Which Tokyo submarket has the best commute economics?

Marunouchi & Otemachi typically combines the deepest transit access with the highest rent premium. Shibuya is the practical alternative — strong access at materially lower rent.

JR Yamanote loop plus 13 metro lines connect every Class A address.

JR Yamanote loop plus 13 metro lines connect every Class A address.
Trophy submarket is Marunouchi & Otemachi — anchor for the highest-density Class A.
Shibuya offers a strong commute alternative at lower rent.
Commute mapping should be done on real headcount postcode data, not abstract isochrones.

Tokyo office transit and commute

JR Yamanote loop plus 13 metro lines connect every Class A address.

TL;DR

JR Yamanote loop plus 13 metro lines connect every Class A address.
Trophy submarket is Marunouchi & Otemachi — anchor for the highest-density Class A.
Shibuya offers a strong commute alternative at lower rent.
Commute mapping should be done on real headcount postcode data, not abstract isochrones.

Network overview

JR Yamanote loop plus 13 metro lines connect every Class A address. Shinkansen termini at Tokyo, Shinagawa, and Ueno support inter-city corporate networks.

Submarket-by-submarket

**Marunouchi & Otemachi** — Tokyo Station (Shinkansen + 4 metro lines), Otemachi Station (5 metro lines). **Azabudai & Roppongi** — Roppongi Station (Hibiya / Oedo), Kamiyacho (Hibiya), Azabu-juban (Namboku / Oedo). **Shibuya** — Shibuya Station (JR Yamanote, JR Saikyo, JR Shonan-Shinjuku, Ginza, Hanzomon, Fukutoshin, Den-en-toshi, Inokashira). **Shinjuku** — Shinjuku Station (12 lines). **Shinagawa** — Shinagawa Station (Tokaido Shinkansen, JR Yamanote, JR Keihin-Tohoku, JR Tokaido, Keikyu).

Practical guidance

Commute time has hardened from a soft amenity to a leasing variable. In Tokyo, expect a measurable rent premium for buildings within 5 minutes' walk of a major rail terminus. Run an isochrone map across your actual headcount postcodes before shortlisting buildings — not after.

Key facts

city	Tokyo
country	Japan
region	APAC
classARentLocal	50000 JPY/sqft/yr
classARentUsd	$113/sqft/yr
vacancy	4.6%
typicalLeaseYears	5
typicalRentFreeMonths	4
submarkets	6
primeYieldPct	3%
trophySubmarket	Marunouchi & Otemachi

Frequently asked questions

Which Tokyo submarket has the best commute economics?: Marunouchi & Otemachi typically combines the deepest transit access with the highest rent premium. Shibuya is the practical alternative — strong access at materially lower rent.

Editorial provenance

Reviewed by Kenji Watanabe — APAC contributing editor. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.

Primary sources for this page

CBRE Marketview reports — CBRE
JLL Office Insight — JLL
Cushman & Wakefield Marketbeat — Cushman & Wakefield
Savills World Research — Savills
Colliers Global Office Outlook — Colliers

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