In which quarter house in Tokyo?

Where to find accommodation in Tokyo during your stay? District by neighborhood, here are the best places to sleep in the Japanese capital!

Finding a district where to stay in Tokyo, the tentacular capital of Japan, will not be the easiest because all areas of the capital of Japan can each represent a particular interest.

The Japanese capital has 13.6 million inhabitants and its urban area has more than 42 million inhabitants, making it the largest urban area in the world. Its area – 2188 km2 – is equivalent to the French department of Yvelines (2,284 km2), and has 23 districts. In 2016, 24 million tourists visited Japan, a record figure for the country. Find accommodation in Tokyo for a foreign tourist – one gaijin in Japanese – will be expensive, the city among the most expensive in the world. Here is a brief description of the areas where to sleep in Tokyo.

Asakusa, the "popular" and traditional Tokyo

Low houses, traditional "zen" gardens, flower cherries, giant pandas and temples characterize the Asakusa district. Located northeast of the city, Asakusa and its neighboring areas – Ryogoku , Yanaka, Ueno – are often taken by tourists because there is a unique mix of modern districts adjacent to traditional culture areas. Very well served by public transport, these areas are easily accessible, effervescent in the day, but quiet and relaxing in the evening, when temples and shops close their doors. Visit the famous Buddhist temple Senso-ji, climb to the top of the Tokyo SkyTree and assist sumo fighting , in the nearby district of Ryogoku.

On the Ueno and Yanaka side, you can stroll through the quiet streets of a peaceful area, interspersed with visits to temples or poetic breaks in the great floral park of Ueno. If you are looking for a cheap, traditional, authentic and rather quiet area, book accommodation in Asakusa, Yanaka or Ueno.

Akihabara, the geek paradise

This neighborhood is an open-air fork, night and day. A surviving atmosphere that never sleeps, paradise of mangas, video game and industries at the tip of the electronics making the blossom of the Japanese economy, which will seduce the geeks and connected tourists. You will find yourself in a parallel world, for example in the hotels-capsule, ideal for tourists with a modest budget. Restaurants, cafés, pastry shops cut the light and electronic avenues. The price to stay in Tokyo will be much lower than in other parts of the city.

Marunouchi and Ginza, the luxurious Tokyo

It is the economic and geographic heart of the capital. These two quarters house the business district, modern buildings, the Imperial Palace and many luxury boutiques. If you have no limit on the bank card to make a refined shopping trip, this place – one of the most expensive on the planet – should please you. The central station, not far away, can be an argument to stay in this neighborhood, however, the housing prices will be high, especially on the Ginza side: the chic district of Tokyo. The apartments, sometimes in height, offer stunning views of the city. Who says better view, says also very salty bill: prestige, in Tokyo, pays very expensive!

Shinjuku, Harajuku and Shibuya, tourist and dynamic districts

Shinjuku is now world-famous for being the film scene Lost in Translation in 2001, including Hotel Park Hyatt , where one night costs 500 €. More than 300,000 people live in this area where many international hotels open their doors to you: no longer look to sleep in Tokyo if you want a lively and festive neighborhood, you are there. And for housing, we find a wide price range.

Côté Shibuya and Harajuku , this is the den of fans of cosplay , who play the role of manga characters and movies while shaking their costumes. In Shibuya, you will surely recognize Takeshita Dori Street and the famous crossroads of postcards where thousands of workers, badauds and tourists wandering between illuminated shopping centres. The ultra-tourist district requires that the prices of the accommodation are rather salty.

Daikanyama, Ebisu and Nakameguro, peace and quiet

Ebisu, Daikanyama and Nakameguro are a haven of peace and quiet compared to its neighbour Shibuya. You will enjoy the terraces of the cafés, the trendy little bars and the chic boutiques. In this neighborhood, one would believe in the West rather than East Asia. Many hotels-capsule have seen the day to allow the unsold tourists to stay in Tokyo. Only if you are looking for a calm and relaxing atmosphere, you will live at the pace of trendy Tokyoites, but in return, you will need to mobilize a relatively large budget to stay there.

Roppongi the Western

Located in the south of Akasaka and not far from Shiba Park, Roppongi is known to house the Westerners who travel to Japan while retaining their way of life in American or European. Nightlife is lively, and the neighbourhood has many cultural centres and multiple bars and nightclubs. The apartments where to stay in this district of Tokyo can be very comfortable and very elegant, but without the luxury of Ginza: provide a relatively high budget for international hotels, shopping centres and shops. Go on the road to visit museums, discover Japanese cinema and enjoy a glass on the terrace. If acculturation is too important to you, it is a good compromise, an island of the West in an ocean of Japanese culture.