Shinjuku is widely thought to be Tokyo’s second city center, with its business district and skyscrapers on the west side in the day, and its bustling nightlife district on the east side at night. That being said, there aren’t exactly major tourist sights in the area, and much of it is really just exploring the neighborhood on foot.
Shinjuku is generally great to explore on foot, though it mainly consists of either retail malls or restaurants. For those concerned about seediness, only the north side of Shinjuku tends to have touts who are more aggressive, while the rest of Shinjuku is generally alright. Much of the appeal of Shinjuku is for nightlife lovers searching for bars and izakayas (居酒屋, Japanese pub) to grab a round of drinks.
Shinjuku can be generally divided into four parts, each with its own unique identity, and it’s best to pick an area to explore based on your own interests.
- West Shinjuku: Generally the restaurant and shopping area of Shinjuku, it is safe to walk around and explore. There is, however, nothing of particular note that would stand out in the area.
- South Shinjuku: The newer, more modern and cleaner shopping area of Shinjuku, there are nice terraces that run alongside the train tracks, as well as a number of large malls like Takashimaya Times Square and Lumine.
- East Shinjuku: The skyscraper business district of Shinjuku where most offices are located. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building is located here which has two free observatories located on the 45th floor of each of the two towers at 202m up. Additionally, you can also find Omoide Yokocho here, a small narrow alleyway of bars, and a popular 24 hour soba shop.
- North Shinjuku: The seedier side of Shinjuku, this is where you will find Kabukicho, Tokyo’s red-light district, as well as Golden Gai, a popular drinking spot. Within the center of Kabukicho, you can find the Shinjuku Toho Building which has a large life-sized Godzilla head popping out through the top. The area is generally quite safe, but touts tend to come out and get more aggressive after around 8 or 9pm. Do note that you should never follow touts to their restaurants, often times tourists have fallen prey and end up in a bar where they are charged exorbitant amounts as a table charge and service fees that can run up to the tens of thousands of yen.
