Living in Takadanobaba

Tokyo's representative student town, with Waseda University and Japanese language schools within walking distance. It is right next to Shinjuku, yet rent is noticeably cheap, and thanks to the student commercial district both eating-out costs and initial costs come in lighter than the central-city average. With many international students, it is also a strength of this neighborhood that you rarely feel out of place as a foreigner. In return, the area in front of the station is a lively district crowded until late at night, so if you want quiet living, look one block further inside.

It is the number one town for international students, served by three lines: the JR Yamanote Line and the Tokyo Metro Tozai and Seibu Shinjuku lines. With Waseda University here, cheap restaurants and share houses are plentiful, and Shin-Okubo is one stop away, so Korean daily-life infrastructure is also close. The liveliness and noise typical of a student district can be a matter of taste. It is 2 minutes to Shinjuku, convenient for transport, and living costs are reasonable, so it is especially popular with international students and new graduates.