Shinjuku: Tokyo in Microcosm

Like many other major cities around the world, Tokyo is so vast there is no single city centre but numerous suburbs and districts from which visitors can choose their base. On a previous visit to Japan’s capital city we stayed at Roppongi, at the time considered one of the best districts for foreign visitors and also home to a large expat community. It has since been developed substantially to appeal to a wider range of visitors and residents.

When we returned to Tokyo last October, we chose Shinjuku as our base because it is said to be a microcosm of Tokyo, with skyscrapers, neon lights and luxury hotels but also yakitori stalls in old wooden shacks and legacy department stores. As you can see from some of these photos, it rained a lot while we were there.

Tokyo assaults the senses with colour, light, aromas and garish decorations, but unlike some other large cities it is not unduly noisy. Contemporary Japanese culture is based on deeply rooted values that shape daily life and personal behaviour. Consideration of others and avoidance of conflict are central to Japanese cultural values. Respect is another fundamental value and nowhere is this more evident than in department stores where customers entering are greeted with a series of bows from the staff.

Shinjuku is one of the 23 city wards of Tokyo, but the name is commonly used to mean just the large entertainment, business and shopping area around Shinjuku Station, the world’s busiest railway station. It handles more than two million passengers every day and is served by about a dozen railway and subway lines, including the JR Yamanote Line, pictured below.

The Yamanote Line is a circular train line in central Tokyo that connects the city’s major districts, and all Japan aficionados say you must stay close to it, but we didn’t use it. The line has daily patronage of up to five million people, stops at 30 stations, and has a total length of about 35 kilometres. A trip around the whole circle takes approximately one hour.

Shinjuku is also one of Tokyo’s major stops for long-distance highway buses or kōsoku bus. These are an inexpensive alternative to trains for long and medium distance travel in Japan, including overnight travel. While not as fast as express trains, highway buses are considerably cheaper. You can catch them in Shinjuku at the large bus terminal named Busta Shinjuku, conveniently located on top of the railway station.

West of the station is Shinjuku’s skyscraper district, home to some of Tokyo’s tallest buildings including several top hotels and the twin towers of the Metropolitan Government Office, whose observation decks are open to the public for free. Godzilla also appears here from time to time.

However, the station’s west exit is currently being redeveloped, which is affecting the pedestrian traffic flow. A new mixed-use building, 48 storeys and 260 metres tall, is planned for completion in 2029.

Northeast of the station lies Kabukicho (below), Japan’s largest and wildest red-light district. Named after an abandoned kabuki theatre, Kabukicho features countless restaurants, bars, nightclubs, pachinko (a sort of pinball) arcades, love hotels and, according to Japan-guide.com, “a wide variety of red-light establishments for all sexes and sexual orientations.”

And neatly passing the buck, Japan-guide.com says to explore this area with caution and beware of exorbitant cover fees and drink spiking, “typically occurring at establishments run by non-Japanese patrons.”

Golden Gai is a small, atmospheric nightlife district in Kabukicho packed with over 200 small bars and eateries. Most places are tiny with seating for only a handful of people and with priority given to regular customers. However, some of the bars openly welcome foreign guests with signs and menus placed outside providing information and prices in English.

Tokyo’s most famous department stores are clustered around Shinjuku Station’s exits, meaning you have access to high-class shopping as soon as you leave the station. The floors of the Isetan, Keio, Odakyu and Takashimaya department stores are packed full of designer wear and their basement floors overflow with sumptuous food products.

Here you can spend an afternoon browsing the shops and take advantage of Japan’s peerless customer service. If you are hunting for something high tech, visit the area west of the station where electronics megastores display all the latest technology.

With a history of over 100 years Isetan is a veteran among Shinjuku’s department stores. The Shinjuku store is Isetan’s flagship and consists of ten floors, including restaurants on the top floors and a food department in the basement.

For a slightly different culture, visit Shin-Okubo Koreatown, a collection of Korean shops and restaurants found along the main road and side streets around Shin-Okubo Station, one stop north of Shinjuku.

We stayed at the Citadines Shinjuku Tokyo hotel (not to be confused with the Citadines Central Shinjuku) which is easy to spot with its blue and yellow façade. It’s located in the quiet eastern part of Shinjuku and we chose this hotel largely because of the fulsome review given by a blogger who travels to Tokyo frequently. We weren’t disappointed. It’s not a luxury hotel, more of a boutique style, and it offers studio apartments with fully equipped kitchenettes.

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden and the Isetan Department Store are a 10-minute walk from the hotel. The lively Kabukicho district is a 15-minute walk away. Shinjuku Central Park is also relatively close and is not far from the previously mentioned Metropolitan Government Building. Shinjuku Gyoenmae subway station offers direct subway access to the Ginza and Shinjuku areas.

Pictured above is the so-called Love Object, a statue that is the meeting place for just about every tour that starts in Shinjuku.

After a pleasant few days in Tokyo, which followed a relaxing cruise from Korea, it was back to the not so pleasant and certainly not relaxing air travel. However, we were able to depart from Tokyo’s convenient Haneda Airport, which is only 15 kilometres or 20-30 minutes by taxi from central Tokyo. By contrast the alternative airport, Narita, is 60 kilometres away or up to two hours by road, although faster by train.