Check out Osaki in south central Tokyo

Name: Osaki

Kind: City

Where: 35°37’13″N 139°43’32″E

Address: 1 Chome-6-5 Osaki, Shinagawa City, Tokyo 141-0032, Japan

Map: https://shorturl.at/0OPg2

Station: Osaki Station

Free Wifi: Yes

Worth it? A must-see.

Osaki is a small subcity in south-central Tokyo, just west of legendary Shinagawa, and directly south of Gotanda on the west side of Tokyo Bay.

It’s one of the nicest cities in Tokyo, and there’s a lot to do here.

Also just to the north is Meguro. All 3 areas are within walking distance for most people.

Don’t confuse Osaki, Tokyo with the city of the same name in Miyagi prefecture.

The station is absolutely gorgeous, and is one of those JR stations which wraps around with outdoor walkways and tree-lined streets, not unlike Odaiba or Shiodome.

Like Shinagawa, Osaki has been transformed in the past 20 years into a new vibrant business and lifestyle hub – driven mostly by Mitsui Fudosan and Mori Construction.

Two big attractions

The two big attractions in the area are GATE CITY OHSAKI, and Ohsaki New City.

GATE CITY OHSAKI has an epic cherry-blossom-lined walk along the Meguro River, and in fact, you can walk it all the way back up to Meguro if you’re in the mood.

There are 1/2 a dozen gardens in GCO and inside you’ll find a spectacular atrium and a huge shopping center. There are also restaurants. There’s an info desk on the 1st floor, a Japan Post office, and 3 banks.

For food there’s a Dotour, a LAWSON, Family Mart, and Tomod’s drug store. There’s a Starbucks, and over a dozen nice independent restaurants. If you’ve been walking for 15 miles and are ready to slam down some serious sweets, check out La Maison Ensoleille Table.

Just beyond GCO to the east is Ohsaki New City which is somewhat smaller, but definitely worth a look too.

There’s a nice complex just to the south called Sony City Osaki, but unfortunately its been closed. Around the Sony complex is Osaki Westgate Park.

But that’s not all there is to do. There’s the Meguro River and its surrounding green areas, and the local streets around the station are also fascinating with lots of little shops and restaurants. There are also plenty of great hotels in the area, many of which are affordable if you go in off-tourist season.

You can spend a day walking around and have a great time exploring. Unlike most cities in Tokyo, the main road in Osaki runs in a semi-circle, making it easy to circumnavigate the town quickly.

A hidden gem: Togoshi-ginza Shopping Street

If you’re willing to walk several miles south and west from Osaki Station, you’ll come upon Togoshi-ginza Shopping Street. This is one of the best-kept cultural secrets in Tokyo – it goes on for miles, is well-kept, and has an endless array of shops, restaurants, and other attractions. And it’s open-air.

Plus, halfway through you’ll cross a main north-south highway, which is pleasant to walk along in its own right. If you want to see Togoshi-ginza Shopping Street, plan on an extra day, or 1/2 day at least if you take a cab into the area. You can always take a cab in and walk back, or vice-versa. But either way, be ready to walk – a lot.

There is a Togoshi Ginza Station, but you’ll need to change trains several times to get to the Tokyu Ikegami Line to get there. The station was remodeled in 2015 and now has an awesome wood facadé to resemble old wooden Japanese rail stations.

Togoshi-ginza is reminiscent of the shopping street walk in Kagurazaka, Kawagoe, or in Narita, but it’s much longer.

In fact, it’s surprising it’s not more well-known or promoted like some of the more common tourist walking areas in Tokyo such as Asakusa or Ginza, given its size and appeal.

It’s well worth a look if you’re in Osaki – as you won’t find a bigger shopping street in Tokyo and the quality of the experience is great. If you’re looking for traditional Japanese culture, it’s a lot of fun.

Try to time your visit so you arrive a few hours before sundown – so you get both the daytime view, and the night vibe, which makes it all the better.

Access

Osaki Station is on the main JR Yamanote Line which circles Tokyo so getting to Osaki is easy.

You can also take the Shōnan–Shinjuku Line, or the Saikyō Line. The later will take you all the way up into Shinjuku, and Itabashi to the north. For Odaiba or the other islands in Tokyo Bay you can take the Rinkai Line, which also stops at Shiodome.

In fact, Osaki Station is in between the Shinagawa and Gotanda stations on the Yamanote Line.

Osaki Station is massive and gorgeous, but it’s actually one of the oldest rail stations in Japan – even predating Tokyo, Shimbashi, and Ueno stations by 15 years. Built in 1901 it was recently remodeled in 2016. There’s loads to do inside the station itself.

Osaki Station is also one of the few JR stations which allow access to both the JR station and the Rinkai Line within the same fare gates – meaning if you want to switch lines you don’t need to exit/re-enter and pay twice: simply change platforms.

The station also has 3 soundproof work pods you can hop into and rent if you need to get some work done.

Corporate + Apartments

Osaki is home to many corporate HQ of Japanese and foreign companies, but most of all it’s home to the HQ of the awesome MOS Burger. If you haven’t had MOS Burger yet, you will when you come to Tokyo.

If you’re looking for a short-term corporate apartment to rent in Osaki, there are lots of really nice ones, but be prepared to throw $3-$4K a month around. If you’re loaded with cash the lifestyle is worth the cost, but if you’re like most people a simple monthly serviced apartment or even a long stay in a cheap hotel is a better option.

Ken Corporation has English-speaking leasing agents who can help you locate an apartment.

Hotels

While the hotels in the area are a bit expensive, good deals can be had. If you can reserve 2 months out or more, you won’t have trouble finding rooms under or around $100 USD/night. If you need to go soon, expect to pay a bit more. Some of the top hotels can go for up to $800 or more per night, unless you plan your trip 3 months or more in advance.

Top cheap picks

Here are some of the top cheap places to stay as of fall ’24:

Wasabi Mita Hotel ($96)

Do-C Gotanda ($107)

Capsule Inn Hamamatsucho (a bit north of Shinagawa) ($118)

Guest House Shinagawa-shuku (Women-only) ($123)

Hotel Route Inn Furukawa Ekimae ($43)

Hotel Select Inn Furukawa (A little down-scale) ($26)

Naruko Hotel (Hard to book, but mega-food)

And of course, the legend – APA:

APA Hotel Shinagawa Sengakuji Eki-Mae ($83) which is just a bit northeast of Gotanda also in Shinagawa. If you’re looking for the best hotel bang for the buck within a short walking distance, APA is it, as usual. You can always stay in Shinagawa and take the Yamanote down to Osaki. APA are always nice, and the one in Shinagawa looks exactly like the one near Ueno Station on the inside. “Ekimae” means “at the station” so always look for this key term when searching hotels in Japan. APA Hotel Shinagawa Sengakuji Eki-Mae also has a currency exchange nearby. You can’t go wrong in Tokyo on $83/night.

Enjoy!