Shinjuku

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The pulsing heart of Tokyo, Shinjuku is probably the place you’re imagining when you think of Tokyo: bright neon lights, crowds, tall buildings, bustling streets and energy galore.

Shinjuku is one of the most vibrant “nodes” of Tokyo. It’s useful to think of two different Shinjukus: East Shinjuku and West Shinjuku. On the east side of Shinjuku Station, you’ll find all the neon lights, crowds, restaurants and bars that you associate with modern Tokyo (along with a pretty seedy entertainment district, Kabukicho), while on the west side of Shinjuku Station, there are some of the city’s tallest high-rise buildings, government offices and hotels. It’s a lot of fun to check out both.

Things To Do And See In Shinjuku

West Shinjuku (Shinjuku Nishi-Guchi)

• Tokyo Metropolitan Government Offices (office tower/observation deck)
  The observations decks located on the 45th floors of these two towers offer some of the best views of the city. On clear days you can see Mt Fuji from here, along with the entire city of Tokyo spread out beneath you. Best of all, they’re free! You board the elevators on the basement floor of the building.
• Omoide Yokocho (old school restaurant lane)
  This tiny alley on the northwest side of Shinjuku Station is a great place for a taste of old Tokyo. It looks like I imagine much of Tokyo did right after the war. The easiest way to get there is to get to the north end of the station on street level where Shinjuku-dori runs under the train tracks – the entrance is just on the west side of the underpass.

East Shinjuku (Shinjuku Hagashi-Guchi)

• Shinjuku Gyoen Garden (park/garden)
  This superb park/garden is overlooked by many visitors to Tokyo. That’s their loss, because it’s a great place for a stroll or a picnic. It’s very close to Shinjuku-gyoenmae subway station. This is a great place to see the cherry blossoms in the spring.
• Kabukicho (nightlife district/red light district)
  This seething nightlife/dining/red light district northeast of Shinjuku Station is alternately fascinating and repelling. It’s filled with host and hostess bars, sex shops, dodgy “massage” shops and all kinds of restaurants and bars. It’s also filled with all kinds of drunk Japanese businessmen and a good selection of the world’s riff-raff. This place is great if you’re in the mood, but don’t bring the kids!
• Robot Restaurant (over-the-top cabaret)
  Tokyo’s infamous Robot Restaurant in Kabukicho is an ultra-flashy, hyper-tacky robot-themed cabaret show. It features every single Japanese cultural motif you can think of, amplified and decked out in obnoxious colours and lights.
• Hanazono-jinja Shrine (Shinto shrine)
  This spacious shrine in the crazy entertainment district of East Shinjuku offers a nice reprieve from the madness of the city. It’s a nice place to catch your wits during a tour of the area.
• Fire Museum (fire engine museum)
  A bit of a hike east of Shinjuku, near the Yotsuya-sanchome subway station, this museum of fire engines and firefighting is great for kids and adults who are interested in this sort of thing.
• Tokyo Toy Museum (toy museum/play space)
  Not far from the Yotsuya-sanchome subway station, this place is more of a play space for children than a proper museum. And that’s a good thing, because your kids will love this place. It’s a great rainy day activity.

Luxury Hotels In Shinjuku

• 

  Park Hyatt Tokyo
  (View on Booking.com)
  This iconic hotel in a tower in West Shinjuku is one of the most stunning hotels in the city. It’s not cheap, but it’s memorable.
• Hilton Tokyo
  (View on Booking.com)
  A solid, busy and large international-class hotel with all the features in West Shinjuku. Cheaper than most other luxury hotels in the city.

  
• 

  Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo
  (View on Booking.com)
  Located in Bunkyo-ku, a few kms northeast of Shinjuku, this elegant hotel has European-style design and a nice Japanese garden.

Mid-Range Hotels In Shinjuku

• Hotel Century Southern Tower
  (View on Booking.com)
  Steps from Tokyo Station in West Shinjuku, this superb hotel is one of the best mid-range hotels in the city. And the views are great!
• JR Kyushu Hotel Blossom Shinjuku
  (View on Booking.com)
  Super-close to Shinjuku Station in West Shinjuku, this fine hotel gets it all right. It’s one of the best hotels in this class in Tokyo.
• Mimaru Tokyo Shinjuku West
  (View on Booking.com)
  The Mimaru Tokyo Shinjuku West is the best famiy hotel in Tokyo. It’s got a great location in west Shinjuku, and it’s got a variety of large rooms with simple cooking facilities and comfortable beds.
• Hotel Gracery Shinjuku
  (View on Booking.com)
  A large and popular new hotel in the heart of Kabukicho in East Shinjuku, this hotel offers clean and comfortable rooms and competitive rates, all within relatively easy walking distance of Shinjuku Station.
• Shinjuku Granbell Hotel
  (View on Booking.com)
  This large and efficient modern business hotel on the north side of Kabukicho in East Shinjuku offers good rooms and economical rates.
• Citadines Shinjuku Tokyo
  (View on Booking.com)
  This apartment-style hotel is a fair distance from the station in East Shinjuku, but the rates reflect the less-than-perfect location, so it’s a pretty good value. And subway stations are nearby.
• Shinjuku Prince Hotel
  (View on Booking.com)
  Very close to Shinjuku Station in East Shinjuku, this bustling and popular business hotel offers comfortable rooms at very reasonable rates.
• Hyatt Regency Tokyo
  (View on Booking.com)
  Not to be confused with the other Hyatts in Tokyo, this is a large mid-range hotel in West Shinjuku that offers decent value and a relatively convenient location.
• Kadoya Hotel
  (View on Booking.com)
  The Kadoya is a decent old-school Japanese business hotel in West Shinjuku. The rates here sometimes drop into the budget category.