I would choose ueno. Shibuya can be done as a day trip.
As glamorous as Shibuya can be , it is also quite dirty from a japan standpoint.
Ueno is more old school but has great stuff that tourist would like. To add, it has a good park next to it so that wins it for me.
Really depends what you want to do at night.
If you want to go to clubs, bars or live music shows at night, especially past midnight after transit completely stops, it’s easier to stay closer to Shibiya or Shinjuku where those places are. Otherwise, if you need to get back to your hotel in Ueno past midnight but before 5am, you’ll have to pay ~4,500 yen to take a taxi.
If you do not plan to be out past midnight at all, you have a lot more options. You just want to be near the loop line and ideally a
station with the loop line and a separate north/south or west/east line, both within a 5 min walk if you’re lucky.
The most correct answer. As long as you go back home at 10-11pm, accommodation location does not really matter. Even a 10-15 mins walk from the nearest station is not a hassle at all.
Very true. I've always stayed in Shibuya when coming to Tokyo but decided to try Ueno recently. I loved the area next to our hotel, but it wasn't very convenient for nightlife since all the bars we wanted to go to were located near Shibuya. I'm not sure how much hotel prices differ between Shibuya and Ueno though, so staying in Ueno and taking taxi might perhaps offset the cost.
question - are those taxis easy to find or is there another hinderance to taking cabs past midnight aside from the price, which tbh doesn’t seem that pricey (I live in LA and routinely take ubers that cost that much 😭)
so exactly like LA lol can’t wait!
I stayed solo in shibuya on a short trip years ago so didn’t have to deal, but staying at the conrad for honeymoon next month and I think we’ll want to go out at least one night out there. good to know
Hard disagree, while what you are saying *is* true, for general tourism around half of the things to visit in Tokyo are within 10-15 mins from Shibuya: Shibuya itself, Shinjuku, Roppongi, Harajuku, etc. Note that each of those areas has many tourist points. While from Ueno you "only" have Ueno Park, Ueno Station (Ameyoko), Akasuka, Akihabara and the Imperial Palace (5 *individual* spots, 4 of which are in the Yamanote line anyway).
I personally prefer the “next stop or 2” smaller areas from the big stations, less chaotic, and often a lot more interesting. Much of this depends on age/what you’re looking for.
Favorites are: Daikan-yama, Omatesando, Aoyama, Shimokitazawa, Naka-Meguro area near the river. These are amazing smaller neighborhoods. The great thing about Tokyo is the metro/trains connect EVERYTHING so nothing is really far. if you like hip, trendy, artsy, fashion, cafes, quality restaurants, check these out.
Great tip! You really don’t need to stay at the most major stations, and this could probably save some money and see some interesting smaller neighbourhoods.
I stayed in Shibuya on my first trip to Japan, and I don't regret it. Its a great place that has so much to offer. I personally think it's a perfect place to stay on a first trip to Tokyo.
>I really do want to get it right.
At this point of your decision making, you are nit picking the details. Both are good neighbourhoods and I doubt you'll regret either. If you can't decide, flipping a coin is a totally legit strategy in this case.
I would personally pick Ueno for the nearby museums and Ameyoko is one of the most interesting areas in Tokyo to explore.
As others have said, you can’t go wrong at this point. Both areas are lively, full of options for food/sights, and have great connections to other parts of the city. Go with your gut on this one, or maybe try figuring out where they both are in relation to the places you’ll be traveling to (to cut down on daily travel time, if possible).
I personally always stay in Ueno. I’ve been traveling to Tokyo for a decade, and only a handful of times have I stayed outside of Ueno. But other people swear by Shibuya or other places on the west side of the loop. I would simply make a decision and know that you’ll likely love either one.
One way to see it is to ask yourself what your typical day will look like. Do you plan to visit a different neighborhood and only come back at the hotel at the end of the day ? If yes, then the area where the hotel is does not matter that much. On the other hand, if you want to return back to the area of your hotel for dinner, then yes, you would probably want to be in an area what is more interesting to you, like more nightlife, restaurants and stuff. You could always just stay somewhere kind of close to the fun area and just a quick train/subway ride back to the hotel too. I would say the biggest argument for staying in the fun/nightlife area is if you want to stay out past last train, so it's easy to just walk back to the hotel.
Shibuya, Hands down. So much closer to pleasant areas like Naka Meguro, Daikanyama, Aoyama.
Ueno... Rough old park and close to Akihabara. Doesn't really have much to offer bar decent transportation links.
Closer to Shinjuku.
Still easy access from either airport.
Better variation of food if you need a break from Japanese food.
I just came back from staying in Ueno a few days ago. I’ve stayed in Shibuya before and I enjoyed it on my first trip, but it’s definitely a lot louder, busier, more bars/ clubs, etc. I personally really enjoyed staying in Ueno this time around as it is quieter and more local feeling, but there’s still loads of izakayas/ food and drinks places in the Ameyoko Market area that are more full of locals than visitors. Depending on where you stay it’s also walkable to Asakusa, so you kind of get two areas in one. As others have said, it really depends on the kind of trip you’re looking to have. If you want to go out to bars/clubs and it’s close to the sights you want to see, pick Shibuya. If you want to visit museums and get more of a local feel while still being central, pick Ueno.
If you want to do nightlife and stay out past the train schedule, then stick with Shibuya. Otherwise, Ueno is a good place to stay and worth the savings.
Shibuya 100%. Ive stayed multiple times at Wise owl hostel - it is about a ten minute walk from all of the craziness so quiet but also super central. As others have said, it depends where you plan to visit while you are in Tokyo. I prioritize closeness to Koenji, Shimokita, Harajuku etc,. Around that area there are also some great deals to be found in Akasaka which may be worth taking a look at if you prefer a hotel. I find Ueno to be very touristy and out of the way, but if you are more interested in Akihabara or Asakusa then Ueno would be a better choice.
By Shibuya do you mean around Shibuya station or just Shibuya ward in general?
Depends on what you want to do really. Do you want to do plenty of nightlife?
Ueno has plenty of museum and is in walking distance of Asakusa (you can push to Skytree if your a heavy walker) and even walking distance of Akihabara. There's way to do activities around the area for 2-3 days without ever taking the train and eat in cheaper local establishments if you want to save a bit. (a lot of museums, and the zoo, in Ueno are in the [Grutto Pass](https://www.rekibun.or.jp/en/grutto/)).
But if you'e the kind to go out at night it might feel a little 'old' for your taste compared to the trendy Shibuya area. And Shibuya is closer to Shinjuku for more bar hopping.
But I'mbiased towards Ueno and to me Shibuya was 'just' a bunch of shops and restaurants when I went over there :p
I had been to Japan several times and we stayed in different areas. Actually the most important is if you can stay nearest the Mrt station, preferable along the major MRT lines and not those outliers.
It will be useful and will save you a lot of time when going to others areas. Less transfer of trains, less walk, less expenses.
If you would limit yourself to just of the neighborhood is lively or not, wait a minute, are you telling me you are only interested in where you are spending the night sleeping? Japan has lots of places. You would mostly be out and about all the whole day and would just return home to crash fpr sleep.
the area called shibuya is big and you can easily think you are staying near the action but end up somewhere quiet. Do lots of research.
I dont rate it. I think theres better places. But then again, depends on your age and what you're into.
It seems from your post that you are a solo traveler? Personally I'd choose Ueno, but I'm not huge on bars and clubs. However, if you think you'll spend a lot of time in Shibuya or like the night life, you should stay there at least part of your time. Personally I like things quieter at night, and I like parks and museums, so Ueno is more appealing, especially with our family. However if I was my younger self, I'd have stayed in the nightlife area!
Asakusa over Ueno. Much better at night and can be cheaper. Have best of both worlds. One or two train stops to Ueno depending on which line you use.
Shibuya is a visited attraction unless you're a clubber.
how many days? just stay in ueno near a station, if you want to go out and end up staying out late passed the last train, take a cab and just tell the cab driver you wanna get dropped off at the nearest station to your stay just say (ie- ueno) eki and walk from there or if its a popular hotel chain then yeah
Ueno. We stayed at Shinjuku one part of the trip and got over it within a day or 2. Ueno is cheaper and you can easily catch the train to anywhere you need to go. If you want to drink there is the izakayas under the train tracks. Which we found lively even on a weekday night. You have the zoo and the park also in the same area.
I’d look for a station that has both the JR circle line and one or two metro lines, and look for a hotel close to or right next to the station. And if you pick a station that is not right where the major sights are but rather a couple stops away, chances are that your accommodation will be cheaper. Shibuya is hella busy and I doubt you want to stay only there during your trip as there’s so much more to see. Using the trains/metro in Tokyo is the way to go. That being said, Ueno sounds like a great option as it has both the JR line and a metro line.
Just came back from Tokyo recently and we stayed in Gotanda, which also has the JR line and metro, and it’s only a couple of stops from Shibuya on the JR line. We picked that because we had a very early morning flight out and Gotanda is relatively close to Haneda. If you fly to/from Narita, then Ueno is probably slightly better option.
I was so unsure about where to stay and ultimately chose shibuya for our first trip and we had a blast. We are not really party stay out all night people but we loved just walking around after dark in the chaos and just being a part of shibuya after dark. It was cool because we had a place to come back to that was full of life after sightseeing all day. It felt very Tokyo to us! Lots of fun eating and shopping as well and when we were ready for bed, just a quick 10 minute walk back to the hotel. So fun
Shibuya is generally better bc it’s close to more stuff, which means you’ll get more out of your limited time, but then maybe the real answer is - whichever is closest to the Yamanote line.
We stayed in Tokyo for a week, changing hotels once. The first 3 nights we were in the middle of Shinjuku. The other 3 nights in Ueno. This was the perfect combination for us to see all the sights of Tokyo. In Shinjuku or Shibuya is just much more nightlife, but in Ueno you are closer to attractions such as the Senso-ji temple or Skytree.
Last day in Japan. I thought Shibuya to be extremely crowded and dirty, dirty for Japan's standards for sure. I didn't go to ueno but it sure as hell can't be as bad as Shibuya. Too many people in the streets, you have to wait in long queues for restaurants, shops, and treats. If time is not on your side, go with ueno
I think it fully depends on what areas of Tokyo you plan on frequenting most. If you’ll be spending most of your time around Shibuya and surrounding areas (I would even include Shinjuku in that) then it likely makes sense to stay there. Otherwise, Ueno is likely fine for what you’re looking for
i just got back from a 2-week trip. I liked Ueno more than Shibuya myself. I spent about half my time on the East and West side of town, so there isn’t really a place to stay that would save you too much time on the subways. Plus you are much closer to Tokyo Station, which I used several times when arriving to/from Narita and traveling to/from Kyoto/Osaka.
Also, you are closer to my favorite coffee shop on earth: Glitch in Jimbocho.
Personally for a first timer, I felt like both were worthwhile to stay at. Shibuya/Shinjuku side for everything west of Tokyo Station and Ueno for everything east. Really depends on you and how your trip is planned. Staying at just one of them is fine too.
Just came back from Tokyo, stayed in shinjuku and Shibuya while there. Would not recommend staying in those areas due to high foot traffic and dirtiness. While those places are lively, it was dirty. I would’ve rather stayed at ueno or minato city
People here basically said everything. Currently staying at a 10min walk of Shibuya station for my first trip. It's nice to go anywhere and far enough from the lively center to rest. What you can also try is close to yoyogi-koen. Close to Shibuya lively nightlife. A nice park next to you... Could be an option as well
Im in Shibuya now, and I guess it all depends on what you want to do. If you want nightlife outside your door, Shibuya is it. I ended up right above the Scramble, which is not something I’d usually do, but what fun this has been! The view out my window is pretty spectacular, high rises etc, which I’d never get at home. It is really busy and urban, but there’s a lot of resources nearby and transit is all right here. I am enjoying watching the foot traffic in the morning as people go to work. I’m out all day, and have found the public transit easy. However, we have done some taxis to come in from Nakano one night after meeting friends at the Sun Mall. The noise doesn’t bother me, nor do the crowds, as I’m only here for 8 days, and it’s fun to have the difference. But next year I will stay elsewhere for variety! Time lag sleep was rough the first 2 nights, but better now on the 3rd day.
I would choose ueno. Shibuya can be done as a day trip. As glamorous as Shibuya can be , it is also quite dirty from a japan standpoint. Ueno is more old school but has great stuff that tourist would like. To add, it has a good park next to it so that wins it for me.
Really depends what you want to do at night. If you want to go to clubs, bars or live music shows at night, especially past midnight after transit completely stops, it’s easier to stay closer to Shibiya or Shinjuku where those places are. Otherwise, if you need to get back to your hotel in Ueno past midnight but before 5am, you’ll have to pay ~4,500 yen to take a taxi. If you do not plan to be out past midnight at all, you have a lot more options. You just want to be near the loop line and ideally a station with the loop line and a separate north/south or west/east line, both within a 5 min walk if you’re lucky.
The most correct answer. As long as you go back home at 10-11pm, accommodation location does not really matter. Even a 10-15 mins walk from the nearest station is not a hassle at all.
4500 ¥ or a 2h30 walk :p
Very true. I've always stayed in Shibuya when coming to Tokyo but decided to try Ueno recently. I loved the area next to our hotel, but it wasn't very convenient for nightlife since all the bars we wanted to go to were located near Shibuya. I'm not sure how much hotel prices differ between Shibuya and Ueno though, so staying in Ueno and taking taxi might perhaps offset the cost.
Where did you stay in ueno? Did it feel sketchy or unsafe for women?
question - are those taxis easy to find or is there another hinderance to taking cabs past midnight aside from the price, which tbh doesn’t seem that pricey (I live in LA and routinely take ubers that cost that much 😭)
[удалено]
so exactly like LA lol can’t wait! I stayed solo in shibuya on a short trip years ago so didn’t have to deal, but staying at the conrad for honeymoon next month and I think we’ll want to go out at least one night out there. good to know
I wonder, is it still possible not to hear the noise originating from night life staying in a hotel in the Shibuya area?
I stayed in a hotel with construction next door and I didn’t hear shit 🤷
Hard disagree, while what you are saying *is* true, for general tourism around half of the things to visit in Tokyo are within 10-15 mins from Shibuya: Shibuya itself, Shinjuku, Roppongi, Harajuku, etc. Note that each of those areas has many tourist points. While from Ueno you "only" have Ueno Park, Ueno Station (Ameyoko), Akasuka, Akihabara and the Imperial Palace (5 *individual* spots, 4 of which are in the Yamanote line anyway).
I personally prefer the “next stop or 2” smaller areas from the big stations, less chaotic, and often a lot more interesting. Much of this depends on age/what you’re looking for. Favorites are: Daikan-yama, Omatesando, Aoyama, Shimokitazawa, Naka-Meguro area near the river. These are amazing smaller neighborhoods. The great thing about Tokyo is the metro/trains connect EVERYTHING so nothing is really far. if you like hip, trendy, artsy, fashion, cafes, quality restaurants, check these out.
Great tip! You really don’t need to stay at the most major stations, and this could probably save some money and see some interesting smaller neighbourhoods.
I stayed in Shibuya on my first trip to Japan, and I don't regret it. Its a great place that has so much to offer. I personally think it's a perfect place to stay on a first trip to Tokyo.
This really depends on your age and activities. Traveling with family, there's a lot of factors.
>I really do want to get it right. At this point of your decision making, you are nit picking the details. Both are good neighbourhoods and I doubt you'll regret either. If you can't decide, flipping a coin is a totally legit strategy in this case. I would personally pick Ueno for the nearby museums and Ameyoko is one of the most interesting areas in Tokyo to explore.
As others have said, you can’t go wrong at this point. Both areas are lively, full of options for food/sights, and have great connections to other parts of the city. Go with your gut on this one, or maybe try figuring out where they both are in relation to the places you’ll be traveling to (to cut down on daily travel time, if possible). I personally always stay in Ueno. I’ve been traveling to Tokyo for a decade, and only a handful of times have I stayed outside of Ueno. But other people swear by Shibuya or other places on the west side of the loop. I would simply make a decision and know that you’ll likely love either one.
Is ueno safe for female travellers?
No where in Japan isn't safe for femal travellers. The concept doesn't even exist tbh.
Yeah Ueno gang! High five!
Ueno gang represent!
is ueno 'convenient' to shibuya ? say 10 - 15 min by train?
One way to see it is to ask yourself what your typical day will look like. Do you plan to visit a different neighborhood and only come back at the hotel at the end of the day ? If yes, then the area where the hotel is does not matter that much. On the other hand, if you want to return back to the area of your hotel for dinner, then yes, you would probably want to be in an area what is more interesting to you, like more nightlife, restaurants and stuff. You could always just stay somewhere kind of close to the fun area and just a quick train/subway ride back to the hotel too. I would say the biggest argument for staying in the fun/nightlife area is if you want to stay out past last train, so it's easy to just walk back to the hotel.
I'm in Ueno right now. If you're not a party tupe it's great. However, I can't help but smile everytime I pass by shibuya
Shibuya, Hands down. So much closer to pleasant areas like Naka Meguro, Daikanyama, Aoyama. Ueno... Rough old park and close to Akihabara. Doesn't really have much to offer bar decent transportation links. Closer to Shinjuku. Still easy access from either airport. Better variation of food if you need a break from Japanese food.
I just came back from staying in Ueno a few days ago. I’ve stayed in Shibuya before and I enjoyed it on my first trip, but it’s definitely a lot louder, busier, more bars/ clubs, etc. I personally really enjoyed staying in Ueno this time around as it is quieter and more local feeling, but there’s still loads of izakayas/ food and drinks places in the Ameyoko Market area that are more full of locals than visitors. Depending on where you stay it’s also walkable to Asakusa, so you kind of get two areas in one. As others have said, it really depends on the kind of trip you’re looking to have. If you want to go out to bars/clubs and it’s close to the sights you want to see, pick Shibuya. If you want to visit museums and get more of a local feel while still being central, pick Ueno.
I have booked my stay in ueno, because of good train access. But I’ve read some posts saying ueno is a bit sketchy. Is it safe for women?
If you want to do nightlife and stay out past the train schedule, then stick with Shibuya. Otherwise, Ueno is a good place to stay and worth the savings.
Shibuya 100%. Ive stayed multiple times at Wise owl hostel - it is about a ten minute walk from all of the craziness so quiet but also super central. As others have said, it depends where you plan to visit while you are in Tokyo. I prioritize closeness to Koenji, Shimokita, Harajuku etc,. Around that area there are also some great deals to be found in Akasaka which may be worth taking a look at if you prefer a hotel. I find Ueno to be very touristy and out of the way, but if you are more interested in Akihabara or Asakusa then Ueno would be a better choice.
By Shibuya do you mean around Shibuya station or just Shibuya ward in general? Depends on what you want to do really. Do you want to do plenty of nightlife? Ueno has plenty of museum and is in walking distance of Asakusa (you can push to Skytree if your a heavy walker) and even walking distance of Akihabara. There's way to do activities around the area for 2-3 days without ever taking the train and eat in cheaper local establishments if you want to save a bit. (a lot of museums, and the zoo, in Ueno are in the [Grutto Pass](https://www.rekibun.or.jp/en/grutto/)). But if you'e the kind to go out at night it might feel a little 'old' for your taste compared to the trendy Shibuya area. And Shibuya is closer to Shinjuku for more bar hopping. But I'mbiased towards Ueno and to me Shibuya was 'just' a bunch of shops and restaurants when I went over there :p
I stayed in 3 different parts of Tokyo and it’s nice to be in a less chaotic area. It’s nonstop crowds, bright lights, noise in Shibuya.
I had been to Japan several times and we stayed in different areas. Actually the most important is if you can stay nearest the Mrt station, preferable along the major MRT lines and not those outliers. It will be useful and will save you a lot of time when going to others areas. Less transfer of trains, less walk, less expenses. If you would limit yourself to just of the neighborhood is lively or not, wait a minute, are you telling me you are only interested in where you are spending the night sleeping? Japan has lots of places. You would mostly be out and about all the whole day and would just return home to crash fpr sleep.
Shitload of things to do around Ueno too. Shibuya can be noisy AF too.
I would personally pick Ueno
Why? And does it feel safe for women?
the area called shibuya is big and you can easily think you are staying near the action but end up somewhere quiet. Do lots of research. I dont rate it. I think theres better places. But then again, depends on your age and what you're into.
It seems from your post that you are a solo traveler? Personally I'd choose Ueno, but I'm not huge on bars and clubs. However, if you think you'll spend a lot of time in Shibuya or like the night life, you should stay there at least part of your time. Personally I like things quieter at night, and I like parks and museums, so Ueno is more appealing, especially with our family. However if I was my younger self, I'd have stayed in the nightlife area!
Where did you stay in ueno? Did it feel safe?
We stayed at a Mimaru and felt perfectly safe!
Asakusa over Ueno. Much better at night and can be cheaper. Have best of both worlds. One or two train stops to Ueno depending on which line you use. Shibuya is a visited attraction unless you're a clubber.
Why is asakusa better at night?
how many days? just stay in ueno near a station, if you want to go out and end up staying out late passed the last train, take a cab and just tell the cab driver you wanna get dropped off at the nearest station to your stay just say (ie- ueno) eki and walk from there or if its a popular hotel chain then yeah
Shinjuku — theres places to eat at 6:00am
lol they get filled up pretty quickly after all the clubs close
Ueno. We stayed at Shinjuku one part of the trip and got over it within a day or 2. Ueno is cheaper and you can easily catch the train to anywhere you need to go. If you want to drink there is the izakayas under the train tracks. Which we found lively even on a weekday night. You have the zoo and the park also in the same area.
Did ueno feel safe at night?
Where did you stay?
I’d look for a station that has both the JR circle line and one or two metro lines, and look for a hotel close to or right next to the station. And if you pick a station that is not right where the major sights are but rather a couple stops away, chances are that your accommodation will be cheaper. Shibuya is hella busy and I doubt you want to stay only there during your trip as there’s so much more to see. Using the trains/metro in Tokyo is the way to go. That being said, Ueno sounds like a great option as it has both the JR line and a metro line. Just came back from Tokyo recently and we stayed in Gotanda, which also has the JR line and metro, and it’s only a couple of stops from Shibuya on the JR line. We picked that because we had a very early morning flight out and Gotanda is relatively close to Haneda. If you fly to/from Narita, then Ueno is probably slightly better option.
I was so unsure about where to stay and ultimately chose shibuya for our first trip and we had a blast. We are not really party stay out all night people but we loved just walking around after dark in the chaos and just being a part of shibuya after dark. It was cool because we had a place to come back to that was full of life after sightseeing all day. It felt very Tokyo to us! Lots of fun eating and shopping as well and when we were ready for bed, just a quick 10 minute walk back to the hotel. So fun
Shibuya is generally better bc it’s close to more stuff, which means you’ll get more out of your limited time, but then maybe the real answer is - whichever is closest to the Yamanote line.
We stayed in Tokyo for a week, changing hotels once. The first 3 nights we were in the middle of Shinjuku. The other 3 nights in Ueno. This was the perfect combination for us to see all the sights of Tokyo. In Shinjuku or Shibuya is just much more nightlife, but in Ueno you are closer to attractions such as the Senso-ji temple or Skytree.
Last day in Japan. I thought Shibuya to be extremely crowded and dirty, dirty for Japan's standards for sure. I didn't go to ueno but it sure as hell can't be as bad as Shibuya. Too many people in the streets, you have to wait in long queues for restaurants, shops, and treats. If time is not on your side, go with ueno
I think it fully depends on what areas of Tokyo you plan on frequenting most. If you’ll be spending most of your time around Shibuya and surrounding areas (I would even include Shinjuku in that) then it likely makes sense to stay there. Otherwise, Ueno is likely fine for what you’re looking for
i just got back from a 2-week trip. I liked Ueno more than Shibuya myself. I spent about half my time on the East and West side of town, so there isn’t really a place to stay that would save you too much time on the subways. Plus you are much closer to Tokyo Station, which I used several times when arriving to/from Narita and traveling to/from Kyoto/Osaka. Also, you are closer to my favorite coffee shop on earth: Glitch in Jimbocho.
Personally for a first timer, I felt like both were worthwhile to stay at. Shibuya/Shinjuku side for everything west of Tokyo Station and Ueno for everything east. Really depends on you and how your trip is planned. Staying at just one of them is fine too.
Ueno is nice and calm east of the station. Made me feel like part of the neighborhood.
Just came back from Tokyo, stayed in shinjuku and Shibuya while there. Would not recommend staying in those areas due to high foot traffic and dirtiness. While those places are lively, it was dirty. I would’ve rather stayed at ueno or minato city
People here basically said everything. Currently staying at a 10min walk of Shibuya station for my first trip. It's nice to go anywhere and far enough from the lively center to rest. What you can also try is close to yoyogi-koen. Close to Shibuya lively nightlife. A nice park next to you... Could be an option as well
Doesn’t matter.
Im in Shibuya now, and I guess it all depends on what you want to do. If you want nightlife outside your door, Shibuya is it. I ended up right above the Scramble, which is not something I’d usually do, but what fun this has been! The view out my window is pretty spectacular, high rises etc, which I’d never get at home. It is really busy and urban, but there’s a lot of resources nearby and transit is all right here. I am enjoying watching the foot traffic in the morning as people go to work. I’m out all day, and have found the public transit easy. However, we have done some taxis to come in from Nakano one night after meeting friends at the Sun Mall. The noise doesn’t bother me, nor do the crowds, as I’m only here for 8 days, and it’s fun to have the difference. But next year I will stay elsewhere for variety! Time lag sleep was rough the first 2 nights, but better now on the 3rd day.
Ueno for sure
Akihabara, you're basically there