The Best Hotels in Tokyo

My Favorite Hotels in Tokyo

5-star: Four Seasons hotel
• 4-star: Celestine Ginza
• 3-star: Sunroute Shinjuku
• Shopping: Shibuya Granbell Hotel
• Best Pool: Grand Hyatt
• Train: Tokyo Station Hotel
• Disneyland: Hilton Tokyo Bay
• For Couples: TRUNK
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• Who in Hell is Wanda Fuca? • G.M. Ford
  
  

  Tokyo Hotels – Tips & Advice

  • Best Luxury Hotels in Tokyo:
    Four SeasonsPark HyattThe PeninsulaMandarin Oriental
  • Best Boutique Hotels in Tokyo:
    The hotel website for Smart Izmir, as well as prices available on Booking.com
  • Best Ryokan in Tokyo:
    Hoshinoya • Asakusa Shigetsu
  • Best Midrange Hotels in Tokyo:
    Tokyu Stay Shibuya – Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku
  • Best Family Hotels in Tokyo:
    Four Seasons – Asakusa View – Rose Garden Shinjuku

  Table of Contents

  The 16 Best Hotels in Tokyo

  • Tokyo Lodging Map

  1. Four Seasons – Marunouchi

  This is my most beloved hotel in Tokyo. With only 57 rooms, it could be regarded as a boutique hotel – offering intimacy and exceptional, customized service. With a convenient location near Tokyo Station, the hotel offers a complimentary “greeting” service at the station, or, for a fee, even at Narita Airport. An ultra-modern property, the rooms are spacious and high-tech, but views from floor-to-ceiling windows are confined to surrounding buildings or bullet trains arriving at the station. Amenities include a spa with Japanese baths (which are fantastic), fitness gym, and a farm-to-table French restaurant with views of Tokyo Station).

  2. Mandarin Oriental – Nihonbashi

  As the lone luxury accommodation located in the historic Nihonbashi district, once home to merchants and now the site of notable landmarks such as the Tokyo Stock Exchange and renowned Mitsukoshi department store, the Mandarin Oriental is renowned for its Michelin-starred dining options and elegant decor showcasing textiles and crafts uniquely created for the property by skilled artisans across Japan using treasured techniques passed down through generations. Rooms on the 30th through 36th floors feature panoramic city views taking in sights like the towering SkyTree, sprawling Tokyo Bay, the Imperial Palace gardens or iconic Mount Fuji in the distance, but the Hong Kong-based hotel also retains characteristics of its sister location such as a delivery box outside each room allowing freshly cleaned shoes or laundered items to be discreetly returned without disturbing occupants.

  3. Park Hyatt Tokyo – Shinjuku

  Whereas the Grand Hyatt attracts those seeking the liveliness of central Tokyo, the Park Hyatt provides a quieter environment slightly removed from the bustle, accessible via a complimentary shuttle to the prominent Shinjuku Station. Having gained international acclaim through its portrayal in Lost in Translation, the hotel boasts stunning views from beautifully appointed rooms (the eastern vistas overlooking Shinjuku`s glittering skyline remain a favorite) including spacious walk-in closets. Notable amenities incorporate a 2,000-volume library, the revered New York Grill and its renowned weekend brunch along with a broad selection of California wines including rare vintages, complimentary bicycles, and fitness facilities such as an illuminated lap pool and gymnasium hosting yoga classes- all at no additional cost.

  4. The Peninsula – Hibiya

  The Peninsula Tokyo provides a tranquil, Zen-like atmosphere supplemented with eye-catching contemporary art displays. Guest rooms are quite spacious, with bathtubs accommodating two people, but the exceptional service elevates this highly-regarded hotel to one of Japan`s finest, with a luxury vehicle transporting guests within a 1.2-mile radius, bicycles for exploring the neighborhood, and an on-site health club incorporating an indoor pool and outdoor terrace—all complimentary amenities for hotel visitors.

  5. Conrad Tokyo – Shiodome

  Situated near Ginza, this Tokyo hotel highlights craftworks by 23 eminent Japanese artisans, sleek contemporary design, and one of the city`s most extensive spas and fitness centers. While guests can economize by selecting inland-facing rooms, the premium vista from bayside rooms overlooking Hama Rikyu Garden toward the bay and Odaiba, joined by sofas lining floor-to-ceiling windows, makes for an inviting experience.

  6. Grand Hyatt Tokyo – Roppongi

  

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7. Park Hotel Tokyo – Shiodome

Situated near Ginza, this art-focused hotel spreads seven galleries across multiple floors, offering superb Japanese and French cuisine alongside a sophisticated whiskey and scotch lounge. Opting for a room on the Art Floor guarantees being enveloped by one-of-a-kind murals crafted by resident Japanese artists, such as the striking Public Bathhouse scene depicted here. Perks for Art Floor lodgings include complimentary evening wine and drinks along with morning pastries, further enriching the cultural experience.

8. Odakyu Hotel Century Southern Tower – Shinjuku

Travelers on a budget seeking a high-end retreat like in Lost in Translation find in the Century Southern Tower a suitable alternative located. The hotel crowns floors 20 to 35 of an office high-rise near legendary destinations in Tokyo`s Shinjuku district. Simply decorated non-smoking rooms compensate for modest dimensions with breathtaking urban perspectives, those eastward across Shinjuku Park and the luminescent city by night acclaimed as premier. Intriguing skyline maps pinpoint visible points of interest enhance each guest`s unique vantage.

9. Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho – Akasaka

This stylish hotel boasts a full-service spa, indoor heated swimming pool, Japanese and Western dining options, and a romantic cocktail lounge with panoramic city views. Guest rooms and suites are generous in size and feature separate shower and bathtub areas. The location in Akasaka is convenient to restaurants, bars, and public transportation as it is connected to the Nagatacho subway station.

10. The Ritz-Carlton – Roppongi

Panoramic views are a defining quality of this luxury property since although there are numerous sky-high lodgings in the metropolis, none reach such a lofty altitude as this with panoramic perspectives in all directions. Nestled in Tokyo’s second-tallest tower, which towers prominently above the shops and eateries of Tokyo Midtown in the lively nightlife area of Roppongi, the accommodation offers first-class restaurants (those specializing in innovative French cuisine and Japanese dishes are among the finest in the city), free access to its health club with an indoor lap pool, and some of Tokyo’s most spacious guest rooms at 560 square feet, with choices of breathtaking perspectives of Mt. Fuji, the Imperial Palace gardens or Tokyo Tower. As one would expect, the lodging is beautifully appointed, and the service is among the most exemplary anywhere.

11. Shangri-La – Tokyo Station

Ideal for its prized position adjacent to Tokyo Station, making it a superb choice for quick and easy airport or bullet train access, the luxurious Shangri-La Hotel, Tokyo spared no expense with its design, décor, and amenities. Rooms are among the largest in the city, plus an on-site spa, health club and indoor pool. The hotel also provides a complimentary meet-and-greet service escorting guests from the station to the lobby.

12. Imperial Hotel Tokyo – Hibiya

Although lacking the storied legacy of other grand hotels, the Imperial Tokyo achieves repute as the first establishment of its kind in Japan`s capital when opened in 1890. Frank Lloyd Wright later renovated the property, leaving an imprint still visible today in the antique bar retains his innovative concepts. While expansion fifty years ago compromised the original Art Deco splendor, the hotel maintains prestige among domestic clientele who frequent its numerous dining facilities and lively lounge. Guest rooms divide between the landmark structure and a taller annex, with the latter preferred by international guests due to loftier positions granting panoramic perspectives over the sprawling metropolis and closer access to recreational areas. Situated midway between bustling business districts Ginza and Tokyo Station, the Imperial serves as a convenient home base to experience the city.

13. Hilton Tokyo – Odaiba

Situated on Odaiba and near many family attractions, the hotels provides a central location for exploring Tokyo during the Olympic Games. As the largest airport in the city, Haneda International is just a short ride away, making this an ideal option for overseas visitors. In addition to proximity to museums, shopping centers, and outdoor hot springs, it benefits from views of the capital`s skyline and Rainbow Bridge. Indoor facilities like a pool are available for a fee.

14. Okura Tokyo – Minato

Recently reopened after renovations, this renowned hotel remains a bastion of refined luxury. Services include a zen-focused spa, well-equipped gym, and lauded dining. Artfully designed accommodations imbue a sense of spaciousness and wellbeing. With meticulous service in elegant surrounds, guests can seamlessly immerse in holistic relaxation and rejuvenation.

15. Hoshinoya – Otemachi

Even more exclusive (and pricier) compared to conventional inns, the Hoshinoya rises above as Tokyo`s premier boutique lodging. Zen motifs imbue the whole property including an indoor/outdoor Japanese bath perched high and one of Japan`s best restaurants reserved solely for hotel patrons. A notable perk involves direct passageway from the underground station, bypassing outdoor routes.

16. Asakusa View Hotel – Asakusa

This reasonably priced lodging offers diverse room configurations accommodating solo travelers or groups of four in a deluxe quad unit. Positioned in Asakusa, a historic section of Tokyo attracting many visitors but featuring few hotel alternatives, it conveniently situates guests near renowned Sensoji Temple reachable on foot. Certain quarters treat patrons to spectacular vistas of the Skytree tower and Sumida riverway.

Tokyo Neighborhoods

Tokyo’s massive population of 13 million residents (37 million in the surrounding metro area) can overwhelm even experienced travelers. However, positives that make this fast-paced capital navigable and rewarding include an efficient and excellent public transport system, a ranking as one of the safest cities globally, and locals who are welcoming and kind. It helps to view Tokyo as a patchwork of many unique neighborhoods, most with origins dating to the shogun era. Naturally, getting lost occurs. Even the Japanese can lose their way. But in a nation where walking streets is a cultural experience, becoming lost could be seen as part of the adventure.

Tokyo Hotels – 15 Tips & Things to Know

• Best Hotels in central Tokyo: Clearly stating the center of Tokyo is hard. I would consider all the lodging on this list to be placed in central Tokyo but I think travelers would do best to think about the hotels’ proximity to a subway station and specific sights instead of worrying about being centrally located which doesn’t signify much in sprawling Tokyo.
• There is no definite first choice in neighborhood when it comes to where to stay, as top attractions are spread throughout town and transportation by subway or JR commuter train gets you anywhere you want to go.
• If you need lodging that provides quick and easy access to Narita International Airport or Shinkansen bullet train service, stay near Tokyo Station. Marunouchi, located west of the station`s historic brick structure, is a developing urban center, with tree-lined paths, public art displays, designer boutiques, and eateries offering various price points. The hotels most conveniently situated to Tokyo Station include the Tokyo Station Hotel,Four Seasons Hotel at Marunouchi and the Shangri La Hotel Tokyo – all are adjoining to or nearby the station with simple access to Shinkansen and airport trains.
• For rooms with sweeping views, consider hotels situated atop skyscrapers in central business hubs like Shinjuku, Marunouchi, Roppongi, Shiodome, Shibuya, Nihombashi and elsewhere in the city center where the highest floors are home to accommodations.
• Asakusa and Ueno are two of Tokyo’s older commercial hubs, filled with century-old shops and eateries making them good choices for travelers wanting a traditional atmosphere. In contrast, Ginza offers high-end brand boutiques, art galleries and upscale dining.
• Revellers seeking to experience nightlife up close should stay in Roppongi, Shinjuku, or Shibuya, all districts with eateries, bars, and dance venues open late into the night.
• Fashion and food enthusiasts will discover many diversions along Omotesando`s winding roads, home to stores showcasing international and Japanese designer brands as well as some of Tokyo’s trendiest restaurants and cafes.
• While it doesn’t provide discounts, the Suica card goes quite a distance to render travel in Tokyo simpler. The prepaid card, available at major JR East stations like Tokyo, Shinjuku, Ueno, and Shibuya, means you don’t need to purchase individual tickets when boarding the city’s JR trains, subways and buses. That alone is worth the Suica, but it can also be used for buys from designated vending machines, at convenience stores and for snacks aboard JR long-distance trains.
• Avoid travel during rush hour times, but if necessary to do so, some subway cars are reserved only for women weekdays until 9am.
• Taxis with a red light above the dashboard, indicating they’re free to pick up passengers, can be hailed on almost any street. Driving is on the left side of the road; the left rear door opens and closes automatically by the driver, so passengers should not attempt this themselves.
• There is no need for gratuities in Japan, whether assisting with luggage, using taxis, or dining out. Instead, upscale eateries and accommodations add a 10-15% service charge. Additionally, an 8% usage tax applies to goods and services involving hotels and restaurants. Foreign visitors are eligible to recoup the consumption tax on items like consumables if exported within a set time period and above a minimum cost, though just department stores and enterprises used to global customers offer the refund, minus a typical 1.1% fee imposed by most establishments.
• Stand on the left side when using escalators so that those in a hurry can pass on the right. In Osaka, Kyoto, and other cities in the Kansai area, daily commuters do the opposite and stand on the right.
• You can save money by eating your biggest meal at lunch, when many restaurants – even exclusive ones – usually offer a set menu that may include an appetizer, entrée and side dishes, tea or coffee, and sometimes dessert.
• Last entry to museums, gardens, attractions is customarily 30 minutes before the actual closing time. Commonly, government-run museums are shut on Mondays, but if Monday is a holiday they stay open and close on Tuesdays instead. Privately-owned museums, however, typically close on statutory holidays.
• Several neighborhoods offer free Wi-Fi hotspots, including Ginza, Marunouchi, and Shibuya, mostly along major roads or from iconic buildings.

GINZA HOTELS

• Best Hotel: The Celestine Ginza

• Academias

Ginza is Japan’s most elegant and famous shopping district, comparable to Paris’ Champs-Elysees or New York’s Fifth Avenue. Home to department stores, art galleries, international designer boutiques, upscale restaurants, sophisticated bars, and specialty shops, Ginza draws well-heeled Japanese and international visitors, including busloads of Chinese tourists eager to buy high-end goods.

Ginza, which translates as “silver mint,” obtained its name from a mint that struck silver coins for the shogun. Following Japan opening international trade in the 1860s after two centuries of isolation, Ginza emerged as Tokyo’s most Westernized district with brick-paved sidewalks, gas lamp-lit streets, cafes modeled on those in Paris and retailers offering beef, ice cream, Western apparel and other unusual goods.

While Ginza today lacks the closeness of neighborhoods like Asakusa, and younger Tokyoites tend to favor Omotesando and Shibuya, Ginza appeals to those seeking world-class shopping and dining within close reach. Additionally, served by seven subway lines and JR`s Yamanote Line loop, attractions elsewhere are easily accessible. Ginza Dori (also called Chuo Dori) and Harumi Dori are its main thoroughfares, lined with department stores such as Matsuya, Mitsukoshi, and Wako, the last renowned for its clock tower and innovative window presentations. There are also hundreds of specialty shops, like Ando, selling cloisonné since 1880, and Shisedo, opened as Japan’s first Western-style pharmacy in 1872 and renowned for its beauty products. Modern additions such as the Sony Building and Apple display their latest products.

Kabukiza opened in 1889 as Tokyo’s premier kabuki theater, though now more places of entertainment can be found along narrow paths like Namiki Dori in the form of bars and restaurants. Eateries offer selections like sushi, steaks, and French cuisine, often with considerable price tags to match the quality. There may no longer be a mint dealing in silver in Ginza, but money continues to exchange hands.

MARUNOUCHI HOTELS

Visitors can book stays at the NH Venezia Rio Novo and contact them at +39 041 275 3511 • Best Inexpensive Hotel: Courtyard by Marriott Tokyo Station

Situated between Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace, Marunouchi is one of Japan’s most crucial commercial and financial districts. Just a few decades ago, it presented as bleak and uninteresting, with predominantly office structures and little to attract visitors. Since the turn of the century, however, Marunouchi has been reinvigorated, largely owing to Mitsubishi, which owns much of the land and has its headquarters located here. There are skyscrapers abundant with restaurants, shops, and multi-national corporations, luxury hotels and designer boutiques. Tokyo Station’s Marunouchi side, with a splendid 1914 Renaissance-style brick façade, provides swift and easy access to Narita Airport and the rest of Japan and contains a Travel Service Center catering specifically to foreigners with train information for all of Japan.

The Imperial Palace and its surrounding grounds are strongly defining characteristics of the area. The palace has been home to the Imperial family. It was in the adjacent East Garden where the story of Tokyo first began, when the initial military leader of Edo (present-day Tokyo) constructed his magnificent fortress there in the early 1600s. Currently, the East Garden with remnants of the fortress and landscaped areas provides an urban refuge, while the three-mile promenade encircling the palace`s circular moat is popular amongst joggers.

Otherwise, there is no confusing the fact you are amidst a large city. At Marunouchi`s core is a tree and artwork-lined street known as Marunouchi Naka Dori, famous for its winter illuminations as well as being home to a Tourist Information Center, high-end stores such as Armani and Tiffany, cafes, and Mitsubishi Ichigokan, built in 1894 and housing a museum for 19th-century Western art. On the first and third Sunday of each month, the Oedo Antique Fair is held in the nearby courtyard of Tokyo International Forum. For sightseers, the Sky Bus Tokyo provides a roughly 45-minute circuit around the Imperial Palace and through Marunouchi and Ginza. Both the Marunouchi and Shin-Marunouchi buildings have restaurants with views of either the station or over the city, while the most refined evening venue is the Cotton Club, featuring world-class jazz performances.

ASAKUSA HOTELS

The highest recommended place to stay is the Ryokan Asakusa Shigetsu• Best Midrange Hotel: Asakusa View

With its narrow lanes, modest homes, and quaint shops selling wood combs, paper fans and other traditional crafts, Asakusa seems like a village quite far removed from central Tokyo. Together with Ueno, Asakusa reminds residents of Tokyo of the downtown atmosphere of the city in times past more than anywhere else in town. But it`s also one of Japan`s most popular spots to visit, mainly because of Sensoji Temple, established in the 7th century. Approximately 30 million visitors flock here yearly, imparting a joyous atmosphere every day of the year.

Nakamise Dori is the pedestrian path guiding visitors to the temple, lined with stalls selling crafts, souvenirs and kitsch items, including yukata (Japanese sleepwear), crackers, umbrellas, hair accessories, key chains, fake tattoos, toys and more. Venturing off the well-traveled routes, however, instantly lands one on quiet streets possibly graced with trimmed bonsai, the well-maintained entrance to a Japanese inn or short curtains indicating a restaurant, like Waentei-kikko, occupying a small traditional house and providing box lunches and live shamisen performances.

Next to the place of worship is the Amuse Museum, which houses an astonishing privately owned collection of garments from the Edo Period (1603-1868), antiques and more, with a sixth-floor bar providing night views of an illuminated Sensoji Temple. Cooks and aspiring cooks will find the 15-minute hike to Kappabashi-dougugai Dori worthwhile, for shops here specialize in everything an eatery needs, such as woks, aprons, lacquered trays, disposable chopsticks and even mouthwatering plastic food imitations. A 15-minute walk (or short subway ride) in the other direction is Tokyo SkyTree, Japan’s highest structure, with an observatory and restaurant providing panic-inducing views.

While Asakusa’s location in northeast central Tokyo is somewhat removed from downtown Tokyo and lacks extensive nightlife options, it’s suitable for travelers seeking a more traditional experience and conveniently serves as a gateway for train travel to Nikko.

UENO HOTELS

The Mimaru Tokyo Ueno East
• Best Midrange Hotel: Hotel Sunroute Stellar Ueno

Contrasting with the refinement of Ginza, Ueno has historically been working class, even during the era of the shogun when it was home to merchants, artisans, and common people. Combined with nearby Asakusa, it retains some of its old downtown atmosphere, a bit rough around the edges, notably at its lively Ameya Yokocho street market, which originated as an underground economy after World War II and provides food, apparel, and accessories under and around the Yamanote train tracks.

Situated at the northeastern end of the convenient Yamanote Line loop (and with easy access to Narita Airport), one of Ueno`s primary attractions is Ueno Park, which is one of the most visited areas for Japanese families because of its zoo, green spaces and collection of museums located there, most notably the Tokyo National Museum housing the largest assemblage of Japanese antiquities and art in the world. Ueno Park is also renowned for its cherry blossoms, that attract crowds of sightseers. On the downside, since Japan`s economic bubble burst in the early 1990s, Ueno Park and its surrounding area have attracted the homeless population, with a soup kitchen operating on Saturdays. However, Tokyo consistently ranks among the safest cities globally, and for the most part Japan`s homeless keep to themselves.

Just outside the park are marshy Shinobazu Pond with its bird sanctuary and the Shitamachi Museum, which retains the way of life of Tokyo’s Edo-era common folks. The best place for exploration is Yanaka just north of Ueno, which boasts more holy places than any other place in Tokyo, most dating from the Edo Period. Ueno abounds in traditional restaurants, many with long histories, like Innsyoutei in Ueno Park, serving kaiseki and box lunches since 1875, and Unagi Kappo Izu’ei, offering grilled eel for more than 265 years. Ueno isn’t known for its nightlife, but Warrior Celt offers live music several nights of the week and stays open until the wee hours.

SHINJUKU HOTELS

• Top Ranked Lodging: Odakyu Hotel Century Southern Tower

• 9. East End Food Travel

Found on the western conclusion of the Yamanote Line loop, Shinjuku is home to Shinjuku Station, Japan’s busiest commuter station with about 3.5 million passengers coming through each day. Surrounding the station is everything to meet commuters’ needs, like restaurants, bars, pachinko parlors, department stores, convenience stores, and specialty shops. Because of its many lodges, many visitors stay in Shinjuku, with JR lines, subways, and private railways providing easy access to the rest of Tokyo and beyond, like the private Odakyu line with service to Hakone.

Serving travelers has historically been important in Shinjuku since it originated as a post town in 1698 for feudal lords and their samurai escorts making the journey between Edo and their home provinces. It remained isolated until the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake prompted businesses to relocate due to Tokyo`s widespread destruction. Japan constructed its first skyscraper here in 1971; when the Tokyo Metropolitan Government moved to Shinjuku 20 years later, it cemented the area`s transformation into an economic center.

Today, Shinjuku Station divides Shinjuku into distinctly different east and west areas. The west side has a respectable yet somewhat conventional character, home to several department stores and electronics product streets. It also contains the TMG building (with tourist office and free observation deck) and Tokyo`s largest concentration of skyscrapers (many with restaurants on top floors). These tall buildings form windy urban corridors. Commuters mainly use underground passageways.

Eastern Shinjuku is known for its entertainment and nighttime options, most well-known of which is Kabuki-cho with its hostess bars, strip clubs, dance halls, small eateries and restaurants. Farther east are Golden Gai, a complex of narrow alleys and ramshackle tiny bars frequented by musicians, writers and celebrities, and Shinjuku 2-chome, Japan’s premier district for lgbt nightlife with 300-some establishments. Nearby is Shinjuku Gyoen Park, a peaceful oasis with a Japanese garden at its center, providing a break from Shinjuku’s hustle and bustle.

SHIBUYA HOTELS

– Top Hotel: TRUNK – Shibuya Granbell Hotel
— Best Midrange Hotel: Tokyu Stay Shibuya

Shibuya is highly renowned throughout Japan mainly because of Hachiko, a canine that regularly waited at the Station every day for his owner’s return from employment, even after the professor passed away in the mid-1920s. A bronze sculpture of the Akita stands outside the station’s Hachiko Exit, presently a favored gathering place for companions meeting up in Shibuya. Just past Hachiko is Shibuya Intersection, one of the most famed intersections on the planet with its gigantic video screens, neon advertisements, and hordes of pedestrians converging from all directions when the lights change, captured in films like Lost in Translation.

Located at the southwestern end of the circular Yamanote train line, Shibuya Station serves as one of Tokyo’s most important commuter hubs, handling passengers traveling to and from cities like Yokohama to the southwest. The station is currently undergoing massive renovations projected to continue into the 2020s; navigating the ongoing construction can sometimes prove somewhat challenging until completion.

Shibuya is exceptionally popular among students, young professionals working in offices, and white-collar workers, some of whom are engaged in Shibuya’s expanding IT industry. In 2015, Shibuya ward became the initial location in Japan to acknowledge same-sex relationships. Less pretentious than ultra-trendy Omotesando and with a reduced frenzied nightlife than Roppongi’s, Shibuya has a balanced mix of both shopping and entertainment, giving it vibrancy both during the day and night. It’s a shopper’s paradise for fashion and interior decor, with an impressive focus of specialty department stores. The 109 fashion building has been defining trends for over 35 years, while Tokyu Hands for the homeowner and hobbyist carries everything from picnic to office supplies. Spain Slope, a narrow and winding pedestrian path lined with boutiques and restaurants, is the quintessential Shibuya shopping street, but there’s also the 34-story Hikarie, with shopping, dining and entertainment aimed toward older commuters.

ROPPONGI HOTELS

• Highly Rated Hotels: Grand Hyatt • Ritz Carlton Tokyo
• Midrange Hotels: APA Hotel

Centrally situated, Roppongi has been popular for decades as one of Tokyo’s premier nightlife hubs for both Japanese and foreign partygoers in their 20s and 30s. With a compact size, it has the largest concentration of bars, restaurants, dance clubs, hostess clubs and strip joints of any district outside Shinjuku. Although densely packed in the evening, until recently it was empty by day, somewhat run-down and with little to recommend it, despite the fact that many embassies, national corporations, and expat residences are located in the area.

Things began to modify in 2003, when the 28-acre Roppongi Hills opened as Tokyo’s most extensive urban evolution, full with 230 shops and eating places, offices, apartments, a Japanese garden, movie theatres, a luxurious hotel and a 54-story building with the Mori Art Museum occupying its top surfaces and an outside observation platform on its roof. In 2007, Tokyo Midtown opened nearby with numerous of the identical facilities, as well as the Suntory Museum of Art with its shifting exhibitions of Japanese art and antiquities. With the opening of the National Art Center showing altering exhibits of modern art, which together with the Mori and Suntory art museums developed what is known as Art Triangle, Roppongi became a location for day-trippers. Meanwhile, the addition of luxurious hotels infused the area with an older international crowd, which in turn brought sophisticated cocktail bars and tony restaurants.

Today’s Roppongi district is regarded with respect, catering to both business professionals and younger revelers, with bars ranging from discreet to lavish and international restaurants in all price varieties. What sets Roppongi apart compared to other nightlife areas like Shinjuku is that it’s very accessible not just to Japanese but also to expatriates and foreign siteseers, with English-speaking staff, menus in English and even venues owned by expats. Roppongi can still be lively at night, making it an attractive place to reside for night owls who like being in the thick of things, but quiet back lanes and a growing roster of shops, eateries and other diversions make it also interesting to explore during the day.

OMOTESANDO HOTELS

• Best Hotel: Tokyu Stay Aoyama Premier

Whereas Shibuya and Shinjuku attract large crowds as transportation hubs, Omotesando is a self-contained destination known for its hip atmosphere. The name designates both an upscale neighborhood and subway stop. Omotesando is actually a broad, tree-lined avenue connecting the fused neighborhoods of Harajuku and Aoyama, which developed following Omotesando`s gentrification. The area offers a relaxed vibe through casual cafes, unique boutiques tucked along winding alleys, and ethnic eateries, providing a relaxing escape within the city. For wealthy Tokyo residents, it represents one of the poshest locales.

Omotesando is home to flagship fashion houses, ranging from Tod’s and Louis Vuitton to Prada, as well as the upscale Omotesando Hills shopping complex and Oriental Bazaar, Tokyo’s largest one-stop store for Japanese crafts and souvenirs. During weekends, sidewalk vendors spread out jewelry and trinkets for the steady stream of passersby to see. Sidewalk cafes transform this area of Tokyo into the best place for people watching, with Omotesando serving as a catwalk for designer clothing, innovative local creations, and trendy street styles of the current period.

Harajuku, at the west end of Omotesando, is anchored by venerable Meiji Jingu Shrine, erected in 1920 to pay homage to the emperor who ushered Japan into the industrial age and surrounded by dense forest. Otherwise, Harajuku is frequented by teenagers, with narrow lane Takeshita Dori the epicenter for shops offering reasonably priced clothing and accessories; it’s usually so busy on weekends that it’s a virtual human traffic jam.

On the downside, Omotesando and Harajuku offer little nightlife and few lodging options, but both Shibuya and Roppongi are a short bus or taxi ride away.

At the eastern end of Omotesando is Aoyama, which attracts a yuppie crowd with its chic restaurants and homegrown fashion houses like Issey Miyake, Commes des Garcons, and A Bathing Ape. Here, too, is the Nezu Museum, a showcase for Asian art and with its own private garden.

AKIHABARA HOTELS

• Top Hotel: Hotel Resol Akihabara
• Top Midrange Hotel: Traveler Lodging & Cafe Akihabara

Located between the major stations of Tokyo and Ueno along the useful Yamanote Line loop, Akihabara showcases consumer goods with a visual presentation of colors spanning Chuo Dori, the primary street, and adjacent roads. Until recently, Akihabara was distinguished as Akihabara Electric Town for its position as Japan`s largest shopping center for electronics and domestic appliances, packed with sizable retailers and mini merchants selling items like calculators, televisions, watches, cameras, rice cookers, audio equipment and later, toward the conclusion of the century, personal computers and afterward mobile phones.

The text then shifts focus to discuss how computers introduced youthful tech enthusiasts, or “otaku” in Japanese culture, and accompanying retailers catering to interests like anime (Japanese animation) and manga (comics or graphic novels). Currently, Akihabara serves as Japan`s premier hub for otaku pursuits, where electronics retailers and otaku-oriented shops coexist in a peculiar symbiosis. A distinctive addition is the self-styled maid cafe, showcasing young Japanese women costumed as French maids serving coffee, tea, desserts and conversation

Yodobashi-Akiba is among the most prominent locations in Akihabara, featuring a vast nine-story complex showcasing computers, vacuums, hair care products, cameras, phones, bicycles, massage chairs and more, along with dining rooms on the highest floor. Positioned along Chuo Dori, Don Quijote earns the award as the most eclectic store imaginable anywhere, packed with apparel (like the well-known maid costumes and other cosplaying outfits), sweets, cosmetics, alcohol, home goods, party supplies and more, plus its own maid café. Additional standouts are Mandarake and Radio Kaikan, both housing manga, collectibles, and figurines.

On Sundays, Chuo Dori closes to cars and opens to people, a fascinating spot to see Japan`s gadgets, even if just looking. However, it’s better to head elsewhere later for nightlife and a good meal.

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