Where to stay in Tokyo for the first time?

Great to hear that you’re heading to Japan, now all you have to do is decide where to stay in Tokyo.

Tokyo, the capital of Japan, counts 39 million inhabitants.  That makes it the world’s most populous metropolis. 

The city’s size may be overwhelming at first.  

Spread out across all the city’s districts are countless ultra-modern shopping malls, historical temples, and hotels in all price ranges. 

The different districts, each with their own vibe, each offer a different experience. To make it easier for tourists and first-timers to find a good hotel,  we created this overview of where to stay in Tokyo for the first time.

Where to stay in Tokyo for first time traveller

The best place to stay in Tokyo 

We created this list based on our own experience.

When we were figuring out where to stay in Tokyo for our first 3-week trip to Japan, we looked at nightlife and restaurant options, the main tourist attractions, and the proximity to main public transportation hubs. 

Most notably the JR Yamanote Line, the circular line that takes you to most tourist attractions.

This led us to the Shinjuku district, in our personal opinion the best district to stay in Tokyo for first-timers.  But other districts have their advantages as well.

Let’s have a detailed look at each of the districts.

Where to stay in Tokyo: Central

Shinjuku (Central West)

Shinjuku is a large entertainment, business, and shopping district.  At the center is Shinjuku station, the world’s busiest railway station.  This major transportation hub, which includes a bus station as well, is very convenient to reach all tourist attractions in Tokyo and far beyond and a great place to stay in Tokyo for tourists and first-timers.

Shinjuku district is in our personal opinion the best district to stay in Tokyo for first time visitors and tourists

Shinjuku will probably be in line with the image you got of Tokyo from TV documentaries.

Skyscrapers, neon lights, and a constant flow of people in the streets at any time of the day. 

If it is not the liveliest neighborhood in Tokyo, it is certainly in the top 3. This makes it the best place to stay in Tokyo to feel the heartbeat of the city.

Great tourist attractions in Shinjuku are Shinjuku Gyoen, a large park and a perfect spot to see the cherry blossoms. 

The Metropolitan Government Building, with 2 free observation platforms. The lights of Tokyo’s skyline are impressive at night and on clear days you might be able to see Mt. Fuji during the day.  These observation platforms are worth a visit at any time of the day.

Right next to Shinjuku station is Piss Alley.

A small and completely safe network of alleyways with dozens of eateries side-by-side.  Walking through the alleys you get the feeling you’re playing in a Japanese mob movie. 

Lastly, a few more blocks on the opposite side of the tracks is Kabukicho. Japan’s largest and craziest nightlife and red-light district.

Staying in Shinjuku is a great choice for side trips as well as you’ve many direct connections from Shinjuku station.

Pros and cons

Conclusion

Luxury Hotel

Park Hyatt Tokyo

The Park Hyatt was featured in the famous movie ‘Lost in Translation’. 

If you fancy yourself sipping cocktails in the elegant rooftop bar you might as well treat yourself to a luxury stay in their posh rooms. 

The hotel is located almost right next to the Tokyo Government building. 

You might skip a visit to their observation platforms after you’ve enjoyed that cocktail at the bar. 

The rooftop bar of the hotel is located higher than the observation platforms in the government building…

Premium Comfortable Hotel

Hilton Tokyo

The Tokyo Hilton is situated about a 15-minutes walk to Shinjuku train station but you can also make use of the free shuttle service offered by the hotel. 

The shuttle runs every 20 minutes. The airport limousine bus has a stop at this hotel.  

There’re multiple restaurants and supermarkets in this area. Last but not least, after a busy day exploring this vibrant city you can relax in the indoor pool or sauna. 

Comfortable Hotel

Hotel Gracery Shinjuku

Hotel Gracery Shinjuku is right in the heart of the bustling Kabukicho district with plenty of restaurants and bars. 

The rooms are rather small, as most hotel rooms in Tokyo are, but they’re very well-equipped. 

The hotel offers an excellent breakfast. 

Shinjuku station is only about a 5-minutes walk but still, the hotel offers a paying shuttle as an alternative.

Tokyo Station (Central Tokyo)

Shinjuku might be overwhelming with its busy streets and neon lights.  Tokyo Station is a very good alternative when staying in Tokyo for the first time. 

North of the station you will find a  Manhattan-like area called Marunouchi that is composed of wide boulevards lined with modern skyscrapers and fancy shopping malls. 

To the south of the station is an area packed with restaurants, bars, and smaller shops.

Tokyo Station is a very good alternative to Shinjuku when staying in Tokyo for the first time.

The Imperial Palace, with its surrounding parks, is located north of the Tokyo Station.  Ginza, the premium shopping district of Japan, is just one stop with the subway. 

All other tourist attractions in Tokyo can be conveniently reached from the Tokyo station which is also where the Shinkansen stops.

Pros and cons

Conclusion

Luxury Hotel

Shangri-La Hotel Tokyo

The Shangri-La hotel offers spacious rooms, certainly according to local standards, with breathtaking views of the city. 

The staff is very kind and is often praised to go the extra mile to accommodate their visitor’s needs. 

Other guests praise the beautiful artistic decor of the public areas.

The hotel offers a meet-and-greet service from Tokyo station and the airport limousine bus stops right in front of the hotel.

Premium Comfortable Hotel

Ryumeikan Tokyo hotel

The Ryumeikan Tokyo hotel is located 10 minutes from the  Tokyo train station.  This hotel seems to be very reasonably priced all-year-round.

The rooms are small but very functional.  Laundry services and all extra services are also offered at very reasonable prices.

One slight drawback might be that there are just 2 international TV channels. 

If you landed at Narita airport you can take the Keisei bus which will take you to the hotel in 1 hour.

Comfortable Hotel

Courtyard by Marriott Tokyo Station

Although rooms are smallish, as you can come to expect from hotels in Central Tokyo, this hotel is good value for money. 

The Courtyard Marriott Tokyo station is a good choice for a good night’s sleep with a comfortable bed, quiet rooms, and blackout blinds. 

The breakfast in the ground floor restaurant is fantastic.

Ginza (Central Tokyo)

Ginza is located South of Tokyo station.  It is the upscale shopping and entertainment district of Tokyo.

Shops are open 7 days a week and for the best experience, you should plan your visit on a Sunday afternoon when the main boulevard, Chuo Dori, is closed to traffic from noon till 5 PM. ( 6 PM April through September)

The Tsukiji Fish Market is at the East-Southern border of Ginza and the Imperial Palace is within walking distance as well.

Ginza is the upscale shopping and entertainment district of Tokyo.

Coming from Narita airport your best and cheapest option would be to take the TYO-NRT bus that directly connects the airport with the Ginza Metro station.

Pros and cons

Conclusion

Luxury Hotel

Imperial Hotel

The Imperial Hotel is a truly grand international hotel. 

You’re welcomed by an impressive flower arrangement in the lobby. 

The rooms are luxurious and some of them have views of the Imperial Palace.

You can relax in the pool and the sauna of the hotel. 

Premium Comfortable Hotel

Millennium Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza

The Millennium Mitsui Garden hotel lies in the heart of the Ginza district, close to shops, restaurants, and the Ginza metro station.

Comfortable Hotel

Mercure Tokyo Ginza

Mercure Tokyo Ginza is a typical city hotel with smallish rooms (like most hotels in Tokyo) but adequate nonetheless.  It sits right in the middle of the Ginza district.

All rooms come with a Handy smartphone.  (read more on this phone in our 15 tips article) The hotel is close to the Ginza metro station.

Shibuya (Central West)

Shibuya is another popular entertainment and shopping district.  It attracts a younger crowd.  Relatively close to Shibuya is Yoyogi Park. 

The Omotesando avenue leads directly from Shibuya to the Meiji shrine inside Yoyogi park.

Shibuya got its popularity from the Shibuya crossing which is rumored to be the busiest intersection in the world. 

The intersection is an iconic image of Tokyo and is also representative of the hustle and bustle in the capital.

Thousands of people walk like ants in a chaotic but at the same time orderly stream while screaming billboards try to get their attention.

This intersection is also where you will find Tokyo’s most famous dog, Hachiko. 

The dog came to the station every day to meet his master and continued to do so for 9 years after his master had died, until his own death.

A bit of a sad story that was filmed in Hachiko, a dog’s tale.

The Shibuya intersection is representative of the vibrant atmoshphere of Japan’s capital.

The Shibuya station is next to this intersection and is serviced by 11 train and metro lines, one of which is the important JR Yamanote loop line.

Pros and cons

Conclusion

Luxury Hotel

Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel

The Cerulean Tower Tokyu hotel is close to Shibuya station. 

It has modern, functional, and spacious rooms (according to local standards).  The bathrooms are very well equipped. Get up to the sky bar to have great drinks with a stunning view of the city.

All rooms come with a Handy smartphone (read more on this phone in our 15 tips article.)

Premium Comfortable Hotel

Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu

The Shibuya Excel hotel is a luxury hotel in an excellent location. 

You can see the Shibuya crossing from the elevator foyers. 

The rooms are spacious and comfy. 

The Mark City complex, with many restaurants and shops, is connected to the hotel. The hotel has a coin laundry and the airport bus has a stop at this hotel (Shibuya Mark City stop).

Comfortable Hotel

Shibuya Tokyu REI hotel

Shibuya Tokyu REI is a budget hotel in the heart of Shibuya. The rooms are well-soundproofed. The staff is very friendly and accommodating and speaks English. WiFi is available but the signal can be weak in some rooms.  The bathrooms are well-equipped and have all the amenities you might need.

Best area to stay in Tokyo: outside Central

Asakusa

Asakusa is located northeast of central Tokyo.  For centuries up until world war 2, it used to be the prime entertainment district of Tokyo.

The Asakusa district is a good district to stay in Tokyo if you plan on visiting the Sensoji temple together with the nearby Kaminari gate, Nakamise street and Asakusa Shrine

It was severely bombed and completely rebuilt afterward but it has never regained the same popularity it used to have. 

The Sensoji temple is very famous among tourists, the nearby entertainment district is again gaining in popularity after the completion of the Tokyo Skytree in 2012.

Pros and cons

Conclusion

Premium Comfortable Hotel

The Gate Hotel Kaminarimon

The Gate Kaminarimon is a modern hotel with a rooftop bar. 

The rooftop bar offers vistas on the nearby Skytree as do some of the rooms. 

The rooms are slightly more spacious than what you come to expect for standard Tokyo hotel rooms, as are the bathrooms.   

The hotel has English-speaking staff.

Richmond Hotel Premier Tokyo Oshiage

The Richmond Premier Oshiage is right on top of Tokyo Skytree Oshiage Station (take exit B3) and some rooms offer perfect views of Tokyo’s Skytree.

The hotel restaurant offers really good food and for even more choice you can head to the adjacent mall with shops and restaurants that are open till 1 am.

The rooms are spacious for local standards.

In the room, you will also find the Handy smartphone (read more about this great phone in our 15 tips article).

Comfortable Hotel

Asakusa View Hotel

The Asakusa View hotel offers an awesome view of the Sensoji temple and the Skytree at night. 

The breakfast is really good and many people also recommend the restaurant for lunch and dinner. 

It offers an extended buffet and you can enjoy the nice view while you’re eating. 

The hotel has a pool but the use of the pool comes with an extra charge.

Roppongi

Roppongi is Tokyo’s most foreigner-friendly area. 

Many embassies are situated in Roppongi and the neighboring districts of Azabu, Hiro, and Akasaka. 

Because of the large expat community, all bars and restaurants are used to cater to foreigners and have English menus and English-speaking staff.

Roppongi is Tokyo’s most foreigner-friendly area.

Next to Roppongi is Akasaka, a high-end neighborhood frequented by politicians and wealthy businesspeople. 

Both regions have a wide range of upscale hotels and restaurants.

Pros and cons

Conclusion

Luxury Hotels

Ritz-Carlton

The views from the rooms in the Ritz-Carlton are amazing. 

You can even see Mt. Fuji on a clear day. 

The food and hospitality are exceptional and all of the staff offer top-notch service.

The hotel is situated in the newly developed midtown complex with many dining options.

Grand Hyatt

The Grand Hyatt hotel is located in Roppongi Hills. Developed in 2003 this is a city-in-a-city with offices, apartments, shops, musea, restaurants, and an observation deck on the top floor. 

The rooms in this hotel are spacious, some people even mention that they’re up to American standards.

To freely use all the facilities of the hotel you need to sign up for free for the World Of Hyatt loyalty program.

Comfortable Hotel

Remm Roppongi

Remm Roppongi is a nice hotel in a great location right next to the Roppongi metro station. 

The rooms are rather small but offer everything you might need and some come with great views. 

All rooms have a complimentary massage chair. 

Great to help you relax after a full day of exploring Tokyo whilst you overlook the sunset over the city. 

Breakfast offers a good variety of Western and Japanese options.

Conclusion

If this is your first visit to Tokyo I would definitely consider staying in Shinjuku or the Tokyo station area.

Staying in these areas will grant you more time to explore the city’s many interesting sights, time otherwise spent traveling on the train or metro system. 

We opted for Shinjuku as this vibrant neighborhood is such a perfect reflection of Japan’s heartbeat.

If you rather prefer a more laid-back area the Tokyo Station area has just as many benefits.

The Tokyo Station area has a slight advantage if you will be traveling on the Shinkansen.

Shibuya and Ginza are other areas you might consider.  The many train and metro lines that service Shibuya station makes Shibuya the favorite of these two.

I would not consider any of the areas outside Central Tokyo on a first-time visit, although for subsequent visits it might be interesting to consider these areas as you can often find larger hotel rooms for affordable prices. 

Something which is hard to find in Central Tokyo.

It’s a trade-off between the comfort of a larger room and the time you lose on your way to the sights.

If you are looking for a cool hotel in Tokyo, take a look at this post. 

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