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Tokyo/ShinjukuTokyo/ShinjukuImage:Sakuraya_Neon.JPG|thumb|240px|Shinjuku at night '''Shinjuku''' (??) is a major district of Tokyo for work or play. ==Understand== The west side of Shinjuku, a seismically stable area that escaped the last earthquake with nary a scratch, is Tokyo's skyscraper district featuring (among others) the gargantuan '''Tokyo Metropolitan Government Offices'''. Microsoft has a major office (with an imposing sign) just across the street from the south exit of the station. The east side of Shinjuku is devoted to shopping and nightlife, including Tokyo's largest red-light district '''Kabukicho''' (????) and gay nightlife central '''Shinjuku ni-chome''' (??2??). Nearby '''Okubo''' (???), one stop west of Shinjuku on the Chuo line (also Shin-Okubo, on the Yamanote), has many Korean-owned restaurants and grocery stores. '''Takadanobaba''' (????), another stop past Shin-Okubo, is popular with students from nearby Waseda University. ==Get in== ===By train=== Train is the obvious option for arrival, as Shinjuku Station is on the JR Yamanote, Chuo, Sobu, and Saikyo lines. The Keio and Odakyu private railways stop here as well. If that isn't enough there are the Metro Marunouchi, Toei Shinjuku and Toei O-Edo lines here as well. By some measures this is ''the'' busiest railway station in the world; try to board the Marunouchi towards Tokyo Station at 8 AM on a Monday morning if you doubt this. There is also Narita Express train and limousine bus service to and from Narita Airport. ===By bus=== Not a few highway buses for points throughout Japan depart from the bus station near the east exit (opposite Yodobashi), most notably those heading to Mt. Fuji. ==See== Image:Shinjuku_TokyoTocho.jpg|thumb|Tokyo Metropolitan Government Center * '''Tokyo Metropolitan Government Center''' (?? ''Tocho''). 2-8-1 Nishi-Shinjuku (''Metro Tochomae E-28''), [http://www.metro.tokyo.jp/ENGLISH/TMG/observat.htm]. This giant hive of bureaucracy is an Orwellian architectural masterpiece designed by noted architect Kenzo Tange. The reason to come here, though, is the '''observatories''', at a height of 202 meters on the 45th floor, which have Tokyo's best views — and they're completely free. The North Observatory is open daily from 9:30 AM to 11:00 PM (closed second and fourth Mondays of each month), while the South Observatory is open daily from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM (until 11:00 PM on the days the North Observatory is closed; closed on the first and third Tuesdays of each month). Last entry is 30 minutes before closing. * The gigantic tower resembling a granite Empire State Building, south of the station, is the headquarters of '''NTT DoCoMo''', Japan's largest cell-phone carrier. * '''Shinjuku Gyoen''' (????). [http://www.shinjukugyoen.go.jp/english/english-index.html]. A large public garden, and one of the most popular places for viewing cherry blossoms in the spring. It has an English garden, a Taiwanese teahouse, and a botanical conservatory. It's a ten-minute walk east from JR Shinjuku station. * For people watching, the place to be is the large square in front of the station's Kabukicho entrance, next to the '''Studio Alta''' shopping center. * '''Hanazono Shrine''' (????). Kabukicho (''off Yasukuni-dori''). More remarkable for its location than its appearance, but it's a nice place to take a breather. There's often a flea market in the surrounding park on weekends. *'''Tokyo Opera City''' is a skyscraper with a shopping center and art museum that often has interesting multimedia exhibits. Take the Shinjuku Line subway to Hatsudai station. ==Do== ==Buy== The major '''department stores''' all have branches here, most of them along the wide Shinjuku-Dori avenue on the east side. * On the south side, '''Tokyu Hands''' is a fun store for hobbies, decorating stuff, and gifts. '''Takashimaya''' department store is also here. * If you need foreign language '''books''', there are two branches of '''[http://www.kinokuniya.com Kinokuniya]''' in Shinjuku; the newer, larger branch is just south of Tokyu Hands, and the older one is on Shinjuku-Dori. * Major discount '''camera stores''' are concentrated on both sides of Shinjuku station, although there is a particularly large cluster just outside the West Exit. The undisputed king '''Yodobashi''' has branches on practically every block; note that the branches specialize, so you may have to look for the right branch to find what interests you (digital cameras, video cameras, medium-format photography...?). The other major names are '''Sakuraya''' and '''Bic'''. These stores have been transformed by computers and the internet, and their '''computer''' departments match Tokyo/Akihabara#Buy | Akihabara in volume, price, and selection. * [http://www.donki.com/e/index.html '''Don Quijote'''] (1-16-5 Kabuki-cho, see [http://www.donki.com/japp/shop/ShopDetail.dk?shop_id=29&lang=en map]), on Yasukuni-Dori is a hectic 24-hour discount store that sells just about everything that you would never imagine needing at three in the morning but might just pick up anyway, such as clothing, bicycles, electronics, jewelry, and gag gifts. *'''Nishi-Shinjuku 7-chome''', to the northwest of the JR station, is packed with music shops specializing in various genres such as punk and heavy metal. Many sell nothing but bootlegs and collectibles. ==Eat== The '''Lumine''' and '''MyLord''' department stores atop the south side of the JR station both have inexpensive restaurant arcades on their upper floors. ===Japanese=== *'''Kappo Nakajima''' (?? ??), Shinjuku 3-32-5 basement (Southeast exit, in the narrow street east of Ohtsuka Furniture), closed Sundays. Specializes in sardine dishes. ''Yanagawa teishoku'' is deep-fried sardines with scrambled eggs on rice. (Tastes better than it sounds.) *'''Shunka Shuto''' (????), 53rd floor of Tokyo Opera City (see above), 03-5353-7111. Enjoy the view while dining on seafood and other specialties of Hokkaido. * '''Yanbaru''' (????), Shinjuku 3-23-6 (''north of Kabukicho exit''). 03-3353-2028. There's nothing pretentious about this restaurant specializing in Okinawa | Okinawan food, which emphasizes pork and vegetables that are unusual even to Honshu Japanese. Recommend is ''beni imo'' (¥450), tempura-style sweet potato; and ''hechima misoni'' (¥600), an eggplant-like vegetable served in a strongly fermented miso sauce. A picture menu is available. * '''Juttoku''' (??) 1-5-12 Nishi-Shinjuku, New Sentora Bldg, B1. 03-3342-0339. Open 4:00 PM to 12:00 AM, until 4:00 AM on Sun. This izakaya has an excellent selection of sake. http://www.juttoku.com/ (in Japanese) *'''Kabukicho''' (see below) has a huge number of seafood restaurants, so it's a great place to try the infamous ''fugu'' (blowfish). A typical place like '''Torafugu-Tei''' (?????), Kabukicho 2-11-7 Metro Bldg. B1F, has set dinners for around Y5000, featuring fugu prepared five or six ways, fresh from the tank. ===Ethnic=== *There's a cluster of interesting ethnic restaurants on the south side of Koshu-Kaido-dori, to the west of the station. **'''Rose de Sahara''' (03-3379-6427) offers fried alligator and other '''African''' foods. **'''España''' (03-3379-1159), in the same building, has good ''paella''. **A few buildings away on the ground floor, '''Court Lodge''' (03-3376-7733) serves spicy dishes of Sri Lanka. *'''Bosphorus Hasan''' (''03-3354-7947, Shinjuku 3-chome'') has authentic '''Turkish''' food. *'''Keuwjai''' in the second basement of the Lumine 1 department store is a good place for Thai street-stall style food. It's always packed and hectic for lunch, with attendants hollering to attract customers. *'''Café Haïti''', Nishi-Shinjuku 1-19-2 B1F, 03-3346-2389. Strong coffee and spicy curry. ==Drink== Image:Matsuri_Kabukicho.JPG|thumb|Festival procession in the neon-drenched alleys of Kabukicho The '''Kabukicho''' (????) district, to the northeast of JR Shinjuku station, is Tokyo's most notorious red-light district — although during the daytime you might not even notice, especially if you can't decode the elaborate Japanese codewords on the billboards. At night it's a different story though, as sharkskin-suited junior ''yakuza'' gangsters hustle, girls in miniskirts beckon in customers and adults-only vending machines strut their stuff. Night or day, it's always packed with people, and though outsiders are generally not involved, quite a bit of gangland violence goes on in the vicinity. In addition, the closely-packed mah-jongg and strip clubs are fire hazards that rival Hong Kong high-rises. * To the south of Kabuki-cho is '''Shinjuku ni-chome''' (??2??), Tokyo's largest '''gay''' district. * '''Golden Gai''' (''gai'' meaning street) is the name given to a few narrow alleys in a block on the east edge of Kabukicho. It's packed with tiny, grimy "hole-in-the-wall" bars. If you're desperate for a drink and very adventurous, try your luck at any of the unmarked doors. * On the west side of the Yamanote tracks, '''Omoide Yokocho''' (?????, "Memory Lane") is a small alley filled with ''yakitori'' joints. The tunnel under the tracks near the entrance of Omoide Yokocho is nicknamed ''gokiburi yokocho'' (cockroach lane) or ''shonben yokocho'' (piss lane). No prizes for guessing why. ===Pubs and taverns=== *'''The Dubliners''', Shinjuku 3-28-9, 03-3352-6606 (''Two minutes from JR east exit''). Down a pint of Guinness and mingle with the local expats. ===Clubs=== * Tokyo's most famous techno club, the '''[http://www.liquidroom.net/ Liquid Room]''', used to be in Kabukicho but has now moved to Tokyo/Ebisu|Ebisu. ==Sleep== ===Mid-range=== * '''Tokyu Stay Yotsuya''' 2-1 Yotsuya. Tel 03-3354-0109, fax 03-3354-0191, [http://www.tokyustay.co.jp/e/hotel/YOT/index.html]. Singles start at JPY 9,450- doubles at JPY 17,850 per night. Slight discounts are offered for extended stays. Part of the Tokyu Stay chain, these hotels are popular with business travelers. The small kitchenettes, washer/dryers, and free LAN access in all rooms makes these a good value. ===Luxury=== The western side of Shinjuku has a notable concentration of luxury hotels. * '''Park Hyatt Tokyo'''. 3-7-1-2 Nishi-Shinjuku, tel. 5322 1234, [http://www.tokyo.park.hyatt.com/]. Towering above the rest literally and figuratively, this hotel is best known as the stage of the hit movie ''Lost in Translation'' [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0335266/]. Service and amenities are superlative, but rates are astronomical even by Japanese standards with singles starting at ¥50,000. ==Contact== * The '''[http://www.tourism.metro.tokyo.jp/english/public/tokyo_tocho.html Tokyo Tourist Information Center]''', a good source of information on not just Tokyo but all of Japan, is now located on the 1st floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building 1. This office is geared for foreign visitors, so all materials are in languages other than Japanese and all staff speak English. Open 9:30 AM to 6 PM daily. ==External links== * [http://www.tcvb.or.jp/en/infomation/2area/map/07map_shinjuku.html Map of Shinjuku] (Tokyo Convention and Visitors Bureau] First page | Prev | Next | Last page |
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