Things you should know

Shinjuku, a city within a city, is centred around JR Shinjuku station. Shinjuku is one of the world’s busiest train hubs with the numerous JR, metro and private railway lines running through. It is difficult to paint Shinjuku with one broad brush – towards the east side is a rich shopping experience with several famous department stores (Takashimaya, Isetan, Marui, etc.) West of JR Shinjuku is the office district and is home to numerous famous hotels including the Hilton and the Park Hyatt where “Lost in translation” was filmed.

North of the station is Kabukicho, the nightlife and entertainment district. The south of the station centred around the recently developed southern terrace is relatively quiet with several office buildings, hotels and restaurants. There are several big parks in Shinjuku to enjoy the greens – they are especially pretty in spring (cherry blossom) and in fall. Surrounding Shinjuku are If you like to be at the centre of shopping and entertainment, Shinjuku may be the place for you. Despite this, there are numerous neighbourhoods in the area that are away from the hustle and bustle, yet offer the convenience of accessing the amenities close by.

Investment View

Shinjuku is a popular neighbourhood for the mass-affluent and international community. Demand for properties in Shinjuku-ku has historically been strong with limited new supply. Occupancy has historically been high and depending on age, apartments go on sale between the 3%-5% yield range. Given the popularity of Shinjuku as a tourist destination, investment properties have historically been popular with those wanting to engage in holiday lets. However new regulations have been passed and while still possible, there are more restrictions on holiday lets. With the caveat that depending on where in Shinjuku one looks (for example, some areas such as ni-chome in the middle of the entertainment district may be noisy at night), apartments are generally highly appealing as an investment.