Seven fun places to enjoy the fascinating Shinjuku area at night!
Shinjuku is an area with various faces. It is known to tourists as the city that never sleeps. It is known for its skyscrapers, downtown and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office. It is said to offer the real feel the taste of Japan. I picked some of my favorite attractions to introduce to you.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government building with its observatory is one of Shinjuku most popular tourist attractions.
From the Toei Subway Oedo Line go to the “Tocho-Mae Station.” The station is actually connected to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building (東京都庁). The Tokyo Metropolitan Government building is available for anyone to tour freely. It is highly recommended as a tourist destination. You can also get Tokyo tourist information here and visit the observatory that is over 600 feet above the ground.
【Spot name】Tokyo Metropolitan Government building
【Address】2-8-1 Nishi-Shinjuku Shinjuku-ku Tokyo
【Sales】8:00a.m. to 6:45p.m.
【Closed 】Weekends & holidays, year-end and new year holidays
This street in Shinjuku is filled with tastes, and sights of the Showa era!
Go to Shinjuku Station West exit and you will come out on Shinjuku’s Kotakibashi street. Walk a little way and on the left side of the street you will see the entrance to Omoide Yokocho street. There are many shops along the street that sell yakitori that is prepared from cattle raised locally. The street was a popular hang out of the occupation forces after the war. There were a lot of soldiers in the area that were buying the beef and pork. Today there are more taverns, soba, and sushi restaurants, wholesale ticket shops and more. All in all there are more than 80 stores in total along this popular tourist destination. So come and enjoy this Showa era nostalgic atmosphere.
【Spot name】Shinjuku Omoide Yokocho
【Address】Nishi Shinjuku 1-Chome Shinjuku-ku Tokyo
【Hours of operation】Store hours may vary.
【Closed】Store hours may vary.
Enjoy Hanazono Golden Street’s atmosphere that reminds you of the Showa era.
From the East exit of Shinjuku Station it is an 8-minute walk to Shikinomichi street. You just start walking down Yasukuni Street and it turns into Shikinomichi street. You can imagine from the many shops with neon lights along the narrow alleys what it must have been like during the Showa era. These wooden buildings after World War II became the black market of Shinjuku. Difficult relocation and operating regulations forced the shops underground in order to survive. Currently, young owners have expanded these unique shops, and created this new Golden City as a vibrant tourist destination.
【Spot name】Hanazono Golden Street
【Address】1-1 Kabuki-Cho Shinjuku-ku Tokyo
【Hours of operation】Store hours may vary.
【Closed】Store hours may vary.
If you want to visit the darker side of Tokyo come sightseeing at Kabuki-Cho street in Shinjuku.
When speaking of sightseeing of Tokyo at night, the first thing comes to mind is a Kabuki-Cho (歌舞伎町). This street in Shinjuku has its own mysterious charm. It can be reached from the East exit of the Shinjuku station or from the Saibu Shinjuku station exit. If you are a first time visitor to Tokyo you might feel a little nervous on Kabuki-cho street. But not to worry there are a lot of interesting shops that can be found. Please come enjoy downtown Tokyo with its wide variety of shops!
【Spot name】Kabuki-Cho
【Address】Kabuki-Cho Shinjuku-ku Tokyo
【Hours of operation】Store hours may vary.
【Closed on Mondays】Store hours may vary.
Plenty of popular tourist bars on Shinjuku 2-Chome!
The Shinjuku 2-Chome is famous for its gay bars. The main street runs from Shinjuku dori street to Yasukuni Dori Street. Shinjuku 2-Chome exposes tourists to the limelight of the gay district and has become a popular attraction in Tokyo. Here you can open the door to a different atmosphere.
【Spot name】Shinjuku 2-Chome
【Address】Shinjuku 2-Chome Shinjuku-ku Tokyo
【Hours of operation】Store hours may vary.
【Closed】Store hours may vary.
You can enjoy all 4 seasons at Shinjuku Meiji Jingu Gaien
Various sports facilities such as Meiji Jingu baseball stadium and tennis courts are to be in place by 2020. Plans to build a new national stadium is designed to become the symbol of Meiji Jingu Gaien(明治神宮外苑). The existing Meiji Memorial picture gallery is a popular tourist destination as well. World famous Ginkgo biloba trees of the outer perimeter are a popular sightseeing destination and for many a place of recreation and relaxation. What Station to use to arrive here depends on your destination. For the Shotoku Memorial Art Museum use the JR Chuo Sobu line, Shinano-Cho station, to visit the Ginkgo trees use the Tokyo Metro Ginza line Gaien-Mae Station.
【Spot name】Meiji Jingu gaien
【Address】1-1 kasumigaoka-machi Shinjuku-ku Tokyo
【Closed】Open all year round.
Yasukuni Shrine with its complicated history is a popular tourist destination in Shinjuku!
The nearest station to the Yasukuni Shrine is the Tokyo Metro Kudanshita station. It is a 5-minute walk from the station. The Yasukuni Shrine(靖国神社), a popular tourist destination is a relatively new shrine. It was founded in 1869. The shrine is dedicated to those who gave their lives in the war for the nation. The name Yasukuni means “build a nation of peace.” It is recommended to visit in the spring so to best appreciate the more than 600 Cherry trees blossoming. The trees were planted to commemorate the souls of those who lost their lives in the war. Various festivals are held throughout the year. Many worshippers and tourists visit this popular tourist attraction.
【Spot name】Yasukuni Shrine
【Address】3-1-1 Kudankita Chiyoda-ku Tokyo
【Hours of operation】March-October 6:00a.m. to 6:00p.m.
January-February 6:00a.m. to 5:00p.m.
【Closed】Open all year round.
