Choosing the best place to stay in Tokyo is not particularly easy. In fact, it's arguably one of the most difficult cities in which to find accommodation, and not for lack of choice - quite the contrary. Being in front of a huge city, where tourist attractions are scattered all over the city and where you will never, no matter how much you want to, be in the centre, makes choosing a good place to sleep in Tokyo a bit tricky.
That's why, based on our two visits to the city, the second of which lasted 10 days and included a two-month stay living in a flat in Gion in Kyoto, during which we published this guide to Tokyo, here's a selection of places to stay in Tokyo and the best neighbourhoods and hotels. Let's get started!
Neighbourhoods where to stay in Tokyo
The first thing to understand a bit of the city is to know how it is distributed or organised. Tokyo has 23 special regions, which in turn are divided into districts, and 30 common municipalities.
These are the 23 special regions and their respective wards:
Adachi (足立区): in the northern part, includes the wards of Kitasenju and Takenotsuka.
Arakawa (荒区): includes the Arakawa, Nippori and Minamisenju districts.
Bunkyo (文京区 Bunkyō): this residential area includes the Hongo, Yayoi and Hakusan districts.
Chiyoda (千代田区): this includes the districts of Nagatacho, Kasumigaseki, Otemachi, Marunouchi, Akihabara, Yurakucho, and Iidabashi and is home to the Imperial Palace, which occupies 12% of the area, Tokyo Station, the Nippon Budokan and Yasukuni Shrine.
Chūō (中央区): here are the districts of Ginza, famous for being one of the city's commercial areas, Nihonbashi, Kachidoki and Tsukiji, where the famous fish market was once located. This is one of the regions and districts we will focus on in this post as it is one of the best places to stay in Tokyo.
Edogawa (江戸区): includes the districts of Kasai and Chuo.
Itabashi (板橋区): includes the Itabashi and Takashimadaira wards.
Katsushika (葛飾区): in the northeastern part of the city, includes the Tateishi, Aoto and Koiwa wards.
Kita (北区): crossed by the Arakawa and Sumida rivers, includes the Akabane, Oji and Tabata districts.
Koto (江東区 Kōtō): in the eastern part of the city and bordered by the Arakawa and Sumidagawa rivers, this special region includes the districts of Kiba, Ariake, Kameido and Toyocho.
Meguro (目黒区): known for some of the embassies located here, we can find the districts of Meguro, Nakameguro and Jiyugaoka.
Minato (港区): south of the Imperial Palace, this special region is one of the most touristic and includes the districts of Odaiba, Shinbashi, Shinagawa, Roppongi, Toranomon, Aoyama, Azabu, Hamamatsucho and Tamachi.
Nakano (中野区): includes the Nakano district.
Nerima (練馬区): includes the districts of Nerima, Oizumi and Hikarigaoka.
Ota (大田区 Ōta): this is home to Tokyo International Airport or Haneda Airport and Toho University, and includes the Omori, Kamata and Haneda wards.
Setagaya (世田谷区): this is where the Setagaya, Sangenjaya, Shimokitazawa and Tamagawa wards are located.
Shibuya (渋谷区): in the west of the city, this special region is another of the most touristic and also one of the best options to sleep in Tokyo, as it is very well connected to the rest of the city. It includes the districts of Shibuya, Harajuku, Yoyogi, Ebisu and Hiroo.
Shinagawa (品区): includes the districts of Shinagawa, Oimachi and Gotanda.
Shinjuku (新宿区): known for being another of the city's commercial areas, with an abundance of skyscrapers and luxury hotels, it includes the districts of Shinjuku, Takadanobaba, Okubo, Kagurazaka and Ichigaya. This is also one of the best places to look for a hotel in Tokyo.
Suginami (杉並区): here you will find the Koenji, Kamiogi and Asagaya districts.
Sumida (墨田区): includes the Kinshicho district and is one of the most touristic areas of the city.
Toshima (豊島区): here we find the districts of Ikebukuro, Senkawa, Sugamo and Komagome.
Taitō (台東区 Taitō): location of Ueno Park, Sumida Park and Sensō-ji Temple, this special region includes the Ueno and Asakusa districts. It is also home to the Sumidagawa fireworks, the Asakusa carnival and the Sanja Matsuri festival, making it another popular tourist area and as such, another possible place to stay in Tokyo.
1. Shibuya, the best place to stay in Tokyo
Famous for being the site of the world's most famous crossroads, the Shibuya area is, in our experience, one of the best places to stay in Tokyo.
As well as being one of the city's shopping areas, it is a very lively place, both during the day and at night, and has a wide range of hotels and restaurants.
It is also very well connected to the rest of the city, as one of the most important stations in the city is located here.
The price of accommodation in Shibuya is usually around 120 euros per night, although you can find both cheaper and more expensive options depending on the time of year and the area you are looking for.
Find your accommodation in Shibuya here
Recommended hotels in Shibuya
Here are the most recommended options we have found for accommodation in Shibuya, taking into account the quality/price ratio:
Accommodation in Shibuya. Japan Travel Tips
2. Shinjuku, a central and well-connected area to stay in Tokyo
In the western part of the city, Shinjuku is another area where to sleep in Tokyo if you want to be in a central, well connected and above all, lively, as this district is known for being one of the most entertaining in the city, especially the nights of Kabukicho, and also a reference as a shopping area.
In addition, Shinjuku Station is located here, one of the busiest and best connected to the rest of the city, so staying here is always a good idea.
The price of accommodation in Shinjuku is usually around 60 euros a night, although there is accommodation to suit all budgets.
Find your accommodation in Shinjuku here
Recommended hotels in Shinjuku
Here are the most recommended options we have found for accommodation in Shinjuku:
Shinjuku, a central and well-connected area to stay in Tokyo.
3. Ginza, the shopping area and one of the most expensive in Tokyo
Located in the south-east of the city, Ginza is another shopping area and is also one of the most recommended places to stay in Tokyo, although we warn you, it is not particularly cheap.
It's an area full of shopping malls, luxury shops and skyscrapers, and is well connected to the rest of the city, making it a great place to stay in Tokyo.
The price of accommodation in Ginza is usually around 150 euros per night.
Search here for your accommodation in Ginza
Recommended hotels in Ginza
Here are the best value for money hotels that we have found for your stay in Ginza:
Ginza, the shopping area and one of the most expensive in Tokyo.
4. Nihonbashi, the centre of the city and another of the most recommendedareas to stay in Tokyo .
Known for the Nihonbashi Bridge, this area is considered the centre of the city and is one of the most well-connected places in Tokyo, making it one of the best places to stay in Tokyo, which is also within walking distance of Ginza and Akihabara.
The area is also home to the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the Bank of Japan, and the whole neighbourhood has a wide range of restaurants and traditional shops where you can buy souvenirs that are a little different from the usual souvenirs.
Accommodation in Nihonbashi usually costs around 70 euros per night.
Find here your accommodation in Nihonbashi
Recommended hotels in Nihonbashi
Here are the most recommended options, taking into account quality/price ratio, that we have found to stay in Nihonbashi:
5. Akihabara, manga and technology in Tokyo
If you like technology, electronics or manga (or all of them), Akihabara may be your ideal place to sleep in Tokyo.
Known for being a temple for geeks, this area of the city is well connected to the rest of the city by the Hibiya line, although in our experience, it would not be the best place to stay in Tokyo, as we believe it is an area to visit, but not to stay in, especially if it is your first visit to the city.
Here you can also find some of the most famous cosplay cafes in the city.
Accommodation in Akihabara usually costs around 80 euros a night.
Find your accommodation in Akihabara here
Recommended hotels in Akihabara
Here are the most recommended options we have found for accommodation in Akihabara:
Akihabara, manga and technology in Tokyo
6. Asakusa, the most traditional area of Tokyo
Known for being the site of the Sensoji Temple and where the Sanja Matsuri festival is held, one of the most important in the city, Asakusa is one of our favourite places to stay in Tokyo.
Here you will find one of the most traditional areas of the city, as well as a wide range of accommodation and restaurants.
It is also very well connected to the rest of the city by the Ginza line.
The price of accommodation in Asakusa is usually around 50 euros per night.
Search here for your accommodation in Asakusa
Recommended hotels in Asakusa
Here are the most recommended options we have found for accommodation in Asakusa, taking into account the quality/price ratio:
Asakusa, the most traditional area
7. Ueno, another of Tokyo's quieter areas
Although not our favourite area to stay in Tokyo, Ueno, known for being one of the quietest neighbourhoods in Tokyo and for its famous Ueno Park, can be a good option for a place to stay in Tokyo if you are looking for a quiet place but well connected to the rest of the city by the Ginza line.
The price of accommodation in Ueno is usually around 50 euros per night.
Search here for your accommodation in Ueno
Recommended hotels in Ueno
Here are the most recommended options we have found for accommodation in Ueno:
Our recommended accommodation in Tokyo
The first time we were in Tokyo we stayed at the Horidome Villa Hotel, located very close to the Shin Nihombashi underground stop, which belongs to JR. Although the rooms are quite small, the hotel has all the amenities you need for several days including free wifi, reception with computers and very friendly staff.
Another option for staying in Tokyo is AirBnb flats. The second time we were in Tokyo, we stayed in one of their flats in Shibuya, another of our favourite locations in the city.
After our experience, when we return to the city, we will stay in the Shibuya area, our favourite part of the city for its good connection to the rest of the city and its wide range of accommodation and restaurants. Another of our favourite areas to stay in Tokyo is Asakusa for its traditional atmosphere.
Where to stay in Tokyo, one of the most fascinating cities in the world.
Best hotels in Tokyo
In addition to all the places to stay in Tokyo that we have recommended in this post, if you want to enjoy an unforgettable stay in the city and treat yourself, these options we believe are the best to enjoy a few unique days in the city.
Tips for finding cheap accommodation in Tokyo
In addition to the recommendations of areas and the selection of hotels in each of them, we want to help you with the choice of your hotel in Tokyo by giving you a series of tips for your search.
As in other cities in Japan, accommodation in Tokyo is not overly expensive, and you can easily find hotels for around 50 euros a night, even in highly recommended areas.
It's worth taking a little time and checking out the areas we recommend for accommodation in Tokyo, especially Shibuya, Asakusa and Nihonbashi, which we think are the best places to look for a hotel in Tokyo.
If your trip is in high season, especially during the cherry blossom season, we recommend you book your hotel as far in advance as possible, as prices tend to rise dramatically and the city practically runs out of hotel rooms.
Remember that to avoid paying commissions and to always have the current exchange rate, we recommend you use the Revolut card and the N26 card, which we use, are free and will save you a lot of money.
Once you have found the ideal place to sleep in Tokyo, you can organise your routes around the city with the following guides and posts:
Japan Guide
10 must-see places to visit in Tokyo
Top 50 things to do in Tokyo
Top 5 best tours and excursions in Tokyo
Where to eat in Tokyo: Recommended Restaurants
How to use the Japan Rail Pass (JRP)
How to use Hyperdia
How to use transportation in Japan
Japanese food: Typical Japanese dishes
Price guide to Japan
Tips for travelling to Japan
The best travel insurance for Japan in 2020
