Researched guide · Checked on Nov 11, 2026
Shinjuku is Tokyo at full volume: one of the busiest stations in the world, skyscrapers on one side, neon and tiny bars on the other, and a large, peaceful garden in between. It is also one of the most convenient places to stay.
Quick answer
Getting there: JR Yamanote Line, JR Chuo Line, Tokyo Metro, Toei Subway, Odakyu and Keio lines (Shinjuku Station)
Time needed: Half a day to a full day
Best time: Afternoon for the garden, evening for the night view and food alleys
Good for: City views, nightlife, shopping and a convenient base
Plan Your Visit to Shinjuku
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Overview
| Getting there | JR Yamanote Line, JR Chuo Line, Tokyo Metro, Toei Subway, Odakyu and Keio lines (Shinjuku Station) |
| Time needed | Half a day to a full day |
| Best time | Afternoon for the garden, evening for the night view and food alleys |
| Good for | City views, nightlife, shopping and a convenient base |
Best Things to Do
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
A large national garden with Japanese, English and French-style landscapes, and one of the best places in Tokyo to relax. It is closed on Mondays (the next weekday if Monday is a public holiday) and over the New Year period. There is an entrance fee: check the official site for current prices and hours.
A free night view
The observatories on the 45th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, on the west side, are free. For a night view, go to the South Observatory: you can enter until 9:30 pm and must leave by 10:00 pm. The North Observatory closes at 5:30 pm. The South Observatory is closed on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month, so check the official calendar before you go.
Kabukicho at night
Kabukicho is Tokyo’s best-known entertainment district, busy late into the night. It is lively and generally fine to walk through, but ignore people who approach you on the street to bring you into bars or clubs, and check prices before you order anywhere. See our Kabukicho guide for the Godzilla Head, a night walk and safety tips.
Food & Drink
- Omoide Yokocho, next to the west exit, is a narrow lane of tiny yakitori and noodle counters. Seats are few, so be ready to wait or move on.
- Golden Gai, near Kabukicho, is a maze of very small bars. Some welcome visitors and some are for regulars, and some charge a seating fee, so check the sign on the door.
See also How to eat out in Tokyo, our izakaya guide and Japanese food to try in Tokyo.
Best Restaurants in Shinjuku
Nakamuraya's famous "pure Indian-style" curry, first sold in 1927, in the basement of the Shinjuku Nakamuraya Building.
- Reservations: see details
Tempura Tsunahachi Main Shop Annex
The annex of Tsunahachi's Shinjuku main shop, in TRES SHINJUKU, while the main shop is closed for rebuilding.
- Reservations: see details
Shopping
The east side of the station has large department stores, electronics stores and fashion buildings, and underground passages link many of them, so you can shop even on a rainy day. For food gifts, try a department store food hall. See our depachika guide and Tokyo souvenirs and shopping.
Where to Stay
With so many train lines, Shinjuku makes it easy to reach almost anywhere, and the Narita Express runs directly to Narita Airport. See five hotels we researched in Best hotels in Shinjuku, or compare it with other areas in our Where to Stay guide.
Getting There
Shinjuku Station is huge, with many exits. Before you go, check which exit is closest to where you are heading: the west side has the skyscrapers and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, the east side has department stores and Kabukicho, and the south side leads toward Shinjuku Gyoen. If you get lost, follow the yellow exit signs and ask at a station office.
Shinjuku Station is served by the JR Yamanote and Chuo lines, Tokyo Metro, Toei Subway, and the Odakyu and Keio lines. The Narita Express runs directly to Narita Airport.
New to Tokyo trains? See Trains in Tokyo and How to use Suica.
Suggested Itinerary
A full day from a quiet garden to a free sunset view and Shinjuku’s food and bar alleys. The times are a suggested pace, not opening hours. Total: under ¥5,000 per person, without shopping (our estimate): Shinjuku Gyoen admission (¥500), lunch, yakitori and a drink in Golden Gai. The observatories are free.
- 10:00Shinjuku Gyoen garden (English, Japanese and French-style landscapes)
- The garden opens at 9:00 am, adult admission is ¥500, and it is usually closed on Mondays.
- 13:00Lunch at a department store food hall
- The large department stores are on the east side of the station.
- 14:30Shopping on the east side
- Walk to the west side for the observatories.
- 17:00Free sunset view from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (45F)
- The South Observatory takes visitors until 9:30 pm, but the North Observatory closes at 5:30 pm.
- 19:00Yakitori at Omoide Yokocho
- Most Golden Gai bars open around 8:00 pm.
- 20:30Tiny bars in Golden Gai (check the door for seating fees)
Shinjuku Gyoen is closed on Mondays (the next weekday if Monday is a public holiday), and the South Observatory on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month, so check both for your date. Sunset time changes with the season.
Travel Tips
- Check which exit you need before you arrive, and follow the yellow exit signs inside the station.
- In Kabukicho, ignore people who approach you on the street to bring you into bars or clubs, and check prices before you order.
- Some bars in Golden Gai charge a seating fee. Check the sign on the door.
- Shinjuku Gyoen is closed on Mondays (the next weekday if Monday is a public holiday).
Comparing areas? See 23 Tokyo neighborhoods side by side in Tokyo neighborhoods compared.
FAQ
Where can I see Shinjuku’s night view for free?
From the 45th-floor observatories of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. You can enter until 9:30 pm.
Is Kabukicho safe?
It is lively and generally fine to walk through, but ignore people who approach you to bring you into bars, and check prices before you order.
When is Shinjuku Gyoen closed?
On Mondays (the next weekday if Monday is a holiday) and over the New Year period.
What is Omoide Yokocho?
A narrow lane of tiny yakitori and noodle counters next to Shinjuku Station’s west exit.
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Sources
This guide is based on the official information below, not on our own visit. Facts last checked against official sources on November 11, 2026. Hours and fees can change, so please check before you go.
- Ministry of the Environment: Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden (Japanese)
- Tokyo Metropolitan Government: Observatories
- Tokyo Metropolitan Government: observatory hours and closing days (Japanese)
- Ministry of the Environment: Shinjuku Gyoen hours and admission
- GO TOKYO: A guide to exploring yokocho alleyways
