets can be bought at station kiosks, and the price varies by distance. In practice, the easiest option is to get an IC Card. An IC Card is a prepaid card you tap at the turnstiles when entering and exiting, and the fare is automatically deducted from your balance. On our second trip to Japan, we got our IC Cards in Sapporo — there it's called Kitaca; in Tokyo it's called Suica. The name changes depending on the region, but they all work nationwide and can be used on subways, trains, and buses, and are accepted at convenience stores and many other businesses.

Where to stay in Tokyo

Important: Accommodations in Japan are usually small. Very small. Tiny, even, especially in Tokyo. And given the limited space, they can also be pricey.

That said, with some solid research and a bit of flexibility, it's absolutely possible to find reasonably priced places to stay, including several hostels around the city.

Here are the options I shortlisted when researching where to stay in the city; most of them are mid-range hotels — in other words, comfortable hotels with good value for money.

If money were no object, my pick would be the Park Hyatt, the hotel from the film Lost in Translation. But since we're just ordinary people, with bills to pay and an ever-growing travel wish list, we have to face reality and make our hard-earned money stretch across several nights of accommodation.

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Tokyo Station

The Tokyo Station area is packed with office buildings and business complexes, but it's a fantastic choice for visitors. Why? You'll be right next to the city's largest train and subway hub (possibly the largest in the world!), which makes getting around incredibly easy. And inside the station itself, there's a huge variety of shops and restaurants — everything a traveler could need, all in one place.

– Hotel Metropolitan Tokyo Marunouchi — direct access to Tokyo Station and a 5-minute walk from the Imperial Palace; the rooms also seem to run a bit larger than the Tokyo average.

– Mitsui Garden Hotel Otemachi — just a short walk from Tokyo Station, and it looks like excellent value for money.

Check prices and availability here:

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Ginza

Ginza is one of Tokyo's coolest neighborhoods, home to all the top international designer stores and some incredible restaurants. But the area also has convenience stores on every corner and small family restaurants tucked away in alleys and basements, and it's very well connected by several subway lines. This is where we chose to stay on both of our trips to Japan!

– Tokyu Stay Ginza — our choice for the 9 nights we spent in Tokyo on our first trip. The location is hard to beat: practically right in front of a subway station that, via underground passages, connects to three other stations and gives access to four subway lines in total. The rooms were a reasonable size by Japanese standards (read: tiny by Western standards), but the beds were comfortable, and everything was spotlessly clean and well-maintained. A standout feature? Each room comes with its own washing machine — a dream for anyone traveling light!

– Tokyu Stay Shimbashi – Ginza Area — our pick for our second trip to Tokyo. Very close to Shimbashi Station, served by the Yamanote Line and several subway lines, with countless restaurants and convenience stores nearby — and I really do mean countless. The rooms we got were even smaller than on our first trip, but the price was also more affordable. And a decisive factor in our choice: this branch of the chain also has that brilliant in-room washing machine.

– The b Ginza — another great option in the Ginza area, near Shimbashi Station (served by the Yamanote Line and two subway lines), with the added bonus of a quadruple room option — something that's hard to come by in Tokyo.

– Park Hotel Tokyo — with rooms that look like a fairly generous size for Tokyo and great city views, this is another solid option in the Ginza area, close to Shiodome and Shimbashi stations.

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We enjoyed our first trip to Japan so much that we were back again shortly after. This time in winter: we caught the snow in Sapporo, revisited old favorites (hello Hiroshima and Kyoto), and added some new ones like Kanazawa and Himeji. You can find it all here on the blog and over on Instagram.

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Shibuya

Shibuya is one of the liveliest neighborhoods in Tokyo, famous for its iconic crossing — reportedly the busiest intersection in the world. The area has it all: futuristic office buildings, narrow alleys lined with traditional izakayas, shops of every kind, restaurants and bars, and one of the city's largest train and subway stations.

It would have been our top choice, but at the time we felt the hotel we chose in Ginza offered much better value than the options in Shibuya. The same was true on the second trip, when Shimbashi came out ahead. That may just have been the timing, so it's always worth doing your own research.

– JR-East Hotel Mets Shibuya — about 800 meters from the famous Shibuya crossing and very close to the station of the same name, this is one of the best value-for-money options in the area.

– All Day Place Shibuya — compact rooms at a reasonable price, making it another solid option in the area.

The map below allows you to search and get an idea of prices:

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Shinjuku

Picture billboards and neon lights everywhere, a vaguely futuristic setting, crowds at all hours. Shinjuku is an incredibly busy neighborhood, with a massive station served by an impressive number of metro and train lines — and the only station where we genuinely got lost. The accommodation options here offer good value for money, especially given how well-connected the area is.

Nearby, you'll find Kabukicho, Tokyo's version of a red-light district — which, like anywhere of that type, has its upsides and downsides. We walked through it during the day and at night and felt completely at ease, just like anywhere else in the city. After all, you're in Japan, one of the safest countries in the world. Also close by is Golden Gai, a well-known area packed with dozens of tiny traditional izakayas, perfect for soaking up a slice of authentic Tokyo nightlife.

– APA Hotel Shinjuku Gyoemmae — very compact rooms, but great value and away from the Kabukicho area.

– Tokyu Stay Shinjuku — from the same chain where we stayed, it looked comparable in terms of layout and comfort (some rooms even have the life-saving in-room washing machine!), and apparently more affordable than the Ginza branch.

– Hotel Groove Shinjuku, a ParkRoyal Hotel — a great pick if you want rooms with those Instagram-worthy city views and easy access to the metro and train station.

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Akihabara

The go-to neighborhood for fans of manga, cosplay, gaming, and geek culture in general, Akihabara is well served by train and subway lines, offers great value-for-money accommodations, and has neon signs everywhere to make you feel like you're truly in the heart of Tokyo.

– The B Ochanomizu — in Akihabara but within easy walking distance of the Imperial Palace, with reasonably sized rooms (by Japanese standards, of course) at an excellent price.

– The Tourist Hotel & Cafe Akihabara — a clean, modern-style hotel with rooms for 4 and 5 people, which is genuinely hard to find in Tokyo at an affordable price.

– Best Western Hotel Fino Tokyo Akihabara — another solid value-for-money option, in line with the international chain's usual standards.

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Roppongi

The only neighborhood on this list that we didn't get to explore properly — we only passed through briefly one afternoon — but Roppongi came highly recommended to us as an area with a more contemporary vibe.

– Roppongi Hotel S — this had some of the largest rooms I came across during my research, though the price reflects that extra space. If room size is a priority, this could be an excellent choice.

– Sotetsu Fresa Inn Tokyo Roppongi — compact rooms at excellent value, conveniently located near Roppongi subway station.

– Remm Roppongi — another great value option with compact rooms, some of which come with city views and even massage chairs!

Whichever of these areas you choose, you'll be well located, with easy access to trains, subways, and the city's main attractions. And don't forget to check out our 4-week Japan itinerary!

I'd love to hear where you stayed — whether you used any of these tips, or if you found other great spots worth adding here for fellow travelers.

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Let’s Stay Connected!

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