Shinjuku (新宿) is one of the 23 city wards of Tokyo, but the name commonly refers to just the large entertainment, business and shopping area around Shinjuku Station.
Shinjuku Station is the world's busiest railway station, handling more than two million passengers every day. It is served by about a dozen railway and subway lines, including the JR Yamanote Line. Shinjuku is also one of Tokyo's major stops for long-distance highway buses. A large bus terminal, named Busta Shinjuku, is conveniently located on top of the railway station.
West of the station is Shinjuku's skyscraper district, home to many of Tokyo's tallest buildings, including several premier hotels and the twin towers of the Metropolitan Government Office, whose observation decks are open to the public for free.
Northeast of the station lies Kabukicho, Japan's largest and wildest red light district, while department stores, subterranean malls and electronic shops surround Shinjuku Station on all four sides, including the redeveloped Southern Terrace.
Restaurants: Hours vary but are typically from 11:00 to 23:00.
Some restaurants close for a few hours between lunch and dinner.
The area west of Shinjuku Station is home to a large number of skyscrapers including the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building and leading hotels such as the Keio Plaza, Hilton, Hyatt Regency and Park Hyatt (featured in Lost in Translation). Several of the skyscrapers have shops and restaurants on their ground floors and additional restaurants with great views of the city on their top floors.
More info:
There is an Observation room in the building
Metropolitan government office first building
243m
Observation room 45F
Hour: 9:30 to 23:00
Closed: 1st and 3rd Tuesday (Noth Tower), 2nd and 4th Monday (South Tower)
Admission: Free
More info:
Shinjuku Sumitomo Building
210m
Observation room 51F
Hour: 10:00 to 22:00
Closed: No closing days
Admission: Free
Shinjuku Nomura Building
209m
Observation room 50F
Hour: 8:00 to 23:30
Closed: No closing days
Admission: Free
Shinjuku NS Building
133m
Observation room 29F
Hour: 11:00 to 22:00
Closed: No closing days
Admission: Free
There is an High floor restaurant in the building
Shinjuku Park Tower
(Park Hyatt Hotel 40F 41F 52F)
Shinjuku Sumitomo Building
48F 49F 50F 51F 52F
Shinjuku Nomura Building
48F 49F 50F
Keio Plaza Hotel
45F(bar Only)
Shinjuku NS Building
29F
Restaurants: Typically 11:00 to 24:00 (some open 24 hours)
Bars: Typically from 19:00 or 20:00 until the next morning
Closed: Some establishments are closed on Sundays
Named after a kabuki theater, whose construction plans have never been realized, Japan's largest red light district features countless restaurants, bars, nightclubs, pachinko parlors, love hotels and a wide variety of red light establishments for all sexes and sexual orientations. Explore with caution and beware of exorbitant cover fees and drink spiking resulting in loss of cash and credit cards. The latter typically occurs at establishments run by non-Japanese patrons and is initiated by touts targeting foreign tourists.
Hours: Typically from 19:00 or 20:00 until the next morning
Closed: Typically Sundays
Golden Gai is a small, atmospheric nightlife district in Kabukicho packed with over 200 small bars and eateries. Most places are very small, seating only a few customers, and typically cater to a few regular customers. A few of the bars openly welcome foreign guests with signs and menus set outside listing prices in English.
Restaurants: Typically from 17:00 to 24:00 (some are open for lunch)
Closed: Irregular closing days
Omoide Yokocho (lit. memory lane), also known under its more colorful nickname Piss Alley, is a small network of alleyways along the tracks northwest of Shinjuku Station. The narrow lanes are filled with dozens of tiny eateries serving ramen, soba, sushi, yakitori and kushiyaki. Many restaurants consist of just one counter with some chairs, while others have a couple of tables.
Shinjuku - One of Tokyo's largest shopping and entertainment districts
Centered around Shinjuku Station, a major transportation hub and the busiest train station in the world, this district is home to half a dozen major department stores, including several companies' flagship stores; as well as outlets of Japan's largest electronics retailers combined with a host of other shops and boutiques along its streets and underground shopping arcades.
Isetan
伊勢丹
Hours: 10:30 to 20:00
Restaurants: Typically 11:00 to 22:00
With a history of over 100 years Isetan is a veteran among Shinjuku's department stores. The Shinjuku store is Isetan's flagship and consists of ten floors, including restaurants on the top floors and a food department in the basement.
More info:
Takashimaya
高島屋
Hours: 10:00 to 20:00 (Saturdays until 20:30)
Restaurants: 11:00 to 23:00
Opened in 1996, the Shinjuku branch of Takashimaya consists of 15 floors, including a food department in the basement and three restaurant floors. It is the main store of the "Takashimaya Times Square" complex that also houses a Tokyu Hands branch and Kinokuniya book store with a large foreign language section.
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Odakyu
小田急百貨店
Hours: 10:00 to 20:30 (Sundays until 20:00)
Restaurants: 11:00 to 22:30
Odakyu Department Store consists of 16 floors, including a wonderful food department in the basement and restaurants on its top floors. The department store belongs to the Odakyu Group, which also operates a suburban railway line from Shinjuku to Odawara (Odakyu is an abbreviation for "Odawara Express").
More info:
Keio
京王百貨店
Hours: 10:00 to 20:30 (Sundays and holidays until 20:00)
Restaurants: 11:00 to 22:00
Keio Department Store consists of 11 floors, including a food department in the basement and several restaurants on the restaurant floor. The department store belongs to the Keio Group, which also operates a suburban railway line from Shinjuku to western Tokyo.
More info:
Lumine
ルミネ
Hours: 11:00 to 22:00
Restaurants: 11:00 to 23:00
Lumine is owned by JR East and located both next to and above Shinjuku Station's South and East Exits. Lumine is divided into "Lumine 1" and "Lumine 2" on either side of the South Exit and "Lumine Est" (formerly known as "My City") above the East Exit.
More info:
Yodobashi Camera
ヨドバシカメラ
Hours: 9:30 to 22:00
Yodobashi Camera is one of Japan's leading discount electronics retailers, and especially strong on camera equipment. Yodobashi's main store is divided up between half a dozen buildings near the west exit of Shinjuku Station, while a smaller branch is located near the station's east exit..
More info:
Bic Camera
ビックカメラ
Hours: 10:00 to 21:00
Closed: No closing days
Bic Camera is another of Japan's leading discount electronics retailers. It has two large stores in Shinjuku: one in the Odakyu Halc Building near the station's west exit and one east of the station near the Isetan department store.
Yamada Denki
ヤマダ電器
Hours: 10:30 to 22:30 (Sundays and holidays 10:00 to 22:00)
Yamada Denki is one of Japan's most successful electronics chains, and has opened two large branches in Shinjuku: one northeast of Shinjuku Station near the entrance to Kabukicho, and one near Yodobashi Camera's main store on the station's west side.
Shinjuku Skyscraper District - Map
The information on this page is updated in April 2014.
The possibility want that information has been changed, please check the official website of each facility.