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Special ward in Kantō, Japan
Photo: U.S. Air Force photo by Yasuo Osakabe, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Shinjuku (新宿) is a central ward of Tokyo known as the metropolis' second center (副都心, fukutoshin). The area surrounding Shinjuku Station is a huge business, commercial, and entertainment center atop the world's busiest railway station complex. To the north lies Takadanobaba (高田馬場), where students from nearby Waseda University cross paths. The residential areas of Yotsuya (四谷) and Ichigaya (市谷 or 市ヶ谷), with their many small restaurants and drinking establishments, lie to the east. Kagurazaka (神楽坂), one of Tokyo's last remaining hanamachi (geisha districts), is also home to some of the city's most authentic French and Italian restaurants. Over 300,000 people – including nearly 30,000 foreign residents – call Shinjuku their home, and the city offers a wide variety of options for work or play.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
消防博物館
Three fire-fighting helicopters, ten trucks, and 3 floors of exhibitions. Very popular with kids, who can wear fire-fighting clothes and ride some of the helicopters and trucks.
花園神社
More remarkable for its location than its appearance, but it's a nice place to take a breather. There's often a flea market in the surrounding park on weekends.
新宿御苑
A large public garden, and one of the most popular places for viewing cherry blossoms in spring. It has Japanese, English and French gardens, as well as a Taiwanese teahouse and a greenhouse. The entrance fee often makes the park surprisingly uncrowded and peaceful. Admission ends 30 minutes before closing.
It is perfectly safe to walk around here during the day and marvel at the photo billboards of various male and female escorts on offer as well as the live gangster-types acting shady. While it probably shouldn't be done with children, for adults the result is far more "cultural interest" than sleaze.
新宿サザンテラス
The promenade next to the Southern Terrace exit offers a magnificent view of the Takashimaya department store and a bridge that offers the best spot for watching trains enter and exit. Starbucks, Shake Shack and other restaurants.
都庁 tochō
The two enormous buildings of this giant hive of bureaucracy are an Orwellian architectural masterpiece designed by noted architect Kenzo Tange. The main reasons to come here, though, are the twin observatories. At a height of 202 m on the 45th floor, they have some of the best views of Tokyo. The North Observatory is open daily from 09:30 to 23:00 (closed second and fourth Mondays of each month), while the South Observatory is open daily from 09:30 to 17:30 (until 23:00 on the days the North Observatory is closed; closed on the first and third Tuesdays of each month). Last entry is 30 minutes before closing.
東京オペラシティ
A building complex with a skyscraper. Housing the New National Theatre Tokyo, concert halls, two art museums (one specialized in multimedia art), many shops and restaurants.
東京おもちゃ美術館 Tokyo omocha bijutsukan
An old school filled with toys and fun small houses. Accompanying adults won't get bored, thanks to the variety of toys.
東京四谷総鎮守 須賀神社
It is a shrine located around Shinjuku. It is a small shrine, but the stairs in front of it are famous as the background in the animated movie Your Name.
国立競技場
Completed in 2019 as the main stadium for the Summer Games Tokyo 2020.
明治神宮野球場
Known as Jingu Stadium. Can see university and professional baseball games. It is also famous for being a stadium for the Tokyo qualifying round of the National High School Baseball Tournament.
カラオケ館
Karaokekan is a large chain of karaoke shops. They have rooms available from one person up to a large party. All you can drink set menus are available.
新宿ピカデリー
The newest movie theater in Shinjuku. It features stadium seating and "platinum" seating. Platinum seating ranges from a semi-private room, including a private lounge (¥5000 per person) to a private room, including a relaxation room (¥30,000 for 2 people).
バルト９ baruto nain
Part of the new generation of movie theaters in Tokyo. It features stadium seating, a small gift shop, and clean theaters.
シネマート新宿
335 seats total. Mondays are Men's Days, when men can watch movies for ¥1000. Wednesdays are Ladies' Days, when ladies can watch movies for only ¥1000.
ぱすたかん
Okonomiyaki cooked at your table.
カオサン
A good place for Thai street-stall style food. It's always packed and hectic for lunch, with attendants hollering to attract customers.
ブルマーレ
Pizza and pasta restaurant. The building is full of restaurants all run by Sapporo Beer.
すずや
This tonkatsu restaurant is famous for its green tea tonkatsu, which is salty and filling. It also serves other types of tonkatsu and katsudon.
マティーニバーガー
This restaurant serves hamburgers and martinis. The large juicy hamburgers are made with high quality ground beef, which is very hard to find anywhere in Japan. Though uncommon, the combination of hamburgers and martinis is surprisingly nice.
アカシア新宿本店
Specialises in cabbage rolls. Also has a set menu with hashed rice and pork sauté. Has a branch at Haneda Airport.
ぼてぢゅう
Botejyu is an okonomiyaki shop that sells a variety of okonomiyaki. They also have various yaki-soba dishes. Beware that at times, this restaurant can be busy with wait times of up to 30 min.
十徳
This izakaya has an excellent selection of sake.
割烹 中島
Specializes in sardine dishes. Yanagawa teishoku is deep-fried sardines with scrambled eggs on rice (it tastes better than it sounds).
北海道
Enjoy the view while dining on seafood and other specialties of Hokkaido. Got another branch near Shinjuku station (9F 110 Building).
やんばる
Now occupying the whole of a three-story building, there's nothing pretentious about this restaurant specializing in Okinawan food, which emphasizes pork and vegetables that are unusual even to Honshu Japanese. Recommend is beni imo korokke (¥480), tempura-style sweet potato; and hechima misoni (¥620), an eggplant-like vegetable served in a strongly fermented miso sauce. A picture menu is available.
ボスボラスハサン
Authentic Turkish food. HALAL food.
鼎泰豐
Tokyo branch of the renowned Taiwan dim sum restaurant; speciality is the xiǎolóngbāo (小籠包) soup-in dumplings.
鍋ぞう
An all-you-can-eat Shabu Shabu restaurant with another branch in Shinjuku and many other places. \3850 gets one person 100 minutes, including unlimited meat, veggies, and ice cream. Drinks cost extra, but water and Gobo cha are free. If 100 minutes isn't enough, extend 30 minutes for additional \550.
おねぎや新宿店
Excellent traditional but modern Japanese restaurant. Plenty of dishes to order but you need to like leeks.
ざうお
Indoor fishing and restaurant combined at dinner time...(click the link and see photos). No fishing on weekday lunch time.
とらふぐ亭
Specializing in the infamous fugu (blowfish), it's one of the huge number of seafood restaurants in Kabukichō (see below). Set dinners go for around ¥5000, featuring fugu prepared five or six ways, fresh from the tank. Has another branch nearby (at 1-3-15 Kabukicho).
Australian-run, considerably larger and can be less intimidating than many other Golden Gai establishments.
Always welcoming of foreigners with beers.
Punk rock with a dash of Mexican Luchadors. Good cocktails and beer at an average of ¥700 a drink. The owner, Tohru, is very welcoming to anyone who loves to rock. Cover charge lets you sit at the bar and choose music from a menu split into various Punk Rock styles (UK, USA, Japan, Hardcore, Goth, Oi, Mod, Post Punk, 70s, 80s etc). Movies like Taxi Driver and Sid & Nancy are played from a cheap projector to the wall behind the bar. Action figures of Sid Vicious, Iggy Pop and Luchadors guard you from all corners.
Casual cocktail bar with Burgundy painted walls, chandeliers and no-frills mixology. Cover charge includes a small snack of either noodles, miso or whatever's brewing. Most drinks are around ¥700. Space includes a second floor "attic" accessible by a thin staircase with more fixtures and local artists' creations. Also visit the original Albatross bar in Shinjuku Omoide-Yokocho.
Has an extensive collection of Punk and Metal CDs for those looking for some alternative rock.
Heavy metal/hard rock bar.
One Coin Bar
Staffed mostly by Filipinas who speak excellent English.
One of the main sets for Lost in Translation, this slick joint on the 52nd floor has dark decor and floor-to-ceiling windows with jaw-dropping vistas, with live jazz nightly. Eating a steak here would cost you well north of ¥20,000 per head, but you can nurse a beer for a mere ¥1000 or, "for relaxing times", try out Bill Murray's Suntory Hibiki for ¥3,500.
A two level nightclub and lounge with a large dance floor and darts. The DJ normally spins hip-hop, R&B, reggae, and house, and there are live house performances periodically through the night.
ロフトプラスワン
Performance art space meets bar run with a simple concept: different people and groups rent a block of time and do whatever they want to. The end result runs from stand-up comedy and lectures to porn star photo shoots and incredibly violent live S&M. Erotic shows 18+ only (ID required).
Small bar full of men. It's not easy to find, so call for directions.
Lesbian bar.
formerly Advocates
Cruisy open-air bar with a torii gate at the entrance. Crowd spilling onto the street makes it feel like a block party.
Among Nichō's most well-known pubs, with a thumping dance floor. A hand stamp upon entry will also get you into sister bar The Annex.
Masculine gay pub with a dance floor. Rebuilt after a fire, the place is popular among male and female foreigners, and with Japanese men.
Relaxed basement bar with somewhat more mature crowds.
Primarily lesbian bar with all-female staff, and karaoke for the multinational patrons. Interior themed like a 1970s motel. Saturday is strictly women-only; Monday is FtM night.
Bar with dancefloor known for attracting bisexual crowds.
Another mix bar.
Specialty coffee from northern Thailand.
Doutor is a relatively "salary man" coffee shop. You will see lots of business men within this shop. Non-smoking, with some shops equipped with smoking booths.
Excelsior Caffe and Doutor are run by the same company, however Excelsior Caffe caters to a younger, more feminine crowd and one-notch upscale. Generally non-smoking, with bigger shops have separate smoking rooms.
Pronto is a very relaxed cafe/bar that is a cafe during the day. They offer premium style drinks.
Segafredo is a somewhat upscale Italian style cafe that has various locations near Shinjuku. Segafredo tends to have a darker atmosphere akin to Pronto and offers many kinds of alcoholic drinks too.
In the far east of Shinjuku City in the Kagurazaka district. With views remarkable for Tokyo, Canal Cafe consists of a separate restaurant and cafe situated alongside a canal. The open-air cafe has great ambiance. At the restaurant figure ¥6000-9000 for dinner, but at the café, which is a long patio-like dock, drinks and snacks are purchased at the bar and can be quite reasonable.
但馬屋珈琲店
Truely classic kissaten (full-service coffee shop).
時屋
Japanese sweets and drinks. Famous for dorayaki, drum-shaped cake with red-bean paste inside.
Popular chain of cash-on-delivery English pubs. Have some fish and chips with your pint at one of four Shinjuku locations. "82 Ale House" pubs are run by the same company with wider selection of whiskeys.
マローネ
Tucked away in this tiny cubbyhole of a space is one of the most interesting small bars in Tokyo. A country western theme with Chet Baker and Nat King Cole pouring from the stereo. The food is cheap and superbly done (think chili nachos and the like); beer and spirits are also available. The place is tiny but it attracts a great mix of young groups of friends and office workers. Some nights Marone puts on live music and cover charges are upwards of ¥4000! The older couple who run the bar are terrifically friendly but their English is minimal.
ばがぼんど
A great little pub with two floors. The first floor is a little more private while the top floor is a very cozy jazz bar with live music and a good selection of finger foods cooked right at the bar for you. Caution to taller travelers: it's a little cramped at the bar. Cover charge and drinks are ¥500-700. The pub usually closes around 23:00 to 23:30 leaving you with plenty of time to get the last train.
サクラホテル幡ヶ谷
Affordable hotel with a round-the-clock cafe offering a variety of Asian ethnic dishes. Staff can speak English.
多摩旅館
There is a lounge for relaxing and internet access.
マンボー
Internet cafe that has small, private rooms to crash out in. Rooms have a comfortable reclining chair (or a "flat seat" option), internet, TV, and headphones. Free soft drinks and coffee are provided and there's also a shower room/toilet and toiletries on sale. Three locations near the station.
エースイン新宿
Capsule Hotel. On the ninth floor there is a common space with vending machines and TV, where you can meet with the other guests from all over the world. Internet connection via WiFi in the whole building or PC on the ground level is free. English speaking staff.
ホテルサンルートプラザ新宿
Includes a restaurant, a bar, and massage parlor. Recommended for taller guests. (Better rates are often available by the usual Western online booking agents.).
新宿プリンスホテル
Includes restaurants, a bakery, and salon.
ホテルサンライト新宿
東急ステイ四谷
Part of the Tokyu Stay chain, these hotels are popular with business travelers. The small kitchenettes, washer/dryers, and free LAN access in all rooms makes these a good value.
ハイアットリージェンシー東京
744 rooms and suites with views of Mt Fuji and Shinjuku Central Park. Regency Club lounge for free continental breakfast, tea service and evening cocktails. Hosts a roof-top pool and healh spa.
京王プラザホテル
You can see the city view of Tokyo, and the rooms are spacious. Free Wi-Fi and bicycle sharing services exist.
小田急ホテルセンチュリーサザンタワー
Well furnished rooms with enough space to get around it. Very good breakfast buffet. Excellent views of the surrounding area from rooms and lobby, which is on the 20th floor.
パークハイアット東京
Towering above the rest literally and figuratively, this hotel is best known for featuring prominently in the movie Lost in Translation. Surprisingly intimate in feel, one of the standout features is the 47th-floor "Club on the Park" pool with floor-to-ceiling views of Shinjuku at night. The New York Bar on the 51st floor also offers superior views at night. Service and amenities are superlative, but rates are astronomical even by Japanese standards.
ヒルトン東京
It has rooms that face the Shinjuku Metropolitan Government office. Has a nice underground shopping arcade named Hiltopia, which includes a Tourist Information center, a foreign bookstore, some restaurants and others.
キンプトン新宿東京
Luxury hotel featuring casual modern interior. Opened in 2020.
If you plan on staying in Tokyo for a month or more you might want to check this place out.
伊勢丹
Isetan is the most prestigious department store in Shinjuku and boasts the highest sales figures in Japan. It caters to a broad adult age group. It has a beautiful depachika (basement floor selling food and gifts) that is a little more expensive than other department stores in Shinjuku.
京王
Keio is similar to the Odakyu department store in terms of goods and services. The depachika is smaller and more cramped than other department stores.
ルミネ
Lumine has 3 buildings around the JR Shinjuku Station. Lumine 1 and 2 cater to all ages with average priced goods. Both buildings are at the South Exit. Lumine Est (ルミネエスト) is at the East Exit and Central East Exit. Lumine Est focuses more on haute fashion for younger women and famous restaurants.
丸井, OIOI
Marui is well known department store known for focusing on the 16-32 year age group. Spread out around Shinjuku Sanchome, the main building is next to Shinjuku Gyoen. The men's building is north of the main building and Marui Young is west of Isetan.
ミロード mirōdo
Cloths department store run by Odakyu, targeted at younger age group.
小田急百貨店
Odakyu was closed in 2022 for re-development of the area and moved to the smaller Halc building, north of the West Bus Loop, which also houses the electronics store Bic Camera.
タカシマヤ新宿店
This department store caters towards the mid-20s and up, along with families. The depachika is comparable to Isetan, but not as famous. Look for Hands and Books Kinokuniya at the Southern end of the department store.
ハンズ新宿店
This is a large variety goods shop, and if "large" doesn't impress you, you have probably never faced the dilemma which kind of sand to use for your model railway. Because here, you can choose from a dozen kinds of sand alone - from yellow Sahara sand to reddish Nullarbor sand, everything in handy plastic packets. This shop is the best proof that in a rich mega city, there is a clientele for anything. You can buy almost anything you want. Also a good travel luggage section, and if you need a pen or pencil you will be overwhelmed with the choice.
ブックオフ
Bookoff is a well-known second-hand book store. They also offer various albums, games, and movies.
紀伊國屋書店
Books Kinokuniya is the best book store for foreign language books. The Main Branch is the older of the two, however, the Southern Branch has a greater selection of foreign language books.
The largest bookstore on the west side is hidden underground. Navigation inside may be a pain for its unusual layout. English books are in the C3 area.
Second-largest electronics shop in Shinjuku. While not as big as Yodobashi Camera, prices and product range is roughly the same. The East side shop, next to Books Kinokuniya, is bigger than Yodobashi's East side shop, but still smaller than the West side location.
ヨドバシカメラ
Yodobashi is the largest electronics retailer in Shinjuku. The main building is their multimedia centre. They also have a dedicated building each for Games, Camera, Travel, Watch and Mobile/smartphone (with a liquor section in the basement). Yodobashi also has a branch on the east side of Shinjuku, across from Lumine EST.
ドン・キホーテ don kihōte
A hectic 24-hour discount store that sells just about everything that you would never imagine needing at 03:00 but might just pick up anyway, such as clothing, bicycles, electronics, jewelry, and gag gifts.
Newer branch near the station.
You can get music, movies, and music books. Another branch at Shinjuku 3-17-5 specialize in specific genres or used goods. Great for music enthusiasts.
HMV is one of the bigger record stores in Japan with a good selection of music and movies. Another store at Shinjuku Alta 6F.
Tower Records is one of the biggest record stores in Japan. They have any CD or DVD you can imagine, and if not, you can probably order or reserve it.
Packed with music shops specializing in various genres such as punk and heavy metal. Many sell nothing but bootlegs and collectibles.
西口広場イベントスペース
An area hosting a rotating series of stalls or exhibits. These have included various local foods from around Japan, furniture, art prints and information about various government projects around Tokyo. The underground area around it is a great place to find takeaway food and fast food outlets - named Keio Mall, Odakyu Ace and Shinjuku Delish Park (temporary location for Odakyu's depachika).
By train
Train is the obvious option for arrival, as Shinjuku Station is on the JR Yamanote, Chuo, Sobu, Saikyo, and Shonan-Shinjuku lines.
By bus
Bus routes used to stop at various locations around Shinjuku, but most routes, especially highway buses, have been consolidated into the Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal, abbreviated SEBT or Busta…
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