Best neighborhoods in Tokyo

6 areas in Tokyo, Japan — what each one feels like, who it suits, and roughly what it costs.

• Ginza ($$) — Department stores, sushi counters Best for Dining + shopping. Flagship stores and the city's most serious restaurants in a tight grid. Beautiful and expensive; quiet residentially, loud commercially. Getting around: Ginza, Marunouchi and Hibiya lines
• Nakameguro ($$) — Canal cherry trees, boutiques Best for Cafes + design. A willow-lined canal with small shops and good coffee along both banks. Low-key, stylish and residential — a favourite for a reason. Getting around: Tokyu Toyoko and Hibiya lines
• Shinjuku ($$) — Neon, station chaos Best for First-timers. The world's busiest station, Golden Gai's tiny bars and Kabukicho next door. Endlessly convenient, endlessly loud — every line stops here. Getting around: Every line stops at Shinjuku
• Asakusa ($) — Senso-ji, old streets Best for Budget + traditional. Tokyo's oldest temple and low-rise shitamachi streets around it. Traditional, affordable and a longer ride to the western hubs. Getting around: Ginza and Asakusa lines
• Shibuya ($$) — Crossing, youth fashion Best for Nightlife + shopping. The scramble crossing, department stores and bars up the hills behind. Central and energetic, with rents to match the address. Getting around: Yamanote and several metro lines
• Shimokitazawa ($) — Vintage shops, small venues Best for Independent + budget. Second-hand clothes, tiny live houses and coffee, all car-free lanes. The most likeable inner Tokyo neighbourhood, and still reasonable. Getting around: Odakyu and Keio Inokashira lines

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