Tokyo University of Science's Kagurazaka Campus is about a 5-minute walk from Iidabashi Station. Here are the 15 cheapest stations within roughly 30 minutes* of it, sorted by studio rent. Balancing rent and commute time is the key to a comfortable first apartment in Tokyo — start your search from this list.
Tokyo University of Science students in the Faculty of Science (Divisions I and II) and the Faculty of Business Administration all attend the Kagurazaka campus for the full four years. The area around the nearest station, Iidabashi, sits in central Tokyo, so rents run high — one reason the university runs its own student dormitory nearby. Kagurazaka itself retains some of its old geisha-district charm, with well-stocked campus dining and student-friendly restaurants scattered around Iidabashi.
The ranking below favors cheaper old-town stations like Iriya and Heiwadai, but given how pricey the Kagurazaka area is, a more realistic approach is to compromise along the Chuo-Sobu or Tozai lines. It's worth considering the university dormitory as an option too, and using the ranking mainly as a guide for keeping rent down.
Iriya (Hibiya Line) is one stop from Ueno in classic shitamachi — morning-glory markets, old shops, new cafés, and surprisingly gentle rents.
Heiwadai offers direct Yurakucho/Fukutoshin Line rides to Ikebukuro (~10 min), Shinjuku, and Shibuya from a calm residential base — remarkable value for a subway station.
Arakawa-Shakomae is a Toden Arakawa Line tram stop beside the tram depot, in a relaxed old-town neighborhood between Oji and Machiya.
Sakaecho is a tram stop beside Asukayama Park, walkable to Oji's JR and subway lines — a quietly excellent pocket of Kita-ku.
Shin-Kiba is a three-line waterfront hub ~8 minutes from Tokyo Station, beside the green expanse of Yumenoshima Park.
Arakawa-7chome is a tram stop in the heart of Arakawa's shitamachi; Machiya Station (Chiyoda Line and Keisei) is walkable, keeping both rents and living costs low.
Miyanomae is a tram stop by Ogu Hachiman Shrine, walkable to Arakawa Yuen park — slow-paced shitamachi living.
Aoi puts you about 15 minutes from Akihabara on the Tsukuba Express — one of the cheapest stations on this fast line, in a friendly shitamachi neighborhood near Kitasenju.
Oku is one stop (5 minutes) from Ueno beside a famous rail yard — a connoisseur's pick with clearly discounted rents.
Tokiwadai's radial, tree-lined streets earned it the nickname 'Itabashi's Den-en-chofu' — planned-town beauty ~8 minutes from Ikebukuro.
Machiya offers three lines (Chiyoda subway, Keisei, tram) with a ~15-minute direct ride to Otemachi — old-town living with serious connectivity.
Machiya-2chome is a tram stop within walking distance of Machiya's subway and Keisei lines — Arakawa value at its best.
Shin-Koiwa is a Sobu rapid stop ~15 minutes from central Tokyo, famous for its 420m Lumiere arcade — express convenience at Katsushika prices.
Kitasenju is a five-line mega-hub mixing Lumine/Marui malls with retro drinking alleys and new campuses — still reasonably priced for its power.
Shin-Sakuradai rides directly onto the Fukutoshin/Yurakucho lines, with Ekoda's student-town eats a short walk away — low-profile, well-priced.
In Japan there are often only a few weeks between acceptance and the start of term. A furnished apartment cuts both the setup work and the upfront costs, so you can start student life right away. See the Housing Guide (furnished / share house / standard rental) →
See the results-to-move-in timeline →
Compare rents line by line on the line index, or explore the area map.
*Travel times are estimates based on local trains (plus ~6 min per transfer). Express services are often faster.
*Rents are market estimates based on SUUMO listings and vary by season and property. Station data: ©ekidata.jp