Coworking Spaces: Tokyo, Part 2

In this series of articles we review coworking spaces; this is part two for Tokyo.

In a coworking space, you’re looking for more on offer than just desks and Wi-Fi. You’ll be looking for a balance of community, facilities, and plain ol’ vibes depending on what type of business you’re engaged in and what kind of person you are. Perhaps you’re looking for a quiet place to buckle down for serious work, or maybe it’s more important to network? There’s probably the perfect coworking space to fit your needs. Let’s help you find it.

This time we are going to another three coworking spaces: S-Tokyo, CASE Shinjuku, and Basis Point Shinbashi.

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S-TOKYO (Nihombashi)

S-Tokyo is a community space for digital nomads and entrepreneurs, with partner spaces in Okinawa and Kanazawa.

I was most impressed with the events here. More than twice a week there are a variety of cultural events for members, such as a weekly free beer event and coffee breaks, and travel events are usually held once a month.

Because of the culture and travel focus, roughly 80% of the customers are foreign nationals, especially digital nomads, and all of the employees can speak English.

On the other hand, the co-working space is not huge, only having around 15 seats, so it might feel a little cramped for some. Personally, I felt that many windows make the room bright and open, and there is a rooftop garden area to relax in as well.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t have any support services for entrepreneurs, so this place is better for foreign entrepreneurs, networking, and digital nomads.

Facilities:

・Meeting rooms (available by reservation; suitable for small group sessions or client meetings)

・Open lounge and event space (2F; used for exhibitions, workshops, and casual coworking)

・Kitchen and pantry (includes refrigerator, microwave, coffee machine)

・Copier, printer, and basic office equipment available

・Green rooftop garden and relaxation area

・Community café space (1F Pertica Coffee; open to the public, used for networking and events)

Plan & price:

・Drop-in: 1 day/ ¥3,000 ｜ 1 Week/¥11,000  ｜1 Month/¥27,500

・Free Desk: ¥22,000/month〜 (flexible seating with access to shared spaces and amenities)

・Virtual Office: ¥5,500/month〜

・Locker: ¥1,650/month〜

Meeting rooms, individual booths, and gallery space cost extra.

Opening hours:

・24-hour access for the members/ 9:00~24:00 for drop-in customers

・Staff hours: 9:00~17:00 (weekday)

Address & access:

16-5 Nihonbashi Kodemmacho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0001

・7-minute walk from Kodemmacho Station (Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line)

・15-minute walk or short bus ride from Tokyo Station (Yaesu Exit)

・Accessible via JR Sobu Line from Bakurocho Station

・Nearby bus stops: 江戸バス 北循環「42-1」→ Kodemmacho Station

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CASE Shinjuku (Takadanobaba)

CASE Shinjuku is a Tokyo-certified incubation facility, so financial and subsidy application support are available and people can consult with SME experts. The slogan is “it’s not just a place to work—it’s a place to transform your life.”

It’s located in Takadanobaba, near Weseda University, so it’s a fairly international area.

They focus on networking events here, with the aim of making it a more comfortable and cozy place to work through casual conversations between users, such as group cooking and a summer festival.

I was impressed with the CEO saying that they recognize the rising need for focused workspaces, but remain committed to fostering casual connections and hosting lighthearted events. However, quiet zones for focused work are limited, so it may feel a bit noisy for those seeking true silence for deep concentration. While I was there, though, I felt no-one was being very loud, and it had roughly the same volume level as an ordinary office.

Facilities:

・Meeting rooms (available by reservation; suitable for client meetings and team discussions)

・Coworking area (open seating with power outlets, monitors, and free Wi-Fi)

・Shared office space (monthly plans for fixed desks and private offices)

・Free drinks and snacks (available in the lounge area)

・Copy machine, laminator, and coffee machine

・Books, magazines, and stationery

・Locker service and mail handling (for registered members)

・Event space (available for rental on holidays)

・virtual office and mail box and event access and meeting room(for members)

Plan & price:

・Drop-in: ¥500/hour ｜ ¥2,000 flat rate for 3+ hours

・Shared Desk: ¥27,500/month

・Assigned Booth: From ¥55,000/month

・Private Office: From ¥151,700/month

・Event Space Rental: ¥15,000/hour (minimum 2 hours; available on holidays only)

Opening hours:

・Coworking Space: Monday to Saturday, 10:00–18:00

・Closed: Sundays and national holidays

・Shared Office (members only): 24-hour access

Address & access:

Sankei Building 4F, 1-28-10 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-0075

・6~9-minute walk from Takadanobaba Station (JR Yamanote Line / Tokyo Metro Tozai Line / Seibu Shinjuku Line)

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Basis Point Shinbashi

Basis Point is a co-working space that has seven branches in Tokyo and one in Nagoya. They do not have any private offices and do not allow people to register the address or have a virtual office except Shinjuku and Hachioji branches.

Even though they do not have an English website, 20% of the members are non-Japanese and they sometimes run a discount campaign for foreign customers. It is popular for foreigners to meet and socialize at the Basis Point lounge, which is a more social environment to mingle and work.

They are proud of the warmth of the spaces, which means the employees are mostly the same; so service is friendly and flexible. English speakers might suffer from a language barrier, but the employees are accommodating where they are not bilingual.

While the coworking space is warm, social, and friendly, they do not run any startup support or events.

Facilities:

・Free-seating coworking area

・BOX seats (semi-private booths for 1–4 people; equipped with monitors)

・Meeting rooms (12 seats, 10 seats and 6 seats by additional fees)

・Printer, scanner, laminator, and rental monitors

・Rental items (chargers, adapters, HDMI cables, etc.)

・Locker service (¥1,650/month)

・Reception staff support (during business hours)

Plan & price:

・Coworking Space: Drop-in｜¥330 for first 30 min ｜ ¥260 per additional 15 min ｜ ¥3,300/day max

・BOX: ¥1,980/hour ｜ ¥13,860/day

・Meeting Room: ¥2,860/hour~

・Monthly Plans: Weekday Plan ¥22,000/month ｜ Holiday Plan ¥14,300/month ｜ All Week Plan ¥27,500/month

Opening hours:

・Coworking Space: Weekdays 8:00–22:00 ｜ Weekends & Holidays 10:00–22:00

・Staff hours: Weekdays 9:00–17:00 ｜ Weekends & Holidays 12:00–17:00

・Closed: Year-end/New Year holidays

Address & access:

2F Kashikei Building, 2-19-3 Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0004

・5-minute walk from JR Shinbashi Station (Ginza Exit)

・5-minute walk from Shinbashi Station (Tokyo Metro Ginza Line and Toei Asakusa Line) (Exit 2)

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Conclusion

Most of the coworking places we've visited so far have been were located in business districts, so the services tend to be more professional and functional. CASE Shinjuku is a pleasant exception in this regard.

My TLDR impression of each:

• S-Tokyo for frequent, attractive events
• CASE Shijuku to work with a homey, relaxed vibe
• Basis Point Shinbashi for friendly conversation.

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