My Neighborhood in Tokyo: Yoyogiuehara

Dog walking in Yoyogi Park

Last blog post I wrote about my apartment, so this time around I thought it would be a good idea to expand out into my neighborhood. I live in an area of Tokyo called Yoyogiuehara, which is located within Shibuya-ku in central-western Tokyo.

Before I moved to Tokyo and was searching for apartments from my parents' house in Ohio, my two main consideratons were location and price. Tokyo is a massive city with about 9.5 million people living in the city itself and over 35 million in the wider metro area. Most places are within walking distance of a metro stop--the city's public transit system is one of the largest in the world, with almost 10 million passengers riding the two metro systems every day (this doesn't even include buses or inter-city trains). But depending on where you live, it can take you well over an hour to get to the city center by train. Some of my colleagues commute one and a half hours each way to work!

Map of the 23 wards of Tokyo; the heart of the city is in Chiyoda, Chuo, Minato, Shinjuku, and Shibuya wards

I considered two or three hours of daily commuting a non-starter, so I narrowed my search to apartments where I could get to work in 45 minutes or less door to door. My office is located in Toranomon, in central Tokyo near the National Assembly and many major corporate offices. Little of the immediate vicinity is residential, and the nearest neighborhoods are some of the most expensive in Tokyo, so I knew a short commute would be difficult on my budget.

My company pays me 70,000 yen a month in housing allowance--about $650. I was willing to spend more than that, but considering I am on an intern salary, my upper limit wasn't much higher; I considered 100k as my maximum, and ideally wanted something closer to the allowance. So I felt lucky when I found my apartment, which is just over half and hour to the office and costs 73,000 a month. It's on the small side--well, normal size for a single in Tokyo--but I'm happy to trade space for convenience.

The Shibuya scramble / crossing

Tokyo is divided into 23 wards, and my place is in Shibuya. The famous scramble crossing is next to the eponymous station in central Shibuya, along with hundreds of restaurants, bars, and shops. Along with Shinjuku and Roppongi, Shibuya is one of the main nightlife spots in Tokyo. Shibuya has a reputation for attracting a younger crowd, although there are still plenty of options for someone like me who might feel out of place surrounded by college kids.

Shibuya ward covers a large area, so I'm not right in the center of the action. On foot it takes me about 30 minutes from my apartment to the crossing, which is a nice distance; I'm close enough to walk home if I go out in central Shibuya (the metro stops running here around midnight), but I'm not in a super crowded, noisy neighborhood. I can also make it to Shinjuku with my own two legs in 45 minutes, which I've done a few times when the weather is nice. Yoyogi Park, next to Harajuku, is also within walking distance.

My local supermarket near Yoyogiuehara Station

My apartment is a 7 minute walk from Yoyogiuehara Station, located between the station and the University of Tokyo's Komaba campus (the neighborhood just to the south is called Komaba). The road along the campus has a few shops, restaurants, and convenient stores, and there are a lot of businesses in and around the station, but overall the neighborhood is quiet. Foot traffic is high during the day, and particularly around morning and evening rush hour, but the restaurants and handful of bars die down before the last trains at midnight.

Yoyogiuehara is known as a wealthy neighborhood, although there is an interesting mix of residents. It's true that many apartment complexes are expensive, with Mercedes and BMWs parked outside. There are even some stand-alone houses with yards (albeit small) tucked away in the side streets around my building, a rarity in central Tokyo. But there are also more affordable apartments mixed in; I think it's partially for college kids at the nearby campus. Also, income inequality in Japan is far lower than in the US--and wealth less conspicuous--so for the most part, there aren't obvious dividing lines between the haves and have nots.

Japanese aren't usually flashy with money, but some of the houses stand out;
left, a fully detached house with 2-car garage near the sports complex, and
right, what looks like a fortification, just across the street from my place

A dealership near the station which has all of two
cars on display: a Tesla and a Ferrari

Overall, I like the neighborhood; it's convenient, but without the stress of large crowds or constant noise. I can walk to the Shibuya ward sports complex, which is north of Yoyogiuehara station and costs only 400 yen per visit, in around 15 minutes (private gyms are pricey, often charging $80 or more a month). Shimo-Kitazawa, a trendy neighborhood with lots of cafes, restaurants, and some bars, is only a 15 minute walk as well.

Street view near my apartment; my area has many small restaurants
and boutique shops, most too pricey for my internship salary

Shimo-kitazawa is a more affordable option nearby

I consider my neck of the woods the outer extent of central Tokyo. Once you continue heading west past Shimo-Kitazawa, you get to what I'd call the inner suburbs: still in Tokyo city proper, but less hustle and bustle. A lot of people commute from further out; if you keep going west, it's another 10 kilometres until you cross the Tama River and leave the city proper. And from the Tama River, the urban area continues for over 25 more kilometers. Like I said, Tokyo is huge. And the "suburbs" are still dense, with most people living in apartments or row houses--nothing like the US!

Tenjin Street near Chofu Station, outside of Tokyo city proper. Tokyo's suburbs
are still denser than most American cities, particularly the area around train stations.

Overall, I'm glad to be close to the action, but also able to avoid the crazy crowds of downtown Shibuya or Shinjuku. Right now, working from home means I have no commute, but once we go back into the office I'll feel lucky every time I hear about my co-workers' hour-plus train rides to work!