The Best Suburbs to Live in Tokyo 

Tokyo in Japan. Photo by Yu Kato on Unsplash

The Best Suburbs to Live in Tokyo 

Tokyo is a massive city composed of 23 wards, 26 cities, 5 towns, and 8 villages. Many of these can be broken down into smaller neighborhoods that each have their local flavor and culture.   

With the huge number of unique and eclectic neighborhoods, here are the best suburbs to live in Tokyo.

1. Meguro 

This area provides a perfect balance between “residential”, “commercial”, and “cultural” infrastructure. This makes it surprisingly comfortable and doesn’t feel like you are in the middle of the largest city in the world. 

The area has many art-related facilities such as museums, galleries, and cinemas. You will also encounter a lot of nature in the various parks and at the Meguro River. 

Being close to popular shopping and restaurant areas such as Daikanyama and Ebisu also makes this area popular. 

2. Shinagawa 

A quiet neighbourhood. Photo by Vista Wei on Unsplash

Shinagawa Station is an incredibly busy train station, connected to seven different train lines. Although the station area is busy and crowded, the surrounding area is not.

This makes Shinagawa a great place for those with children and anyone who wants to live in a quieter neighborhood. 

There are plenty of useful public facilities such as a gym, a library, many parks, and a great ocean view. The houses are large, the rent is reasonable, and the schools in the area have a decent reputation.

Lastly, it’s one of the safest neighborhoods in this ranking, so it’s ideal for both women and families. There’s a lot to do in the area too if you prefer a less busy area that is still incredibly convenient.

3. Yokohama 

This is a popular area to live in for so many reasons. First, the city’s composition is more spacious in comparison to other crowded areas in Tokyo. This makes it ideal for people who don’t like crowded areas. 

Here, you will find many commercial and leisure facilities for a wide range of ages. Mark is Minatomirai, Queen’s Square Yokohama, Chinatown, Yokohama Cosmo World, and Yokohama Museum of Art are among the sites of interest.

The location is also a strong point. It is right in the middle, between Tokyo and the popular beach areas of Kanagawa. Yokohama is close to the ocean making it a popular area for a wide range of people.

4. Ebisu 

An aerial view of Tokyo. Photo by Tom Rickhuss on Unsplash

Ebisu is just one station south of Shibuya Station and is one of Tokyo’s most stylish and expensive areas to live in. The area is famous because of Yebisu Garden Place, a trendy complex for high-end shopping and dining.

The area is known among locals for its ultra-cool vibe as many contemporary izakaya and wine bars as well as burger joints and Michelin-starred French restaurants cluster around the area.

There is Ebisu Yokocho, a place with plenty of Japanese izakaya providing various choices of Japanese food from yakitori to oden, kushiage, teppanyaki, sushi, etc. Here you get to enjoy Japanese cuisine and drinking culture to your heart’s content. 

This area is always popular with local Japanese therefore rent is a bit expensive. 

5. Kichijoji  

This is a neighborhood on the Western side of Musashino City and is often ranked among the most livable place in Tokyo.

This is because it not only hosts an array of the best izakaya, restaurants, lovely cafes, theaters, a zoo, and shops, but it is also home to a very big park named Inokashira park.

The park is filled with both cherry trees and maple trees. What’s more, the Western side of the park is home to the Ghibli Museum. 

The museum is exquisitely designed and can fill your imagination with whimsical and magical characters from Hayao Miyazaki’s anime. There won’t be a day when you will feel bored living in this area as there is always something new for you to do every day. 

6. Futako Tamagawa 

This is an upscale neighborhood in southern Tokyo. It is separated from Kawasaki City in Kanagawa Prefecture by the Tama River and is home to Rakuten’s global headquarters.

The sleek and sprawling Futako-Tamagawa Rise complex, comprises high-rise apartment towers, popular retail outlets, cafés, restaurants, a cinema, and temporary event spaces to enjoy activities such as ice skating during winter.

There are also gleaming shopping malls, a sizeable park. The rocks, trees and a pond in this garden represent the scenery of Futako Tamagawa.

7. Kitasenju 

A cool neighbourhood. Photo by DLKR on Unsplash.

This northeastern area of Tokyo is an extremely affordable alternative to other Tokyo neighborhoods.

It is extremely well-connected to the rest of the city through five train and metro lines. It has a lot of nice shopping areas

Though previously Kitasenju had a reputation for being a “rough neighborhood” by Japanese standards, it’s reported to have gotten much better lately.

8. Shinjuku 

This neighborhood is home to the world’s busiest train station. The station has got nine train lines connecting it and an additional three lines running through the nearby Shinjuku Sanchome Station.

This makes Shinjuku the most convenient location to live because you can go anywhere in Tokyo or Japan very easily from here.

Of course, being such a hub the neighborhood is also home to plenty of shops and restaurants, making this an ideal place for young residents. 

9. Omiya

Photo by Gianni Scognamiglio on Unsplash

Omiya is a city in Saitama prefecture that has been rising in popularity in recent years. It used to be known mainly for being one of the stops for the Shinkansen (bullet train).

But now, large department shops such as Ecute, Takashimaya, Sogo, and Marui have been opening near the train station, making Omiya a convenient area to live in. 

There are many residential areas if you look just a little farther from the station.  Although it is a city out of Tokyo, you can access central Tokyo in about 30 minutes by train. 

10. Sangen-Jaya 

Sangen-Jaya is a popular area to live in mostly for its great location. Living here is kind of a status in itself because it is known for being a high-class area.

Sangen-Jaya is located on the edge of Setagaya ward and at the same time, it is just 2 train stations away from Shibuya.

Because of this, Sangen-Jaya has a peculiar mix of “classy” and “trendy” feel. It is an area with many “hidden gem” cafes and restaurants. 

It is also convenient for having many nice restaurants, shops, and supermarkets. And you can also find nice parks to refresh your mind and soul.