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Gotanda: A Tokyo Business District That’s Frozen in 1982

In 1982, things were looking up for Gotanda. It was the headquarters of Sony — the hottest electronics company on the planet. A building boom of office buildings, karaoke and capsule hotels hit the neighborhood. Today, Gotanda looks much like it did in 1982. 

Companies in Tokyo want their headquarters in the neighborhoods and buildings with the most status. It looks good on a website and a business card. Somewhere along the line Gotanda became unfashionable — that was it. The area hasn’t seen a lot of investment since.  In 2006, Sony moved their headquarters to nearby Shinagawa, Minato Ward (they maintain a technology center in Gotanda). 

Gotanda has red light district that’s a much smaller version of Shinjuku’s Kabukicho.  The area has plenty of cheap eateries and nightlife. The general 1980s feel of Gotanda is charming enough.