About | Access | Hotels & Lodging | Area Map | Attractions
About
Shinjuku is the largest city in Tokyo. It is the city with all the Skyscrapers, major business & entertainment districts and the city with the busiest train station in... the WORLD, handling over 3 million people a day! It is a megatropolis with almost anything you can imagine. There approximately 12 train and subway lines that serve Shinjuku and it is also the hub for long distance highway buses that travel throughout Japan. Day or night Shinjuku is usually packed with people on their way to work or play... or, even the poor tourist trying to navigate through the station pushing or pulling their luggage.
West of Shinjuku station is the business skyscraper district where all of Tokyo's tallest building are. Many companies have their headquarters or Tokyo offices in this area. There are also many "premier" hotels in the area such as the Park Hyatt, the Hilton and Keio Plaza Hotels. Since there are so many hotels, it may be likely you are staying or may stay in Shinjuku (although there are many other nice cities to stay in as well). Furthermore the Metropolitan Government Office (with a free observation deck) is also located in this area. Roads are wide, streets are clean and you can see many businessmen in suits walking the streets here. During the lunch our all the businessmen stream out of the buildings in their white shirts and head strait for lunch kiosks or restaurants which all have a "lunch set menu" (good luck in trying to get in to a restaurant at this time).
North East Shinjuku, the Kabukicho Area, is the entertainment and "Red Light" district. There are literally thousands of restaurants and bars for the normal patron and thousands more for those looking for ... well, "paid" entertainment of all sorts. You will see all sorts of characters here and although going to a bar and having a nice Japanese Lager is great too, just sitting down at an outdoor cafe, having a coffee and watching all the characters walk by is also interesting. You can find virtually any type of food/restaurant in Shinjuku but if your in Japan for a trip or on vacation, definitely head to one of the great Japanese stalls in Golden Gai or Omoide Yokocho. Although Shinjuku is quite the spectacle, it may not be for some folk... it's fast paced, jammed with people, noisy and just downright crazy. But, if you want to experience something wild or enjoy the pseudo "Blade Runner" type atmosphere, you should make it a point to head down to Shinjuku and Kabukicho at night.
Access
Shinjuku is the largest city in Tokyo and many of the major hotels are located here. Shinjuku is on the the main Tokyo loop "Yamanote Line" and on the "Chuo Line" along with many other subway and private lines. To get to Shinjuku (and Tokyo) from Narita Airport please see our Tokyo page.
Hotels & Lodging
Recommended
View all Hotels and Lodging in & nearby Shinjuku
Area Map
Attractions
Here is a list of some of the top Attractions in & nearby Shinjuku. View all Attractions in Shinjuku.
Ghibli Museum
Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Closed: Generally closed every Tuesday. Closed Dates fluctuate and change, please view the Official Website
Cost:
Map: Google Map
The Ghibli Museum is the animation and art museum of Miyazaki Hayao's Studio Ghibli. It is one of Japan's most famous animation studios. Studio Ghibli has produced many world-wide famous feature films such as "My Neighbor Totoro", "Princess Mononoke" and "Spirited ... more details
Samurai Museum
Hours: Mon. - Thurs.: 10:30 am - 9:30 pm (Last admission 8:30 pm), Fri., Sat., Sun.: 10:30 am - 8:00 p.m. (Last admission at 7:30 p.m.)
Closed: Never
Cost: Adult (12 years or older): 1,800 yen, 3-12: 800 yen, Under 3: Free
Map: Google Map
The Samurai Museum in Tokyo has become quite a popular attraction with foreigner tourists. Do to it's central location in Shinjuku, easy access and excellent reputation, The Samurai Museum (サムライミュージアム in Japanese) is a quaint private collection museum that you may enj... more details
Hottarakashi Onsen
Hours: 1 Hour before sunrise to 10:00 p.m. (Last Entry at 9:30 p.m.)
Closed: No closing days
Cost: 12+: 800 yen, 0-12: 400 yen
Map: Google Map
Hottarakashi Onsen is a popular "Day Trip" or "One Night Stay" hot springs for those living in Tokyo. It is most famous for it's view as it sits up high on top of a mountain and over-looks a valley below. If the weather is nice and the air is clear you can also see Mt... more details
Mitama Hot Springs
Hours: Open: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. (Last Entry at 10:30 p.m.)
Closed: No closing days
Cost: Adult: 770 yen, Child (up to Junior High): 500 yen
Map: Google Map
Mitama Onsen (Hot Springs) is another one of the more popular "Day-Trip" type Hot Springs in Yamanashi Prefecture that is popular with Tokyo day trippers. It is slightly farther from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo (+ 30 min.) than Hottarakashi Onsen or the Fruit Spa Puku Puku Onsen AND you ha... more details
Sanrio Puroland - Hello Kitty Land Tokyo
Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.Closed some Wed. and Thurs. during some months. Please check the websites calendar for closing days.
Closed: Depending on the month, some Wed. & Thurs.
Cost: Adult: 3,300 yen - 3,800 yen | Child (up to 18): 2,500 yen - 2,700 yen
Map: Google Map
Sanrio Puroland or Hello Kitty Land Tokyo is centered around Sanrio's most famous creation, Hello Kitty. There are various kid shows, cute characters walking around, the Hello Kitty House, a boat ride and of course... lots of shops selling an incredible amount and variety of products. Sanrio Purol... more details
Fujiko F Fujio Museum - Doraemon Museum
Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. BUT visitation requires a reservation! To buy a ticket from within Japan, you purchase at a Lawson convenience store with the "Loppi" ticket machine. Tickets go on sale one month in advance starting on the 30th of each month.
Closed: Every Tuesday except during Golden Week summer holidays. Also December 30th - January 3rd
Cost: 18+: 1,000 yen | 12-18: 700 yen | 4-11: 500 yen | Under 4: free
Map: Google Map
The Fujiko F. Fujio Museum also known as the Doraemon Museum, is a museum based on the works of Fujiko F. Fujio who is the creator of the Anime character Doraemon. Doraemon is a series about a robotic cat from the 22nd century who travels back in time to befriend a group of kids and is very popular ... more details
copyright Colorado Jones
Kabukicho
Kabukicho in Shinjuku is probably the first place you should check out when your in Shinjuku. It's best to go at night with all the neon signs are lit up and the "night crowd" has come out. Kabukicho is Japan's largest red light district and has thousands of restaurants, bars, nightclubs, pachinko parlors, love hotels and a wide variety of red light establishments for all sexes. It's fine to stop in at a bar or restaurant that is open to the street and "street level" but recommended not to enter any establishment you have no knowledge of. If someone approaches you and asks you to, "come to our place"... do not do it, period.
Big Ben in Japan (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Golden Gai
After walking around Kabukicho a while and your ready to eat, you might want to head over to the "Golden Gai" area. Although... some may say it looks like a "slum", to the Japanese and many foreigners living in Japan this kind of area is nostalgic and has "great atmosphere". The bars and little eateries don't seat many people but usually you can find a place to sit down quickly. Some of the places have English menus and welcome foreign patrons. The food is good and the atmosphere is great in Golden Gai so well worth the experience.
Colorado Jones
Omoide Yokocho
Like "Golden Gai", Omoide Yokocho in Shinjuku has an "old town" (Edo Period) atmosphere. It's closer to Shinjuku Station and easy to get to than Golden Gai but usually a little more crowded. You can find all the traditional Japanese dishes here including ramen, soba, sushi and yakitori with some shops being "stand and eat" only while others have a few tables inside. You'll see lots of businessmen here, stopping in for a bite to eat or drink on their way home from work.
Luke Ma (CC BY 2.0)
Skyscraper District
Yep, a bunch of big tall buildings and a bunch of "Upper-Scale" hotels in this area of Shinjuku. Not much atmosphere and typical of any large city but some of the buildings and especially the hotels have excellent restaurants... which, of course are not cheap. Note that the Tokyo Metropolitan Governement building is in this area and that building has a FREE observatory which is worth the effort. A few snap of all the skyscrapers make for an interesting adventure into this area.
Kakidai (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Shinjuku Gyouen
Shinjuku Gyouen is one of Tokyo's largest and most popular parks and is right near the biggest city in the world! By walking 10 or so minutes you can walk ...see more details.
Kakidai (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Shopping
Do you like to shop? Well, Shinjuku has many of the biggest department stores in Japan including Isetan, Takashimaya, Odakyu, Keio and Lumine. Furthermore it also has huge electronic shops such as Yodobashi Camera, Bic Camera and Yamada Denki. Most all these stores open at 10:00 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. and close between 9:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. Department stores in Japan tend to sell "high quality" and "brand" type merchandise so usually you will not find "bargains" here but you will find some very nice stuff that will last a long time.
