In the heart of Tokyo’s vibrant metropolis, Shinjuku ward stands tall as a pulsating urban tapestry, where towering skyscrapers, bustling streets, and neon-lit alleys converge to create a mesmerizing symphony of modernity. With its kaleidoscope of diverse cultures, endless entertainment options, and a never-ending energy that ignites the senses, Shinjuku Tokyo is an enchanting wonderland that encapsulates the dynamic essence of Tokyo, drawing both locals and travelers into its captivating embrace.
Table of Contents
Introduction:
Shinjuku ward is one of the 23 wards of Tokyo, located in central Tokyo. The neighborhood is known as Shinjuku City. It is also familiar to foreigners as Shinjuku Tokyo has numerous tourist spots.
Population:339,211
Area:18.22 km2
Chiyoda surrounds Shinjuku to the east; Bunkyo and Toshima to the North; Nakano to the west; and Shibuya and Minato to the south.
Main attractions:
Shinjuku is a huge ward and famous for Shinjuku Station. Millions of passengers use this station every day.
Shinjuku Station attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists daily. At the same time, Golden Gai, Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, Tokyo Metropolitan Government Buildings, Fire Museum, Isetan Shinjuku Store, Meijijingu Gaien, and Samurai Museum are considered the most Tokyo tourist attractions in Shinjuku.
Takadanobaba is one of the areas in Shinjuku that attracts tourists in Tokyo. In the area, the Statue of Peace, Suwa shrine, Genkoku-ji temple, Cat Cafe are worthy of being mentioned.
Main Station:
Shinjuku Main Station is the main center of the Shinjuku tourist attraction in the Shinjuku area.
It may sound strange, but no one can explore Shinjuku well without knowing the Shinjuku Main Station properly because it is connected to the whole area.
In addition, the Shinjuku Main Station consists of many restaurants, cafes, shopping malls, and department stores.
Lumine, Odakyu, and Keio own a few shopping malls here. Lumine is above east, south exits.
But, Keio and Odakyu have underground famous shopping malls. Keio underground mall is to the south of the Keiko Line Entrance, and Odakyu underground is to the west under the bus terminal.
East Side of the Main Station:
The Eastern side of the station is considered the largest downtown in the Shinjuku area. The area consists of numerous department stores, shopping malls, and restaurants.
Besides, many local and International renowned shopping malls here are Marui, Barneys New York, Shinjuku Pepe, Lumine East, BiG Camera, and UNIQLO.
In addition, there are some famous movie theaters such as Shinjuku Piccadilly and Musashinokan on the eastern side.
Similarly, the most beautiful park in this area, ‘Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden,’ is located in the eastern part.
Overall, there is one more thing to mention here that Shinjuku 2-Chome is known as Gay Town. However, it is fun to visit this area.
Western side:
The western side is also famous for the area. At the exit point, Odakyu, Keio, Hulk, and Lumine have good stores.
Besides, Yodobashi Camera, a famous Japanese electronic company branch, is located here.
Also, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building and Tokyo Metropolitan Assemble Building are located in the Western part of Shinjuku Tokyo.
Northern Shinjuku:
The Northern part of Shinjuku is a large entertainment area. Many Koreans and Chinese live in the Kabukicho area.
It is better to mention here that the north side of the station leads to the Kabukicho area, including hosts, cabaret clubs, restaurants, imported record shops, and hotels.
Southern Shinjuku:
The Southern part of Shinjuku is one of the residential areas. But it is turning into a business area rapidly.
Takashimaya Time Square is situated in the Southern part of Shinjuku.
Finally, Shinjuku’s two places, which foreign visitors usually enthusiastic about visiting, are Red Light Zone and Gay Town.
Shin Okubo:
It’s a Korean town in Tokyo. It’s also a famous tourist spot. Recently, Shin Okubo is familiar to the Tokyo people as an International Area. Many Korean, Indian, Pakistan, and Vietnam people live there.
There’re many things to do here. Such as Korean style food, barbecue, Korean style club, shops, and bars. This area is considered one of the large tourist attractions in Tokyo.
Besides, many temples, shrines, and gardens attract tourists every day. Among them, Zenkokuji Temple and Tokyo Daijingu Shrine are very famous.
Koishikawa Korakuen Garden is one of the Tokyo tourist attractions. It has a vast area where tourists can enjoy the lake, Japanese garden, and flowers.
Kagurazaka festival is one of the famous festivals in the area.
Kagurazaka Festival is a summer festival that the committee holds at the end of July for four days. People perform traditional Tokushima (Tokushima prefecture) dance.
Similarly, Ichigaya and Yotsuya attract many tourists every day.
Shrine:
Tokyo is a big city, and every ward consists of many shrines and temples, and Shinjuku is no exception. Some of the popular shrines and temples in Shinjuku are mentioned below.
Hanazono Shrine, Naruko Tenjin Shrine, Inarikio Shrine, Juni-so Kumano Shrine, Dozo Jizo Bosatsu Zozo Shinshoji Temple, and Raiden Inari Shrine.
Hanazono Shrine:
Are you pursuing business success? Then this Shrine is for you.
The Hanazono Shrine is located in Shinjuku Tokyo. It is a historical Inari Shrine that was built by the Hanazono family in 17 century.
However, it is a shrine mostly famous for people in the business. According to the Shrine’s belief, this is a god of worldly success, especially those involved in the business and industries.
Besides, this Shrine is very much for monthly events. Many events are celebrated all over the year; the Shrine holds at least one event every month.
If you are willing to join the events, please check the even links below where I discussed events in the article, festival section.
Juni-so Kumano Shrine:
The Juni-so Kumano Shrine is situated in Shinjuku Chuo Park, nestled in the shadows of iconic landmarks like the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building and the Park Hyatt.
However, the Shrine is very peaceful and quiet. Most of the people who love to peaceful life come here and spend their time alone.
Some people do their sit here and concentrate on their projects, and some people sleep and read books quietly.
Most interestingly, there are many small Shrines here, which you may find seeing from near. But the fact is all roofs of the Shrines look alike.
In short, it is green with grass that attracts office workers to eat their lunch, not only that but also the visitors enjoy the greenery park to sit on and enjoy the soft touch of the grasses.
In addition, it has a wading pool and a playground.
Main Festivals:
Several festivals are held in Shinjuku all over the year. But some of the major festivals are mentioned below for a better understanding of the timing of the celebrations.
January 1-First visit & Yunohana Shinto ritual
February 3- Setsubun Festival
February 11- Founding Festival / Mochitsuki Tournament
February 15- Ninoumasai
April- Flower Festival
May- Annual Festival
June- Natsukoshi’s Great Shrine
July- Mountain Opening Festival
August- Bon Odori
November- Shichigosan pilgrimage
November Rooster Day- Rooster Market
December 31- Da
Parks:
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, Toyama Park, and Shinjuku Central Park are the major park of this area.
Moreover, it is one of the best and most famous parks in Tokyo. The park is so huge it takes a few hours fully to finish on foot.
The park is green with grass and trees. Besides, it has ponds, tea houses, shops, playgrounds, flower gardens, Japanese gardens, a greenhouse.
Also, there are cute fishes in the ponds. The tourists feed them some food sometimes.
In short, it is a park in Tokyo worth visiting. Thousands of people visit every day and have fun with family members.
Museums:
There are several museums in the Shinjuku area. But some of the museums are very famous for their locations and historical background, mentioned below.
Waseda University Aizu Museum, Museum of Science, Soseki Sanbo Memorial Museum, Shinjuku Historical Museum, Japan Olympic Museum, Sompo Museum of Art, Tokyo Toy Museum, Fire Museum, Samurai Museum, and Hobby Center Kato Tokyo.
Waseda University Aizu Museum:
It is a museum where the students usually use for their studies. At the same time, it is open for all.
However, among the museums, the Waseda University of Aizu Museum is one of the famous museums in Shinjuku Tokyo. The museum has numerous collections of materials regarding scholarly done at Waseda University.
Overall, it has around 18,000 artifacts in the main building.
Historical Museum:
Tokyo boasts two remarkable museums that transport you back to the Edo period: the Shinjuku Historical Museum and the Edo Tokyo Museum in Ryogoku. These destinations are must-visits for anyone interested in Japanese history and the Edo era.
These museums offer a unique glimpse into Japan’s rural past, a side often unseen by tourists. They skillfully recreate the serene, pastoral life of earlier times.
Visiting these museums isn’t just informative; it’s a joyous experience. They display a wide array of Edo-period artifacts, from everyday items to detailed models of houses and bridges, bringing history to life in a fascinating and enjoyable way.
Tower:
Tokyo is a city of towers. It has several small and big towers in different wards, Shinjuku is no exception.
However, among the several towers in Shinjuku Metropolitan Tower is the tallest tower in Shinjuku.
Besides, Shinjuku Maynds Tower, Shinjuku Park Tower, Odakyu Southern Tower, Docomo Yoyogi Building, Shinjuku Bunka Quint Building are worth mentioning.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building/ Shinjuku Tower:
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building is also familiar as Shinjuku Tower. It is a tourist spot that has become attractive to many tourists in Shinjuku.
However, it is not a tower but a building. But because of its observatories, it became familiar as a tower.
Most interestingly, the building’s towers look like Gothic Cathedral.
But it does not need a fee for visiting like Tokyo Tower, Tokyo Skytree, or Roppongi Tower. The observatories are entirely free.
Overall, even though it is free of cost, the service of the Metropolitan is admirable. The security officers who serve the tourists visiting the tower are beneficial and polite.
If you are in Tokyo, never miss visiting Shinjuku Tower once to see Tokyo’s beautiful scenery. Visitors can see Mt Fuji, Meiji Shrine, Skytree, and some of the parts of Tokyo.
Universities:
Waseda University is one of the most famous universities in Japan, located in Shinjuku Tokyo.