The news site "SUUMO Journal", operated by Recruit Co., Ltd., conducted a survey on themes related to housing and living. In this article, based on the results of the "SUUMO Most Desired Town (Station) Ranking 2024 Metropolitan Area Edition", we will introduce stations on the JR Yamanote Line where the average rent is reasonable. 

Which stations have low average rents on the Tokyo "JR Yamanote Line"? Announcing the ranking 

Ranking of JR Yamanote Line's 30 stations with low average rent 2024 edition

The popular JR Yamanote Line, which also ranked high in SUUMO's "Desirable Town Ranking" 2024. Many lines extending in all directions from the city center enter the stations along the line, including Tokyo Station and Shinjuku Station, making it a key part of the Tokyo transportation network. Therefore, the rent market price for rental properties suitable for single living (exclusive area of 10 square meters or more and less than 40 square meters, studio apartment, one bedroom with kitchen, or one bedroom with dining and kitchen) within a 15-minute walk from each station is ranked in order of cheaper stations, as shown in the figure above. Let's introduce the details.

The most popular are "Mejiro Station" and "Tabata Station"! Average rent is 88,000 yen  

The two stations with the lowest average rent on the JR Yamanote Line, Mejiro Station and Tabata Station, both with an average rent of 88,000 yen, ranked first.

Mejiro Station: Quiet living environment and excellent academic facilities  

Firstly, Mejiro Station in Toshima Ward is a standalone station where no other JR lines or other company's lines enter except for the Yamanote Line. Unusually for the JR Yamanote Line, only two of the 30 stations are standalone stations: Shin-Okubo Station (ranked 11th with an average rent of 98,500 yen) and Mejiro Station. Perhaps because of this, the area around the station has a calm atmosphere compared to Takadanobaba Station (ranked 4th with an average rent of 91,500 yen) and Ikebukuro Station (ranked 8th with an average rent of 93,000 yen), which are located on either side of Mejiro on Yamanote line. Another characteristic is the large number of educational institutions such as high schools, universities, and vocational schools, with the campus of Gakushuin University spread out on the east side of the station. If you move away from the Mejiro-dori Avenue in front of the station, you will find a quiet residential area, which seems to be good for those seeking a quiet life. On the other hand, it is also a location where you can walk to the front of Takadanobaba and Ikebukuro stations, which are bustling with various commercial facilities, in about 15 minutes.

Tabata Station: A secluded atmosphere and a comfortable environment 

Another station that also ranked first, Tabata Station in Kita Ward, is accessible by the JR Yamanote Line and the Keihin Tohoku Line. To the northwest of the station, there is a vehicle base where several railway lines run parallel, and you can see Shinkansen, locomotives, and freight trains from the bridge in front of the station or through the fence of the vehicle base. The south exit of the station is a small and unassuming structure that doesn't seem like a JR Yamanote Line station, more like a local line station. In 2023, it was selected as a checkpoint for the stamp rally "Tokyo 23 Wards Hidden Station Rally" held by JR East Japan, and it might be worth a visit for its rustic atmosphere, which even JR itself endorses as a "hidden station" despite being in Tokyo. There are no large commercial facilities such as shopping malls around the station, but there are several convenience stores and supermarkets, and since two lines are available, you won't have trouble with daily shopping. The rent is also relatively low, so Tabata Station was ranked 16th in the "SUUMO Most Wanted Town (Station) Ranking 2024 Metropolitan Area Edition" in the "Hidden Gem Town (Station) Ranking".

North area of the JR Yamanote Line, full of attractive stations! 

Nishi-Nippori Station: A comfortable and fulfilling living environment

If you walk south along the railway line from Tabata Station's south exit for about 10 minutes, you will reach Nishi-Nippori Station, located in Arakawa Ward, ranked third. The average rent at Nishi-Nippori Station, which is 89,000 yen, is served by JR's Yamanote Line and Keihin Tohoku Line, Nippori-Toneri Liner, and the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line, which also passes through Otemachi Station, Kasumigaseki Station, and Omotesando Station. The fact that there are many eateries around the station that can be used casually, such as coffee shops and soba shops inside the JR station that are open from morning till night, is a pleasure for those who don't cook much. In addition to convenience stores, supermarkets, and drugstores, if you walk south from the station for about 10 minutes, you will find the "Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street", where about 60 shops line a street of about 170m. The presence of a popular shopping street bustling with tourists who come to enjoy the variety of stores, including grocery stores, eateries, and miscellaneous goods stores, as well as locals, is attractive.

The northern area is also attractive for other stations 

Looking at the rankings from the 4th place, the 4th place is Takadanobaba Station adjacent to the 1st place Mejiro Station, the 5th place is Komagome Station next to the 1st place Tabata Station, and the 6th place is Nippori Station next to the 3rd place Nishi-Nippori Station... Stations close to each other are ranked high. Looking at the top 11, 11 consecutive stations from Shin-Okubo Station to Uguisudani Station are ranked. And from the 12th place onwards, the average rent jumps to over 100,000 yen, so if you want to keep your rent under 100,000 yen, it seems a good idea to target these 11 stations located on the north side of the JR Yamanote Line for your housing search.

Recommended area on the south side of the JR Yamanote Line: Around Meguro to Takanawa Gateway 

The top-ranked stations were concentrated in the 11 stations on the north side of the JR Yamanote Line. However, there may be people who say, "I prefer cheaper rent, but I would rather live on the south side of the JR Yamanote Line if I had to choose." For such people, the recommended area is the 5 stations between Meguro Station and Takanawa Gateway Station. This section concentrates the 12th to 16th places in the ranking.

Station with the lowest average rent in the southern area: Osaki Station 

Among these five stations, the one with the lowest average rent is Osaki Station, ranked 12th. Located in Shinagawa Ward, the average rent was 103,000 yen. In addition to various JR lines such as the Yamanote Line and the Shonan Shinjuku Line, the Rinkai Line, which heads to Tokyo Teleport Station and Shinkiba Station in the Odaiba area, also serviced here. Along the passage connecting the north and south gates of the station, there are in-station commercial facilities, and clothing stores, drug stores, and restaurants are open. And if you go out of the ticket gate and proceed along the pedestrian deck on the east side of the station, you will find "Gate City Osaki" and "Osaki New City", which consist of shopping malls and office buildings. On the west side of the station, there is "ThinkPark", which also has office buildings and commercial buildings. In addition to this, around Osaki Station, office buildings and complex buildings born from recent redevelopment are lined up, and the old residential area is spread around the outskirts. Also, on the west side of the station, a 37-story above ground and 3-story underground building with housing, offices, shops, and nurseries is under construction with the goal of completion within 2025. It seems to be a city where development can be expected in the future.

What is the station that is one station away from Shinjuku Station, but the average rent is more than 20,000 yen cheaper? 

As we have seen so far, the rent market price between adjacent stations fluctuates but tends to be in a similar price range. This trend is natural given the close proximity of these areas. However, when looking at the rankings, there are stations where the rent market price drops significantly compared to the adjacent station. The biggest difference is between Shinjuku Station, ranked 24th with a rent market price of 121,000 yen, and Shin-Okubo Station, which is adjacent to it and ranked 11th. The rent market price at Shin-Okubo Station is 98,500 yen, which is 22,500 yen lower than Shinjuku Station.

The straight-line distance between Shinjuku Station and Shin-Okubo Station is about 1.3km, a walk of about 20 minutes. Despite its close proximity, Shin-Okubo Station, located in Shinjuku-ku, has a significantly more reasonable rent market price than Shinjuku Station. Like Mejiro Station, which is ranked first, Shin-Okubo Station is a standalone station served only by the JR Yamanote Line. This may be one of the reasons why the rent market price is low despite its location.

However, if you walk west from Shin-Okubo Station for about 5 minutes, you will find JR Chuo Line's Okubo Station, and the residents in the area can use two lines. The area around the station is lined with various shops and is also one of Japan's leading Koreatowns. It became known as a town where tourists visit to seek Korean goods and gourmet food, triggered by the Korean wave boom in the 2000s. There are also stores that support daily life, such as supermarkets and drugstores, and since it's about a 20-minute walk to Shinjuku Station, it might be a good idea to look for a place to live around Shin-Okubo Station when you want to live in Shinjuku but are over budget.

Survey Information

【Surveyed Stations】Stations along the JR Yamanote Line listed on SUUMO (only stations with more than 20 properties listed)

【Surveyed Properties】Properties within a 15-minute walk from the station, between 10 and 40 square meters, studio apartment, one bedroom with kitchen, or one bedroom with dining and kitchen properties (excluding fixed-term rentals), and properties built within the last 35 years

【Data Extraction Period】July 2023 - December 2023

【Rent Calculation Method】The median monthly rent, including management fees, was calculated from rental properties (apartments/condominiums) listed on SUUMO during the above period (set between 30,000 yen and 180,000 yen)

*The station and line names are those used on the SUUMO property search site