Where I Am: Nakano - Suburb of Shinjuku

While it is certainly possible to live within central Tokyo, surrounded by the Yamanote line, depending on the area, the rents for small apartments can rival those of, I'm guessing, New York. Some apartments I've sent for rent in the Azabu area or the better parts of Roppongi or Akasaka rent for upwards of 120,000 yen a month. That's at least a $1000US, and for only a one room apartment. Of course for some people proximity to their work and shopping might be a priority, but for those with less options, life in the suburbs (or adjoining prefectures) is a necessity.

I chose to live in Nakano because it lies on a metro line that takes me into Shinjuku in 7 minutes, and only 3 stops, on the Marunouchi line. My office, where I work, is within walking distance of the Akasaka stop of this line, and when I was interviewing for my current position, I was told to find someplace along this line.

I also needed to find somewhere which would rent to foreigners and where I would not need to put up hefty deposits just to guarantee the apartment. As this was my first time living in such a big city (recall the towns I used to live in here in Japan were no bigger than 30,000 people, with the last one no more than 8000 full-time residents), I didn't want to lock myself into a particular area or apartment with a full deposit (2 months in some places), that I might forfeit if I ended my contract too early.

Proximity to a metro station was also important: as much as cheap rent would mean more Japanese sake and sushi, I knew from experience that having access to public transportation within walking distance was a given. Recall that even in Lyon the bus literally stopped right in front of my apartment.

And so, here I am, living near Shin-Nakano, which is actually a bustling area with lots of shops and restaurants and eateries, many of them 24-hour chain restaurants. I hadn't counted on this when I chose this area to live in, but I consider myself lucky. Since I finish late, it's nice knowing that there are convenience stores where I can pick up a late bite; supermarkets that stay open until 12 midnight, or 4 AM, or 24 hours. Even in a pinch I can eat at Matsuya, the arch-rival of Yoshinoya serving flavored-beef bowls.

Sometime soon I'll up some pictures of the area.

=======