Where to Stay in Tokyo: A Neighbourhood Guide

Short answer: for a first visit, stay in Shinjuku, within a few minutes' walk of the station. It has the most hotels at every level, direct trains to both airports and to Hakone and Fuji, and more places to eat than you'll manage. Choose Shibuya for a younger feel, Tokyo Station or Ginza for Shinkansen trips, and Asakusa or Ueno to spend less.

The rule that matters most: be close to a station, ideally on the Yamanote line or a main subway line. A ten-minute walk to the station at the end of every day adds up.

Shinjuku

The biggest hub in the city. West Shinjuku has the tall hotels and office towers, calm at night. East Shinjuku has the shopping, restaurants and nightlife, and Kabukicho on its northern edge is loud until very late. Pick a hotel south or west of the station if you want quiet.

Shibuya

Slightly smaller and more stylish, with new hotels in the towers built around the station in the last few years. Easy walks to Harajuku and Omotesando. The streets around the crossing are busy day and night.

Tokyo Station and Ginza

Polished, central and handy for the Shinkansen and the Narita Express. Ginza has department stores, galleries and excellent restaurants, and the Tsukiji Outer Market is a short walk away. Evenings are quieter than in Shinjuku, and hotels are pricier.

Asakusa and Ueno

The old east side. Asakusa has Senso-ji on its doorstep, a small-town atmosphere and good-value hotels and ryokan. Ueno has the museums and a direct Skyliner to Narita. The trade-off is a 25 to 35 minute ride to Shibuya and Shinjuku.

Room types

Tokyo rooms are small. A standard double in a business hotel may be barely wider than the bed, so check the room size in square metres before you book. Business hotel chains are clean and efficient. Capsule hotels are fun for a night, less so for a week. A ryokan with tatami floors and a bath is a different experience, and Asakusa has several.

Before you book

Tokyo charges a small accommodation tax per person per night on rooms above a set rate. From April 2027 it becomes a percentage of the room rate, and it will also apply to holiday rentals. Rental apartments must show a registration number, so only book listings that display one. For the best dates, see our best time to visit guide.