Living in Tamachi

A new waterfront residential area layered on top of an office district. The Shibaura area is changing quickly into clusters of tower condominiums through major redevelopment, drawing dual-income households who want a commute to central Tokyo together with new-build childcare infrastructure. But its roots are firmly in the business district, so weekday evenings are busy while weekends and nights are noticeably quiet, and it falls short if you expect cheap studios or a lively entertainment district.

It is a working-people's neighborhood of Minato Ward served by the JR Yamanote and Keihin-Tohoku lines, with the Toei Mita and Asakusa lines (Mita Station) nearby. Located between Shinagawa and Hamamatsucho, where corporate offices cluster, rents are relatively reasonable for Minato Ward, which creates demand from office workers. Being office-centered, nights and weekends are somewhat quiet. With good access to Tokyo Station and Shinagawa and redevelopment under way, it is a practical choice for office workers who put a commute into central Tokyo first.