A bustling urban playground open 24 hours a day. Don’t blink or you’ll miss something.
Shinjuku Station is a packed station, with throngs of office workers, students and international tourists passing through the ticket barriers every day to enter a vast area of towering skyscrapers, wide shopping streets and countless cafes, bars and restaurants. To the west of the station, Nishi-Shinjuku is lined with skyscrapers and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building is lit up with projection mapping all year round. To the east of the station, you’ll find the access point for shopping, dining and entertainment. The neon-lit Kabukicho area is a maze of hotels and nighttime festival spots. To the south of the station, you’ll find the Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal and modern shopping facilities such as NEWoMan Shinjuku.
Tips
Explore high-end department stores and electronics retailers. Have a night out in the heart of Tokyo’s neon nightlife. Culture and recreation for all levels.
How to get there
Shinjuku Station is served by the JR lines, Keio Line, Odakyu Electric Railway, Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line, Toei Shinjuku Line, and Toei Oedo Line. It is also accessible from Seibu Shinjuku Station on the Seibu Shinjuku Line, Shinjuku West Exit Station on the Toei Oedo Line, and Shinjuku-sanchome Station on the Marunouchi Line, Fukutoshin Line, and Toei Shinjuku Line.
From Haneda Airport: 55 minutes by limousine bus or train to Shinjuku Station.
From Narita Airport: Two hours by limousine bus or one hour 35 minutes by train to Shinjuku Station.
From Tokyo Station: 14 minutes on the JR Chuo Line Rapid to Shinjuku Station.
Shopping Therapy
Tokyo’s famous department stores are concentrated around the Shinjuku Station exit, allowing you to enjoy high-end shopping as soon as you step off the train. Isetan, Keio, Odakyu and Takashimaya department stores have floors packed with designer clothes and basements overflowing with sumptuous food. Spend the afternoon browsing the shops and soaking up Japan’s unparalleled customer service. If you’re looking for high-tech products, visit the area west of the station, where you’ll find a cluster of large electronics stores showcasing the latest gadgets and gadgets.
As the sun goes down, explore the restaurants and ramen stalls of Kabukicho
At dusk, Shinjuku transforms into a neon-lit, futuristic city with endless nighttime entertainment. Grab a seat at one of the countless bars and restaurants and join the fun-seekers in the festivities. Find a seat on the top floor of one of the many buildings to enjoy great views of the city as you dine. Or head to the streets of Kabukicho, where small wooden bars are literally stacked on top of each other, and spend the night bar-hopping. Taste Shinjuku ramen in the “ramen battle zone” on the north side of the station, an area where ramen shops are concentrated. Shinjuku is also home to many unique restaurants and izakayas where you can enjoy a gourmet meal. Public transport runs until around midnight, but Shinjuku rarely sleeps, so the night doesn’t end even when the last train has left the station.
Great cityscape, a special place for ninja and anime fans
Shinjuku isn’t just fun at night, it also has plenty of daytime activities. The observation deck on the upper floors of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building offers amazing views and a projection mapping of Godzilla. To see the city from the ground, head to Shinjuku Gyoen*, a well-maintained lawn. See the Shinjuku skyline from the site of what was once the Imperial Palace.
*Please note: Drinking alcohol, smoking, and using sports equipment or musical instruments are prohibited within the park.
Shinjuku Gyoen Management Office
For some cultural recreation, head to Hanazono Shrine, just 10 minutes from the station. For a more interactive cultural experience, visit the Ninja Trick House to see ninja tricks first-hand. Anime and movie fans can also visit their favorite filming locations. Shinjuku has been the setting for Makoto Shinkai’s “Your Name,” “Weathering with You,” “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift,” and “Lost in Translation.”
