Living in Gotanda

A Yamanote Line transfer hub and the 'Gotanda Valley' with some 400 IT startups. It has excellent proximity between home and work, reaching Shinjuku, Shibuya and Tokyo Station evenly, and a clear two-sided character: a quiet office district to the west and a lively entertainment district to the east. But rents are clearly higher than in neighboring areas, so you may be disappointed if you expect a 'cheap studio district'.

It is a neighborhood of Shinagawa Ward served by the JR Yamanote Line, the Tokyu Ikegami Line and the Toei Asakusa Line. It is famous for having many Korean residents, and a dense concentration of IT and media companies creates strong demand from office workers. There is an entertainment district in part of the area around the station, so the atmosphere can be a matter of taste. With direct Yamanote Line service to Shibuya and Shinjuku and Shinagawa also close, it is highly popular with those who want both access to work and a Korean community.