Coworking spaces and Offices for startups in Tokyo
Tokyo is one of the most vibrant and thriving cities in the world, attracting entrepreneurs and startups from all over the globe. Even with its growing tech scene and cutting-edge infrastructure it can be tough to find the right office space for your startup. To help you navigate the crowded marketplace, we've rounded up the best office spaces for startups in Tokyo, taking into account factors like location, cost, and available amenities. Whether you're just starting out or looking for a change of pace, these spaces are sure to provide the perfect environment for your growing business.
WeWork
WeWork is a global leader in the coworking space industry, offering flexible and collaborative workspaces for startups and businesses of all sizes. In Tokyo, WeWork has established a strong presence, with multiple locations throughout the city, providing a range of options for entrepreneurs and startups looking for a modern and dynamic work environment. With its focus on community, technology, and design, WeWork creates an atmosphere that inspires creativity and fosters productivity. From private offices and conference rooms to shared workspaces and lounge areas, WeWork has everything you need to take your startup to the next level. Whether you're a freelancer, small team, or a growing business, WeWork is the perfect place to make connections, find inspiration, and get work done.
- Location: You can find a WeWork (or multiple) in all main business areas in Tokyo
From Ikebukuro to Shinagawa, you have a total of 30 locations in Tokyo.
- Community: WeWork is famous for having a vibrant community and it's no different in Tokyo. Tenants have events in the common areas and the community managers and staff help tenants connect between themselves when necessary.
- Amenities: I don't think any other office can beat WeWork from an amenities perspective: Apart from the basics of free water, there's a whole slew of tea bags and a professional coffee machine, cow milk and soy milk in the fridge and for those who like a drink or two, free beerš», with anything between 2 and 6 taps of different types of beer depending on the office you go to. Also depending on the office might have a Mother's room, a private, lockable, and comfortable area specifically designed for new mothers, complete with a refrigerator and sink for added convenience. The price also offers credits for using meeting rooms and if you have a dedicated desk or a private office it also covers a certain quota of printing both in color and black and white.
- Price: The biggest con for WeWork is pricing. Even though they offer and relatively reasonable priced "All Access" plan that gives you access to all offices during business hours at 42,900 JPY (around 330 USD at the time of writing) a dedicated desk (not a private office) can go easily above a 1000 USD per month. WeWork also tends not to be very transparent with pricing so you will have to actually schedule a visit and/or talk to the a representative to get a quote on any options other than the "All Access" plan.
Regus
Regus is another major player in the coworking space industry, offering flexible and cost-effective workspace solutions. With multiple locations in Tokyo, Regus provides a range of options for entrepreneurs and startups looking for a professional and functional work environment. In comparison to WeWork, which focuses on community and a shared work environment, Regus offers a more traditional coworking experience, with a focus on practicality and affordability. With private offices, shared workspaces, and meeting rooms available, Regus provides a flexible and convenient solution for businesses of all sizes. Whether you're looking for a cost-effective alternative to traditional office spaces or a flexible solution for your growing startup, if you're looking for a more traditional office setup for your startup in Tokyo, Regus is a great option to consider.
- Location: As WeWork, one of Regus' strong point is the number of locations it owns
With a massive number of 62 locations in the Tokyo area, including a location inside of Haneda International Airport offering meeting rooms for those meeting clients in-between flights of for those doing business inside the airport itself. Regus also offers Virtual Office services, where you won't have an actual space to work, but will be able to use their address to incorporate your business and receive mail.
- Community: This is not something you should be expecting at Regus. This is definitely not their thing. They are focused on providing high-quality services and facilities, including fast and reliable internet, modern furnishings, and support from a dedicated team, but community is not their forte. However it seems to offer a regular calendar of Regus networking events and activities.
- Ammenities: Regus offers a kitchen area with tea and coffee making facilities and meeting rooms are available to rent by the hour. An interesting service Regus offers is the possibility to move your desk to any Regus center at no additional cost. (Their website says there are more than 3000 places available in the world)
- Price: There isn't a lot of official pricing information out there for most co-working spaces, however it from my previous experience and some internet searching, prices seem to start at 60,000 JPY for the private offices. (A company I used to work for a few years back used to rent a Regus office private office with 4 seats, 3 minutes away from Aoyama station at 120,000 JPY a month for the yearly contract). However Regus lets you rent a desk by the hour, by the day or by the month so that you donāt pay for more than you need, making it a cost-effective way to staff your business, especially in times of remote and hybrid work.
Fabbit
Fabbit provides a collaborative and innovative work environment for freelancers, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. Fabbit offers a range of flexible work options, from private offices to shared desks, and provides its members with access to resources such as high-speed internet, meeting rooms, and community events. With its central location, modern facilities, and supportive community, Fabbit aims to create a productive and inspiring space where its members can grow their businesses and connect with like-minded individuals. Fabbit also offers virtual offices.
- Location: Comparing to Regus and WeWork Fabbit offers a lot options with a total of 9 locations in Tokyo and 7 of them being in Central Tokyo (Komae and Hachioji are cities in Metropolitan Tokyo but far from the 23 Special Wards, especially the commercial and political center formed by Chuo-ku, Minato-ku, Shibuya-ku, Shinjuku-ku and Chiyoda-ku)
That can also be seen as a allowing people out of main centers to also have access to good co-working spaces.
- Community: Fabbit offers services around events, partnership support with domestic and foreign companies, support for listing, fundraising, M&A and collaboration between public and private sectors, such as cooperation agreements.
- Amenities: Fabbit offers printers for a price and free drinks.
- Price: This is the most transparent of the Coworking spaces. You can drop-in for just a day, with prices starting at 1,980 JPY or pay for the month with prices starting at 15,400 JPY (There is a campaign for specific offices where the price for a month starts at 8,800 JPY at the time of writing). A few offices offer dedicated desks starting at 21, 780 JPY. You can find details at this page. Private offices start at 60, 280 JPY for an office for 1 person, up to upwards of 600,000 JPY per month for an office for 11+. You can find details on the pricing for private offices here.
In this article we've taken a look at 3 of the main office providers in Tokyo. This is far from being exhaustive. Below you can find a quick list with some more options: