Living In Kachidoki & Shinkawa Tokyo For Foreigners

Kachidoki & Shinkawa are two districts located in the Chuo Ward of Tokyo. They are both located on islands by the Sumida River, which makes them an excellent choice if you want to be in the city center, but be separated from the highways, bustling business streets and have some of the best cityscape views in this part of the town. 

Shinkawa

Tsukuda and Shinkawa at Sumida River by nakashi is licensed under CC BY 2.0 

Shinkawa is a small island, located just across the Kabachyo district on the west, and Eitai on the east. It's connected to these and other areas of Tokyo by the Keijo Line and Tokyo Metro Tozai Line. Several bus stations are also dotted across the island.  

Shinkawa isn't a tourist hotspot as it doesn't offer many attractions. The lack of crowds makes it a lovely choice as a residential center. Shinkawa Park is the most recognizable spot, and the green area spreads across the western side of the island. It's home to more than 50 cherry trees and is particularly beautiful in the spring, but the waterside breeze and stunning views of the Sumida River are just as attractive all year round. 

Shinkawa is a superb choice for families, as it's home to a Japanese language school, Echizenbori Children's Park, and an elementary school. Residents have access to several convenience stores, such as Family Mart and 7-Eleven. 

If you want to rent in Shinkawa, you can expect the average monthly rate of a studio apartment to range from 80,000 ($728) to 200,000 yen ($1,821), depending on the size. The average price for a two-bedroom apartment is between 200,000 ($1,872) and 300,000 yen ($2,808).

Kachidoki 

Kachidoki canals by Raita Futo is licensed under CC BY 2.0 

Kachidoki sits south of Shinikawa, between the Tsukushima and Toyomi Districts. Kachidoki Station is easily accessible by the Toei Oedo Line. Since this line was established, many residential buildings and commercial facilities opened to attract new residents. However, since it's surrounded by rivers, it still offers a much more neighborly and quiet atmosphere than other areas of Chuo Ward. 

Kachidoki Bridge is the most popular attraction of the area and considered the most interesting of the 27 bridges on the Sumida River. Just next to the bridge sits the Kachidoki Bridge Museum, where you can see old photos, memorabilia and presentations about the structure. Much like Shinkawa, Kachidoki is family-friendly and offers two kindergartens, an elementary school, and a large kids park. There are also several convenience stores as well as unique specialty stores and restaurants. 

Since most of the buildings are new, the rent in Kachidoki is a bit higher than the Tokyo average. It starts at 160,000 yen ($1,457) for a one-bedroom apartment and goes all the way up to 500,000 yen ($4,555) for larger and more luxurious dwellings. 

Wrapping Up 

Kachidoki & Shinkawa are two districts occupying islands on the Sumida River. Over the past two decades, they have both been redeveloped as residential neighborhoods and offer modern apartments, commercial facilities, and educational buildings, which makes them particularly attractive for families. Their proximity and excellent connectivity to other Tokyo neighborhoods is also a good base for workers commuting to Chuo Ward and Sumida Ward. 

Sources: Tokyocheapo, Real Estate Japan, Plaza Homes, Wikipedia, Tripadvisor, Rome2rio

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