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Who lives in Azabu
Azabu spans Moto-Azabu, Nishi-Azabu and Azabu-Juban in Minato ward, the dense central district where most of Tokyo's embassies, multinational head offices and long-staying foreign residents are concentrated. The streets are quieter and greener than nearby Roppongi, a mix of low-rise apartment blocks, older detached houses and newer luxury towers, and the area has been a default base for diplomatic and senior corporate families for decades. Families gravitate here for the same reasons every year: several well-regarded international schools sit within the ward, the transport is excellent, and English-speaking services are easy to find. To see how Azabu fits the wider city, start with our directory of international schools in Tokyo.
Schools in and near Azabu
Education is a central reason families choose Azabu. Nishimachi International School in Moto-Azabu was founded in 1949 and is known for genuinely bilingual teaching in English and Japanese from the early years, serving primary and middle school. A short distance away in Hiroo, the International School of the Sacred Heart dates to 1908 and runs co-educational kindergarten before becoming girls only from Grade 1 to Grade 12. Tokyo International School also sits within Minato. Several international nurseries and kindergartens round out the early-years options nearby.
For the full picture with curricula, stages and admissions detail, use the Tokyo schools directory, then narrow by stage with our guides to primary schools in Tokyo and nursery and preschool in Tokyo. Parent perspectives are gathered in our Tokyo international school reviews. If you are weighing which school suits your child, the school finder quiz will shortlist options against your priorities.
Commute and catchment
Tokyo international schools admit by application rather than by residential catchment, so an Azabu address does not reserve a place, but living here cuts the daily school run for the Minato and Hiroo schools to a short walk or ride. The area is exceptionally well served by the metro: Azabu-Juban station sits on the Namboku and Oedo lines, Hiroo is on the Hibiya line, and Roppongi is minutes away. That density means most families manage comfortably without a car, using trains and short taxi hops, though schools further out such as those in Chofu and Setagaya involve a longer cross-city commute or a school bus.
Housing and cost of living
Housing in Azabu is dominated by apartments, from older mid-rise blocks to premium serviced towers, with a smaller stock of detached houses on the quieter back streets. It is one of the most expensive residential markets in Tokyo, and central Minato carries a clear premium over the outer wards. Once you add school fees and the general cost of central living, Azabu sits firmly at the top of the family budget range, though it buys an unmatched combination of schools, transport and amenities. Model rent, schooling and day-to-day costs together with our relocation cost calculator, check current primary school fees in Tokyo, and read the wider relocation guide for visas and setting-up logistics. Treat any specific rent figure as indicative and verify current asking rents before you budget.
Family life
Daily life in Azabu balances city convenience with pockets of calm. Azabu-Juban's old shopping street is the social heart, lined with cafes, bakeries and family restaurants, while Arisugawa-no-miya Memorial Park in neighbouring Hiroo gives families a genuine green space with a library alongside. National Azabu and other international supermarkets stock familiar goods, and English-speaking clinics and paediatric care are easy to reach, which matters for newly arrived families. The community is long-established and international, with a steady turnover of diplomatic and corporate households, so newcomers tend to settle quickly. The main trade-offs are price and apartment living rather than gardens, which is the norm across central Tokyo.
Budget your move to Azabu
Model central Tokyo rent, school fees and transport together before you commit to the area.
Open the relocation cost calculatorLiving in Azabu: FAQ
Azabu and the adjoining Hiroo area sit within Minato ward and are served by several established international schools, including Nishimachi International School in Moto-Azabu, the International School of the Sacred Heart in Hiroo and Tokyo International School, alongside a number of international nurseries. See the Tokyo schools directory for curricula, stages and admissions detail.
Azabu is one of central Tokyo's most established expat-family districts. It pairs embassies, international schools and English-speaking services with quiet, green residential streets, and it is exceptionally well connected by metro. The trade-offs are high rents and apartment living rather than houses with gardens.
No. Azabu-Juban is on the Namboku and Oedo metro lines, Hiroo is on the Hibiya line and Roppongi is minutes away, so most families manage daily life and the school run by train and the occasional taxi without owning a car.
Azabu is among Tokyo's most expensive residential areas because of its central Minato location and premium apartment stock. Budget for higher rent, school fees and central living costs, and model the full picture with the relocation cost calculator before committing.
Family life centres on Azabu-Juban's shopping street, parks such as Arisugawa-no-miya Memorial Park in Hiroo, international supermarkets and English-speaking clinics. The community is long-established and international, so newly arrived families tend to settle quickly.