My family and I (American) are moving to Japan in the next month for a 2 year period for work. We have 3 small children (oldest is 2 and also 9-month old twins). We have found a building we like in Mita that has a balance of everything we are looking for- large space for the kids, bilingual concierge, on-site gym, and proximity to my new office.
Given the long hours I will be working already, we have been prioritizing proximity to the office above everything else, as my time with my children will already be minimized, and so I am looking for a short commute so that I can see them as much as possible.
I have been advised (by 1 person) that Shibuya-ku, Meguro-ku, and Chuo-ku might be better for families, but the only apartments we have found there that meet our needs (wants, I guess) were in Shibuya and Meguro and would be a 40 minute or longer commute to work each way. I’ve looked at several Japan guides but not been able to find much detail on what life is like in Mita beyond a cursory overview, does anyone here have experience with what the day to day would be like, and why someone might consider the other areas listed better for families than Mita/Minato?
Thanks very much!
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**Advice on moving to Mita District in Minato-ku with small children?**
My family and I (American) are moving to Japan in the next month for a 2 year period for work. We have 3 small children (oldest is 2 and also 9-month old twins). We have found a building we like in Mita that has a balance of everything we are looking for- large space for the kids, bilingual concierge, on-site gym, and proximity to my new office.
I have been advised that Shibuya-ku, Meguro-ku, and Chuo-ku might be better for families, but the only apartments we have found there that meet our needs (wants, I guess) were in Shibuya and Meguro and would be a 40 minute or longer commute to work each way. I’ve looked at several Japan guides but not been able to find much detail on what life is like in Mita beyond a cursory overview, does anyone here have experience with what the day to day would be like, and why someone might consider the other areas listed better for families than Mita/Minato?
Thanks very much!
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First, each ward will have many different residential and commercial areas so comparisons at the Ward level are not recommended. But of the wards you mention Chuo Ward is the least family friendly. The buildings are all quite tall and the whole area feels cavernous and dark. There are fewer parks and nursery schools, for example, in Chuo Ward than in many other wards.
Second, as a real estate agent I usually recommend detached houses to foreign families with 2 or more children. Noise complaints can lead to major conflicts in apartment buildings. Most people exclude them from their initial search but you can actually find detached houses in parts of Shibuya, Minato and Meguro. A house for a family your size may cost something like $5000 per month in Shibuya or Minato but $3000 per month in Meguro.
Third, the Mita neighborhood in Minato is right next to a highway overpass, and so the neighborhood feels uneven, strangely put together. There are some good places there, and some parts to be avoided. Nevertheless, Mita is walking distance to some of the best International schools in Japan. For that reason alone you will find many foreign families living in the neighborhood.
Mita is nice, don’t worry about it. Very convenient to various expat hubs and schools, easy shopping, good food, relatively quiet. The Shirokane-Mita-Tamachi cluster is my favorite corner of the city for laid back easy living.