Recommended for
- I came to Tokyo for sightseeing.
- I want to go sightseeing in the vicinity.
- I want to experience contemporary Japanese culture.
- I want an interesting experience.
- I tried to go to Shibuya or something, but I have one more day.
Evaluation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Located near Tokyo, it is the most crowded city in Japan. Shinjuku Station is listed in the Guinness Book of Records for the number of passengers: 3.2 million passengers per day, or 1.3 billion passengers per year. 3,000 people come and go every minute. That’s a lot of people…. With that many people, there are many stores to accommodate them. This is a highly recommended area for sightseeing.
Tourist Areas and Recommended Routes
Here are some recommended areas for sightseeing. Shinjuku is a city where you can enjoy yourself no matter where you go.
Yellow is the tourist area and red is the slightly less safe area.
Since it is also the city with the most traffic in Japan, the number of stores is not half as large as it should be. We have made a recommended route based on the assumption that you will spend half a day relaxing, but it may be a good idea to use it only as a reference for sightseeing. It is also famous as a night town, so it would be better to start sightseeing in the evening. There is also Shinjuku Gyoen, but I have excluded it because I do not recommend it (it is just a large park). (It is just a large park.) Also, please note that the north side of Shinjuku is slightly unsafe. I explain it later.
Time required: about half a day
Tocho-mae Station→Tocho Observation Deck→Shinjuku on foot→Central Road (relaxing sightseeing in the area) →Mystery Circus→Meals at Memories Yokocho, etc.
The observation deck is crowded at certain times of the day, so if you don’t want to wait, don’t.
Business days and hours are listed here.
https://www.yokoso.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/tenbou/
First, when you get off at Tochomae Station, follow the signs to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. There are plenty of signs so you will not get lost. The entrance is on the first floor of the first main government building. After that, enjoy the observatory from which you can see all of Tokyo. It is operated by the government and admission is free.
Once you have done that, head toward Shinjuku Station, looking at the map. Above ground is fun but you might get lost, so underground is recommended. There is a path to Shinjuku and it is hard to get lost.
Once you get to Shinjuku, enjoy shopping and leisure activities. There are too many stores to see.
There is also a place called Mystery Circus where you can play and solve mysteries. Some of them can be found by walking around the city. This is recommended as an activity! However, only Japanese and English are supported. Please note that only English and Japanese are available. There are a wide variety of experiences, such as those where you sit in a seat for 60 minutes like in the show, and those where you use your body to clear the puzzles. There are also games where you have to solve riddles scattered throughout the city as you search for them.
Another famous spot is the Godzilla Building. Why not take a picture with him?
Lastly, I recommend you to go to Memories Yokocho for dinner. Memories Yokocho is a spot to enjoy drinks and atmosphere. It is a bit dirty, so if you want to eat in a clean place, please go to a regular restaurant in the city ^^ It will be a good memory of your trip to Japan! Please eat with alcohol.
About unsafe areas in Shinjuku (red areas)
In the Kabukicho area in the north, there are stores etc. that charge high prices. I do not know which stores are dangerous or not. It seems that if you drink a drink, you will be charged 200,000 yen and if you refuse, you will be taken to the back of the store. I recommend that you do not eat or drink in the enclosed area.
