Name: Yotsuya
Kind: Town/City
Location: 35°41’08.42″ N 139°43’46.32″ E
Stations: Metro Yotsuya Station, Yotsuya-sanchome Station, Marunouchi Line or Namboku Line
Free Wifi: Yes
Our Rating: ⭑⭑⭑
Worth it? For a quick look, or for Sophia University, or to Akasaka
Updated 2/13/2021
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Access
To get to Yotsuya take the Marunouchi Line to Yotsuya Station and exit. There’s an atré shopping complex over the station. The station is right at the area’s main intersection. You can also walk from either Shinjuku to the west or from Akasaka from the south. If you take the Marunouchi Line you can also exit Yotsuya-sanchome Station one station to the west between Yotsuya and Shinjuku.
Area Layout
The central intersection in Yotsuya is Rt. 405 (Sotobori Dori) and Rt. 20 (Shinjuku Dori). The station is just on the northeast corner. To the east down Rt. 20 is the main center area where Sophia Univerity is. If you take 20 farther east it will lead you directly into Hanzoman and the Imperial Palace. To the south at the 415-405 split is Akasaka Palace which gives free tours when available. If you take 405 further southeast from there, you will arrive in Akasaka/Nagatcho where the central gov’t is located. Akasaka is a lively area and well worth a look on its own. 405 south past the split into Akasaka is a long gradual slope which cruises past the New Otani Hotel to the east. This slope makes for an interesting bike ride. The hotel has a renowned garden and a sky restaurant on top. If you head west on 20 several miles, you will eventually come to the central area of Shinjuku, which is one of the busiest parts of Tokyo. The walk from Yotsuya to Shinjuku is around 2.5 miles.
There are plenty of restaurants + cafés in Yotsuya as well – most notably St. Marc’s Café on the southwest corner of the intersection.
The central intersection facing east on Rt. 20. Sophia University is straight ahead. Rt. 405 south to Akasaka is to the right.
Yotsuya layout. The central intersection is center left, with Akasaka Palace just below it. Akasaka itself is in the lower-right corner with Rt. 405 running east-west then heading north. The New Otani Hotel is on the right in the green area at the 405 bend. Out of frame to the right (east) is the Imperial Palace. At the very north end of Yotsuya is the Japan Ministry of Defense.
Rt. 405 seen facing north in Asakasa. Head left here for Yotsuya.
The 405 intersection in Akasaka facing west. Head west up this road for Yotsuya. Akasaka is to the left.
Cruising up Rt. 405 on bike from Akasaka to Yotsuya at dusk. The New Otani Hotel is just out of frame to the right.
Walking up Rt. 405 north from Akasaka to Yotsuya in fall 2019. Akasaka Palace is just up the street to the left.
At Sophia University facing back west towards the main intersection. The station is just out of frame to the right.
After heading west on Rt. 20 for several miles, you’ll be in Yotsuya-Sanchome. Make this crossing and continue west (left) to get to Shinjuku. Directly behind the camera is a MOS Burger.
Shinmichi Dori Street
Just west of Yotsuya Station across the street is the entrance to a narrow side street called Shinmichi Dori Street. This street is lined with hundreds of small but upscale restaurants and noodle shops. Well worth a walk.
Just 1/2 mile or so down Rt. 405 to the south is the Akasaka Palace – part of the imperial properties. When not in use, the gov’t normally provides free tours of the palace which is well worth a visit. To get there, just walk down Rt. 405 south on the right hand side of the street, then at the Rt. 415 split head right, then left at the next street for the entrance.
Co-working Spaces
There are plenty of co-working spaces to chose from in Yotsuya – the most notable being Moboff (yes, places have names like that in Japan). There is also offices.co in the Tokyu Yotsuya Building and a WeWork . Like Book•Off and other “Off” type places, in Japan the word “Off” is short for “Offload”. So Book•Off means “Offload your books” and Moboff means “Offload your mob” – or in this case, your workforce. No, just kidding – Moboff more likely is a contraction for “Mobile Office” (Japanese love contractions of words – it’s one of the ways they save typing + shorten information).
Conclusion
Well that’s it. While Yotsuya isn’t a large area with lots to do, it’s still interesting + is centrally located to enough stuff that is. You can visit it as a short side trip to Akasuka, or on your way east from Shinjuku. The walk around Sophia University campus is nice too. If you’re in the area, check it out.
LINKS
https://www.japanvisitor.com/japan-city-guides/japan-stations/yotsuyastation
http://www.yotsuya.moboff.jp/en/
https://offices.co/japan/tokyo/41452/
VIDS