Shinjuku

Welcome to Shinjuku, the beating heart of Tokyo and a district that encapsulates the dizzying contradictions of modern Japan. This is the world’s busiest transport hub, with the station handling over 3.5 million passengers daily. …

We begin at the Shinjuku Station East Exit, where the modern digital identity of the district is on full display. Look up at the Cross Shinjuku Vision building, home to the 'Shinjuku Cat.' This super-realistic 3D cat, which first…

A short walk north brings us to Kabukicho, Japan’s largest red-light and entertainment district. The name itself is a historical curiosity; it means 'Kabuki Town,' named after a plan in the late 1940s to build a Kabuki theater…

Tucked away just behind the neon glare of Kabukicho is Golden Gai, a tiny cluster of six narrow alleys that house over 200 miniature bars. This area is a miraculous survivor of Tokyo's rapid redevelopment; while the rest of the…

Adjacent to Golden Gai sits Hanazono Shrine, a serene Shinto sanctuary that provides a profound spiritual contrast to the surrounding chaos. Founded in the mid-17th century, the shrine is dedicated to Inari, the deity of…

South of the main station lies Shinjuku Gyoen, one of Tokyo's largest and most beautiful parks. Originally the estate of a Naito daimyo in the Edo period, it later became an Imperial garden and was opened to the public after…

To conclude our tour, we cross to the West Side of Shinjuku Station, the 'Shinjuku Skyscraper District.' This area was developed in the 1970s on the site of a former water purification plant and is now home to many of Tokyo’s…

Our journey through Shinjuku concludes back at the station, though in truth, one could spend a lifetime exploring these streets and still find something new. We have witnessed the digital marvels of the East Exit, the neon…