Tokyo Neighborhood Guide

The Best Tokyo Neighborhood Guide

Tokyo is one of the most populated cities in the world with a population of over 14 million residents. Planning a trip to such a huge city is quite challenging. How much time do you need? Which areas should you visit? Is there anything you can skip? Well, I have good and bad news for you. No matter how much time you spend in Tokyo, you will never be able to see and do everything there is to do. But this also means the possibilities are endless and you will always find plenty of things to do. In this blog, I will guide you through the different areas in Tokyo and hope that it will help you planning your ideal itinerary. Sounds interesting? Then keep reading the best Tokyo neighborhood guide!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TOKYO METROPOLIS

The city of Tokyo or Tokyo Metropolis (official name) is one of the most populated cities in the world. This city comprises 30 neighborhoods in the western part and 23 special wards. 

The 23 special wards, can be considered Tokyo’s city center (pink zone on the map), and the 30 western neighborhoods are the outskirts of the city (yellow area on the map). 

Most probably, you will focus your visit on the 23 special wards or “central Tokyo”. This doesn’t mean that there is nothing to do and see in Western Tokyo. However, it is in central Tokyo, where you will find Tokyo’s most famous landmarks. 

In fact, you will most probably not visit all of the 23 Special Wards. Many famous districts or areas of Tokyo like Ueno or Asakusa are part of the same Special Ward or neighborhood, Taito. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I will explain more of this later. 

Tokyo's 23 Special Wards

In this blog, I will mainly focus on the most famous and visited special wards in Tokyo. However, if you’re curious and like to have some general information about the places you visit, here is the list of the 23 Special Wards in Tokyo.

  • Chiyoda
  • Chuo
  • Minato
  • Shinjuku
  • Bunkyo
  • Taito
  • Sumida
  • Koto
  • Shinagawa
  • Meguro
  • Ota
  • Setagaya
  • Shibuya
  • Nakano
  • Suginami
  • Toshima
  • Kita
  • Arakawa
  • Itabashi
  • Nerima
  • Adachi
  • Katsushika
  • Edogawa

HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU NEED IN TOKYO?

No matter how much time you spend here, you will never be able to see and do everything there is to do in Tokyo. I spent 7 days in Tokyo but 3 of them, I used for day trips to nearby areas. 

In my opinion, if this is your first time in Tokyo, I would spend a minimum of 3 days here. This will allow you to visit some of the most famous and iconic places in this huge city. Just be aware, that you will have to make some skip some areas of the city. But, looking on the bright side of things, this gives you a fantastic reason to return to Japan!

MOST FAMOUS NEIGHBORHOODS IN TOKYO

Ok, so there are 23 wards in central Tokyo, but which ones are the most famous? The neighborhoods you will most probably want to visit, especially if this is your first visit to Tokyo are: Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Minato, Chuo, Taito, Sumida, and Koto. Some of these, have several famous districts that I am sure you have heard before. For example, the famous Asakusa district is part of Taito Ward and Akihabara district is located in Chiyoda neighborhood.

To make it easier and help you locate them, I have created this map.

Tokyo Neighborhood Guide

Let’s jump right into the different neighborhoods, shall we?

CHIYODA

Located right in the heart of Tokyo, Chiyoda City is composed of several districts with Akihabara probably being the most famous one. 

The most famous places that you can include in your Chiyoda itinerary are:

  • Tokyo Station
  • The Imperial Palace with the beautiful East Imperial Gardens. It will feel like an oasis in the middle of a fast-paced city.
  • Akihabara and Kanda area
  • Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art.
You can find more information about Chiyoda in the specific blog I have written about it. You can find it here.
Tokyo Neighborhood Guide: Chiyoda

Akihabara

Akihabara, also known as Electric Town, is a paradise for those who love otaku culture. If you are into anime, collector’s figurines, videogames, electronics, themed cafes, etc. this is a must-visit during your stay in Tokyo.

In this area, you will find plenty of buildings full of arcades, claw machines where you can win the cutest plushies, lots of anime-related shops, plenty of manga comic book shops, and much more. 

Tokyo Neighborhood Guide: Akihabara

CHUO

Chuo is another ward located in the heart of Tokyo and east of Chiyoda. The most famous districts in Chuo are Ginza, Nihonbashi, and Tsukiji. 

The most famous sites in this neighborhood are:

  • Ginza, the most exclusive and expensive area in Tokyo. 
  • Nihonbashi Bridge.
  • Tsukiji Market. The fish market and its famous tuna auctions no longer take place in Tsukiji. However, the outer part of the market still has many food stalls where you can get delicious food. 

SHIBUYA

Shibuya is, together with Shinjuku, one of the most famous neighborhoods in Tokyo. Like the previous neighborhoods, it comprises several districts, including Shibuya and Harajuku.

When visiting Shibuya, make sure to check out:

  • Shibuya crossing which is said to be one of the busiest crossings in the world.
  • Shibuya Sky, one of Tokyo’s most famous observation decks from which you can get amazing 360-degree views of Tokyo.
  • Meiji Shrine and Yoyogi Park.
  • The famous Takeshita Street.
  • Omotesando Street
Tokyo Neighborhood Guide: Shibuya

Harajuku

Harajuku is, without a doubt, the place to go shopping in Tokyo. It has something to offer no matter your style. From the most extreme teenage fashion styles in Takeshita Dori to more luxury brands in Omotesando Street. 

The heart of Harajuku is Takeshita Street, a narrow street full of trendy idol shops, fashion boutiques, and food stalls with the most Instagrammable snacks. 

You can find more specific information about the things to do in Shibuya and Harajuku in the blog The Best things to do in Shibuya.

SHINJUKU

Shinjuku is another of Tokyo’s super famous wards. Located north of Shibuya, it is also where you will find the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office.

Among the many sites to visit in Shinjuku you can find:

  • Shinjuku Train Station, one of the world’s busiest train stations.
  • Kabukicho District, Tokyo’s largest red light district.
  • Omoide Yokocho, a narrow lane full of izakaya bars.
  • Godzilla Road.
  • The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observation Deck.
  • Shinjuku Gyoen Park.

You can find more specific information about the things to do in Shinjuku in the blog The Best Things To Do In Shinjuku.

MINATO

Minato is another very popular zone in Tokyo. Located in central and southern Tokyo, the most known districts are Roppongi, Odaiba Island (just a small part, most of the island is in Koto Ward), and Shinbashi.

The main sites that you can’t miss in Minato are:

  • The iconic Tokyo Tower.
  • Tokyo Bay and the Rainbow Bridge
  • Roppongi Hills and Tokyo City View Deck
  • The recently built Azabudai Hills, where you can find the new TeamLab Borderless museum.
Tokyo Neighborhood Guide: Minato

TAITO

Taito Ward is located north of Chiyoda and Chuo and its most famous districts are Ueno and Asakusa. I’m sure you have probably heard of them too.

Ueno

Ueno is home to the biggest park in Tokyo, Ueno Park. Here, you will find Ueno Zoo and many beautiful temples and shrines, like Toshogu Shrine. I definitely recommend making some time to explore Ueno Park.

In addition, in this area, you will also find many museums such as Japan’s National Museum, Science National Museum or Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum. 

Asakusa

Asakusa, also known as Tokyo’s most traditional district is a very lively area of Tokyo. However, in my opinion, it shows a perfect contrast of modernity and tradition. 

Its most famous landmark is Sensoji Temple. Sensoji is one of the oldest and probably the most famous Buddhist temples in Tokyo. It has a very famous entry gate with a really big lantern and a 5-story pagoda that you have probably seen in many photos.

However, Sensoji is not the only site to visit in Asakusa. If you want to know more about Asakusa, I have written a specific blog about it. You can check it out here.

Tokyo Neighborhood Guide: Asakusa

SUMIDA

Sumida Ward, located east of Taito, is mostly known for being home to Tokyo Skytree. This tower is the highest communications tower in the world at 634 meters high. 

If you are looking for more things to do in Sumida, during springtime, Sumida Park is the perfect place to enjoy the bloom of the cherry blossoms while walking along the Sumida River. During the Obon festival in the summer, you can also get really good views of the fireworks from here.

Tokyo Neighborhood Guide: Sumida

KOTO

Koto Ward’s most famous district is Odaiba Island. Although the island is partially shared with Minato, the biggest part of it belongs to Koto. The Statue of Liberty and the Fuji TV Building located on this island, are part of Minato.

When visiting Koto or in particular Odaiba, make sure to visit:

  • The Toyosu Fish Market which replaced the famous Tsukiji.
  • The Gundam Unicorn Statue, located outside DiverCity Shopping Mall.
  • The TeamLab Planets interactive museum.
Looking for more things to do in Odaiba? Then check out the specific article I wrote with the 10 best things to do in Odaiba, Tokyo.
Tokyo Neighborhood Guide: Koto

And that’s it for my blog about the Best Tokyo Neighborhood Guide. I hope you liked it and found it useful. Let me know what you think in the comments! 

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Tokyo Neighborhood Guide
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