Shinjuku City (Shinjuku-ku, or Shinjuku Ward in Japanese) is a cosmopolitan city located at the center of Tokyo, which comprises 23 cities. (wards). It features Shinjuku Station, the world’s busiest station, entertainment districts including the famous Kabukicho, and one of the most prosperous commercial areas in Japan around the station, all of which attract visitors from all over the world. Meanwhile, simply by making a little side trip from Shinjuku Station, you can visit Shinjuku neighborhoods that have many diverse and distinctive aspects as well as experience Japan-style charms. Here we feature the Shinjuku East Exit area with Kabukicho, the big entertainment district that is filled with so much energy all day and all night.
Kabukicho
Packed with various types of shops and facilities, including restaurants, bars, theaters, cinemas, and amusement arcades, Kabukicho is called the biggest entertainment district in Japan. The area seems even more lively and bustling at night with many people on the streets along with colorful neon signs, so it is also called a “sleepless town.” You can discover various attractive aspects of the area, such as “Golden Gai” with a number of alleys lined with many small, distinctive bars and “Shiki no Michi,” where you can enjoy walking on a quiet stone-paved pathway with plenty of greenery during daytime.
A real-sized Godzilla on the top of Shinjuku TOHO Building is just spectacular!
*Entry to Godzilla Terrace is not permitted as of August, 2023.
Tokyu Kabukicho Tower
Opened in April, 2023, Tokyu Kabukicho Tower is a super high-rise complex facility with 48 floors, five underground floors, and a one-story penthouse, standing about 225 meters tall. Accommodating various types of tenants, including hotels, cinemas, theaters, and live venues, it has become a new landmark of Kabukicho. On the lower floors, you can enjoy various entertainment facilities, including “Shinjuku Kabuki Hall – Kabuki Yokocho,” an entertainment food hall with a theme of “Festival,” where you can enjoy food, music and images on a screen; “namco TOKYO,” where you can enjoy various kinds of gaming machines; and “THE TOKYO MATRIX” with a huge dungeon for your adventure. The higher floors have two different types of hotels: “HOTEL GROOVE SHINJUKU, A PARKROYAL Hotel,” a life-style hotel with a cultural atmosphere of art and music, and BELLUSTAR TOKYO, A Pan Pacific Hotel,” a luxurious hotel with guestrooms with wide views. You can enjoy an elegant time while looking down at the streets of Shinjuku.
Another unique feature of the Shinjuku East Exit area is that you can also enjoy a tranquil atmosphere within the entertainment district. There are some places where you can feel an atmosphere unique to Japan, such as Hanazono Shrine, which has been watching over the town for a long time and “Suehirotei,” a wooden theater, 77 years old. The area also has long-established famous places, such as “Tsunahachi,” a famous tempura restaurant opened in 1924, and “L’ambre,” a café which has been in business for over 70 years. While the current Shinjuku is famous for having high-profile things, such as the GIANT 3D CAT and “Tokyo Mystery Circus,” where you can enjoy a problem-solving game, you can still look for the “good old Shinjuku” while strolling around.
Hanazono Shrine
Shopping paradise of Tokyo
The Shinjuku East Exit area is filled with commercial facilities of various sizes, including Isetan Shinjuku Store. Along with several mass-merchandise outlets, such as UNIQLO and BicCamera, there are a variety of specialized stores, such as “SEKAIDO SHINJUKU MAIN STORE,” which carries art supplies and stationery, and “Kitamura Camera.” At “Sanrio Shinjuku Store,” you can find various kinds of goods, such as stuffed Sanrio characters. There is also “Disney FLAGSHIP TOKYO,” one of the largest Disney stores in Japan, which is just like an attraction itself. They surely are must-visit places!
Conclusion
Access and detailed information about these places are available at Shinjuku Tourist Information (at South East Gate of JR Shinjuku Station).
Please check out the website for the latest event information.
Shinjuku City (Shinjuku-ku, or Shinjuku Ward in Japanese) is a cosmopolitan city located at the center of Tokyo, which comprises 23 cities. (wards). It features Shinjuku Station, the world’s busiest station, entertainment districts including the famous Kabukicho, and one of the most prosperous commercial areas in Japan around the station, all of which attract visitors from all over the world. Meanwhile, simply by making a little side trip from Shinjuku Station, you can visit Shinjuku neighborhoods that have many diverse and distinctive aspects as well as experience Japan-style charms. Here we feature the Shinjuku East Exit area with Kabukicho, the big entertainment district that is filled with so much energy all day and all night.
GIANT 3D CAT
The Shinjuku East Exit area is filled with commercial facilities of various sizes, including Isetan Shinjuku Store. Along with several mass-merchandise outlets, such as UNIQLO and BicCamera, there are a variety of specialized stores, such as “SEKAIDO SHINJUKU MAIN STORE,” which carries art supplies and stationery, and “Kitamura Camera.” At “Sanrio Shinjuku Store,” you can find various kinds of goods, such as stuffed Sanrio characters. There is also “Disney FLAGSHIP TOKYO,” one of the largest Disney stores in Japan, which is just like an attraction itself. They surely are must-visit places!
