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Tokyo · Capital · Special ward

Shinjuku

新宿区しんじゅくくShinjuku-ku

Skyscrapers, neon and the seat of Tokyo's government

Shinjuku is one of Tokyo's 23 special wards and the seat of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Built around the world's busiest railway station, it combines the skyscraper district of Nishi-Shinjuku, the shopping and nightlife of Shinjuku and Kabukicho, the garden of Shinjuku Gyoen and quieter old neighbourhoods such as Kagurazaka.

Overview

Shinjuku occupies the Yodobashi, Yotsuya and Ushigome areas on the Musashino terrace west of the Imperial Palace. Its name, 'new lodging', goes back to a post station founded in 1698 on the Koshu Kaido highway, but its modern form is a product of the railways: Shinjuku Station, where JR, private railways and subways meet, handles more passengers than any other station in the world.

West of the station, on the site of a former water-purification plant, stands Japan's first cluster of skyscrapers, crowned by Kenzo Tange's twin-towered Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, the seat of Tokyo's government since 1991. East of the station lie department stores, cinemas and the entertainment district of Kabukicho, the tiny bars of Golden Gai and the post-war alleys of Omoide Yokocho. To the south-east extends Shinjuku Gyoen, a former imperial garden.

Beyond the centre the ward is largely residential and scholarly: Waseda University, the cobbled lanes of Kagurazaka with their restaurants and former geisha houses, and Shin-Okubo, Tokyo's largest Koreatown, show the diversity of a ward where a high share of residents are foreign nationals.

Landmarks

  • Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building

    東京都庁Tōkyō Tochō

    Kenzo Tange's 243-metre twin towers (1991), with public observation decks on the 45th floor.

  • Shinjuku Gyoen

    新宿御苑Shinjuku Gyoen

    Former imperial garden combining French formal, English landscape and Japanese gardens; famous for cherry blossom.

  • Omoide Yokocho

    思い出横丁Omoide Yokochō

    Narrow post-war alleys of tiny yakitori counters beside the tracks west of the station.

  • Golden Gai

    ゴールデン街Gōruden-gai

    Six lanes of around 200 miniature bars in two-storey wooden buildings, long a haunt of writers and filmmakers.

  • Hanazono Shrine

    花園神社Hanazono Jinja

    Guardian shrine of Shinjuku beside Golden Gai, known for its November rake markets.

  • Natsume Soseki Memorial Museum

    漱石山房記念館Sōseki Sanbō Kinenkan

    Museum on the site of the novelist's last home in Waseda-Minami, with a reconstruction of his study.

  • Suehirotei

    新宿末廣亭Shinjuku Suehirotei

    Wooden yose theatre for rakugo and variety performances, one of Tokyo's last traditional halls.

Districts

  • Nishi-Shinjuku

    西新宿Nishi-Shinjuku

    The skyscraper district with the metropolitan government, hotels and offices.

  • Kabukicho

    歌舞伎町Kabukichō

    Japan's best-known entertainment district, with cinemas, bars, restaurants and host clubs.

  • Shinjuku Sanchome

    新宿三丁目Shinjuku Sanchōme

    Department stores and fashion along Shinjuku-dori, and the LGBTQ bar quarter of Shinjuku Nichome nearby.

  • Kagurazaka

    神楽坂Kagurazaka

    Sloping street and stone-paved lanes with traditional restaurants, a small French community and remaining geisha houses.

  • Shin-Okubo

    新大久保Shin-Ōkubo

    Tokyo's largest Koreatown, with restaurants, cosmetics shops and K-pop stores.

  • Waseda and Takadanobaba

    早稲田Waseda

    Student quarter around Waseda University, known for inexpensive ramen shops.

History

In 1698 the shogunate allowed a new post station, Naito-Shinjuku, on land of the Naito family where the Koshu Kaido met the Ome Kaido. The Naito estate later became Shinjuku Gyoen. Shinjuku Station opened on the railway in 1885, and after the 1923 earthquake, which spared the western suburbs, department stores, theatres and commuters moved west, making Shinjuku a new centre.

The present ward was formed in 1947 from Yotsuya, Ushigome and Yodobashi. Post-war black markets gave rise to Omoide Yokocho and Golden Gai; Kabukicho was named for a kabuki theatre planned in 1948 but never built. The skyscraper district developed from 1971, and the metropolitan government moved from Marunouchi to Shinjuku in 1991.

  1. 1698

    The post station Naito-Shinjuku opens on the Koshu Kaido.

  2. 1885

    Shinjuku Station opens.

  3. 1898

    The Yodobashi water-purification plant is built on the site of today's skyscraper district.

  4. 1906

    The imperial garden Shinjuku Gyoen is completed on the former Naito estate.

  5. 1947

    Shinjuku Ward is created from Yotsuya, Ushigome and Yodobashi.

  6. 1948

    Kabukicho receives its name in a post-war reconstruction plan.

  7. 1971

    The Keio Plaza Hotel becomes the first skyscraper in Nishi-Shinjuku.

  8. 1991

    The Tokyo Metropolitan Government moves into its new headquarters in Nishi-Shinjuku.

Culture

Shinjuku has long been Tokyo's stage for counterculture – the student protests, underground theatre and jazz cafés of the 1960s, the writers and filmmakers of Golden Gai. Today it combines world-class department stores and cinemas with theatre at Tokyo Opera City and the New National Theatre, rakugo at Suehirotei and one of Asia's best-known LGBTQ districts in Nichome.

Festivals

  • Tori-no-ichi at Hanazono Shrine

    酉の市Tori-no-ichi

    On the days of the rooster in November, stalls sell decorated bamboo rakes (kumade) for good business.

  • Shinjuku Eisa Festival

    新宿エイサーまつりShinjuku Eisā Matsuri

    Okinawan eisa drum dancing along the streets around the station in summer.

  • Kagurazaka Festival

    神楽坂まつりKagurazaka Matsuri

    Summer festival with a ground-cherry market and Awa-odori dancers on the Kagurazaka slope.

Food

  • Yakitori

    焼き鳥yakitori

    Grilled chicken skewers, the classic fare of the counters in Omoide Yokocho.

  • Ramen and tsukemen

    つけ麺tsukemen

    Shinjuku and Takadanobaba have some of Tokyo's densest ramen scenes, including dipping-noodle specialists.

  • Korean food

    韓国料理Kankoku ryōri

    Barbecue, stews and street snacks in Shin-Okubo.

Getting around

  • Shinjuku Station is served by the JR Yamanote, Chuo, Sobu, Saikyo and Shonan-Shinjuku lines, the Odakyu and Keio railways and the Marunouchi, Shinjuku and Oedo subway lines; Seibu-Shinjuku Station is nearby.
  • The Narita Express runs directly to Narita Airport, and Odakyu Romancecar limited expresses leave for Hakone.
  • Busta Shinjuku, above the south exit, is Japan's largest highway bus terminal, with services to Mount Fuji, Kusatsu and across the country.
  • The Tochomae station on the Oedo Line serves the government district; the station area is vast, and following the exit signs carefully saves time.

Day trips

  • Hakone

    Hot springs, Lake Ashi and Mount Fuji views, about 85 minutes by Odakyu Romancecar.

  • Mount Takao

    A forested mountain with a temple, about 50 minutes by Keio Line.

  • Kawagoe

    Storehouse streets of 'Little Edo', direct by Seibu Shinjuku Line.

  • Fujikawaguchiko

    Lake Kawaguchi at the foot of Mount Fuji, by highway bus from Busta Shinjuku.

Other cities in the prefecture

Special wardChiyodaChiyoda-kuThe palace, the Diet and Tokyo Station at the heart of JapanSpecial wardChuoChūō-kuEdo's merchant heart, from Nihonbashi to GinzaCore cityHachiojiHachiōji-shiMount Takao and the silk town at Tokyo's western edgeSpecial wardMinatoMinato-kuEmbassies, art museums and Tokyo Tower on the baySpecial wardShibuyaShibuya-kuFashion, youth culture and a forest shrine in the heart of TokyoSpecial wardTaitoTaitō-kuTemples, museums and the old shitamachi of Asakusa and Ueno

Frequently asked questions

Is Shinjuku the capital of Tokyo?

Shinjuku Ward is the seat of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, so it is usually named as Tokyo's capital; strictly, Tokyo has no separate capital city.

Can visitors go up the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building?

Yes. The observation decks on the 45th floor of both towers are open to the public and offer views to Mount Fuji on clear days.

Is Kabukicho safe?

Generally yes, but visitors should ignore touts, avoid being led into bars by strangers and check prices before ordering.

When is the best time to visit Shinjuku Gyoen?

Late March to April for the many varieties of cherry, and November for autumn colours and the chrysanthemum exhibition.

Related

Sources

  1. 1.新宿区ホームページ (opens in a new tab) — 新宿区 (Shinjuku City)
  2. 2.令和2年国勢調査 (opens in a new tab) — 総務省統計局 (Statistics Bureau of Japan)
  3. 3.東京都公式ホームページ (opens in a new tab) — 東京都 (Tokyo Metropolitan Government)
  4. 4.Japan National Tourism Organization (opens in a new tab) — JNTO

Editorial team · Published: