Neighbourhood or Neighborhood? Both Are Correct
Learn which spelling to use, then distinguish Tokyo neighborhood names, ward addresses and stations when choosing a hotel or planning a day.
Both spellings are correct: “neighbourhood” is British English; “neighborhood” is American English. They mean the same thing—an area of a town or city, or the people who live there. Cambridge Dictionary lists them as UK and US forms of the same word.
For your own writing, choose the spelling that matches your audience and keep it consistent. This guide uses neighborhood.
These two sentences convey exactly the same meaning:
- British English: “Which Tokyo neighbourhood should I stay in?”
- American English: “Which Tokyo neighborhood should I stay in?”
In Tokyo, the place name matters more than the spelling
When comparing hotels or planning a day, distinguish the area, the ward or city name in the address, and the station. Each tells you something different about where you will be.
A useful example is Nabeshima Shoto Park. Tokyo’s official visitor guide places it in the Shoto district of Shibuya Ward, while its English address reads 2-10-7 Shoto, Shibuya City, Tokyo. The same listing gives Shinsen Station, on the Keio Inokashira Line, as its access point and estimates an eight-minute walk. Here, “Shoto,” “Shibuya City,” and “Shinsen Station” identify the district, the ward and the access station respectively. GO TOKYO’s park listing
By contrast, if your destination is Shibuya Scramble Crossing, JNTO directs visitors toward Shibuya Station’s Hachiko exit, the exit closest to the crossing. That is a more useful navigation instruction than simply “go to the Shibuya neighborhood.” JNTO’s Shibuya guide
What to check before choosing a base
Use neighborhood names to make a shortlist, then check each hotel’s exact location:
- Map the full address, rather than relying on the area label.
- Check the nearest station and its lines, not just the best-known station nearby.
- Find the recommended exit and check the remaining walk to the entrance.
- Compare transfers for your planned days before treating two hotels in the same broad area as equally convenient.
For the actual stay decision, use our Tokyo neighborhood comparison. Once you have a hotel address, our large-station navigation guide helps you plan around the exit you need.