What Is Shin-Ōkubo Station Area Like?

When moving to a new place, how do you choose which area to live in?
We all have different priorities as to what makes a place comfortable: public security, accessibility to schools and work places, abundance in shopping facilities, etc. No matter the preference, it is often difficult to find a suitable area without acquiring enough understanding of the place in advance.

In this article, I’ll tell you about the public transportation and atmosphere of the Shin-Ōkubo Station area.
To those who are interested in the Shin-Ōkubo Station area, or are on the lookout for a good place to live in―this may be the article for you.

What Is Shin-Ōkubo Station Like?

The Shin-Ōkubo Station area, which lies in Shinjuku Ward, is known as the “Korean Town” of Japan. Many Korean restaurants stand side-by-side near this station. Other than restaurants, there are also many Korean idol shops, supermarkets that sell Korean groceries, and cosmetic stores. A great number of the staff are actually from Korea, so the place almost gives you the feeling that you’re visiting South Korea.
As a lesser known fact, there are also many shops that sell products from other Asian countries. The town itself is densely populated by foreign people.

Public Transport and Accessibility of Shin-Ōkubo Station

≪Trains Running Through Shin-Ōkubo Station≫
(1)JR Yamanote Line

≪Approximate Travel Time from Shin-Ōkubo Station to Central Stations≫
– Shinjuku Station: 3 min (0 transfers)
– Tokyo Station: 20 min (1 transfer)
– Roppongi Station: 16 min (1 transfer)
– Shinagawa Station: 21 min (0 transfers)
– Ikebukuro Station: 6 min (0 transfers)
– Shibuya Station: 9 min (0 transfers)

You can reach almost any central station by using the Yamanote Line. Ōkubo Station along the JR Sōbu Line is also available, about a 5-minute walk away from Shin-Ōkubo.
If you don’t mind doing a little exercise, then Shinjuku Station is reachable on foot. There will always be stores to see along the way, so the walk shouldn’t be too boring.

Popular Restaurants around Shin-Ōkubo Station

(1) Jongno Hotok
A common street snack in South Korea. There is a snack that has a similar name called hat-do-geu, but this is a completely different food.
Hat-do-geu is more like a Korean version of corn dogs in America. It has stretchy cheese inside, and you eat it with various types of sauces.
As for Hotoks, they are snacks shaped like pancakes and have black sugar or bean paste inside them.
I really recommend Hotoks. They are a good walk-and-eat type of snack.
●Restaurant Information
Address: 1 Chome-12-6 Okubo, Shinjuku City, Tokyo
Opening Hours: 11:00Am~around 10:00 PM
Regular Holidays: Open all year round

(2)Poongkum
Among the many Korean restaurants dispersed in this area, I’d like to tell you about this authentic Korean pub, located a mere 5-minute walk from Shin-Ōkubo Station. Their lunch buffet offers various types of Korean cuisine for 1,200 yen. For an additional 600 yen, you will be entitled to an all-you-can-eat buffet of Samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly). As for dinner, a popular menu item is the cheese dak galbi (grilled chicken and vegetables with cheese), but my personal recommendation would be the fried udon with seafood, or the set of rice and Yukgaejang Gukbap (spicy rice soup topped with beef).
●Restaurant Information
Address: Tokyo, Shinjuku City, Okubo, 1 Chome−10−15 2F
Opening Hours: 11:00 AM~00:00(L.O.11:00PM)
[Lunch] 11:00 AM~4:00 PM(L.O.3:15PM)
Regular Holidays: Open all year round
Store Link: https://www.pungumu.com/

Main Shopping Facilities in Shin-Ōkubo Station Area

●Supermarket
My Basket Shin-Ōkubo Station front (7:00~12:00 AM) 1 min walk from station
Gyomu Super Shinjuku Okubo Store (9:00 AM~9:45 PM) 2 min walk from station
Seoul Market (9:00 AM~11:50 PM) 3 min walk from station
Seoul Market is composed of supermarkets that sell Korean foods and drinks, unique to the Shin-Ōkubo area, Tokyo’s Korean Town.

●Drugstore (Medical supplies & Daily Life Essentials)
Matsumoto Kiyoshi Shin-Ōkubo Station front (open 24hours) 1 min walk from station
Kokumin Drug Shin-Ōkubo (10:00 AM~11:00 PM) 2 min walk from station.
The 24-hour open Matsumoto Kiyoshi should come in handy in daily life.

●Other Large Scale Shopping Facilities
Although there is no large scale shopping complex in Shin-Ōkubo, the place has numerous charms for fans of Korean culture.
Here, you can enjoy eating around, eating delicious Samgeopsal, or go shop for savory and spicy instant noodles to give to friends and family.

Rental Market Value in Shin-Ōkubo Station Area

●General Rent Values From A Current Real Estate Agent
[For Singles] Separate Bath and Toilet/ 2nd floor and above/ 1K
▹10 min walk from station⇒95,000 yen~
▹15 min walk from station⇒92,000 yen~

[For Couples] Separate Bath and Toilet/ 2nd floor and above/ 1LDK
▹10 min walk from station⇒153,000 yen~
▹15 min walk from station⇒149,000 yen~

[For Families] Separate Bath and Toilet/ 2nd floor and above/ 2LDK
▹10 min walk from station⇒205,000 yen~
▹15 min walk from station⇒200,000 yen~

Some of the properties here are fairly reasonable, considering they are located within walking distance from Shinjuku Station. However the living environment greatly varies depending on which part of the town you choose. I’d advise you to take a look at the surrounding environment in addition to contemplating the price.

Was this article helpful?
Tokyo’s Korean Town, Shin-Ōkubo has a distinct atmosphere compared to other towns in Tokyo. I myself have been living in Shin-Ōkubo for around two years, and can assure you that I have encountered no issues at all.
More articles are available for other station areas, so be sure to check them out to find your ideal location.