Shinjuku shines at night! One of Tokyo’s most dazzling districts (and with the world’s busiest train station), Shinjuku is packed full of interesting activities and things to do.
From the atmospheric alleyways of Golden Gai and Omoide Yokochō through to the night-time sights and sounds of Kabukichō and karaoke, Shinjuku is a top Tokyo neighbourhood to explore.
This post may contain affiliate links to tours and hotels. These help us earn a small commission at no additional charge to you.
Shinjuku has shed-loads to do in the daytime including Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, Okubo KoreaTown plus huge shopping malls and department stores. You can also (hopefully) see Mount Fuji for free from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observatory.
Whether its ‘Lost in Translation’ or craft beer bars and cute cat cafes, here is our ultimate guide to Shinjuku in Tokyo in 2024 with photos:
Shinjuku Hotels and Accommodation
Budget ($)
Premier Hotel Cabin Shinjuku
Cheap and cheerful hotel centrally located in Kabukichō. The rooms were quite small but functional. Check rates and availability for Premier Hotel Cabin Shinjuku
Mid-Range ($$)
Hotel Gracery Shinjuku (AKA Shinjuku Godzilla)
Popular hotel with a terrace that has a giant Godzilla head! Check rates and availability for Hotel Gracery Shinjuku
Luxury ($$$)
Hilton Tokyo Hotel
Luxury 5 star hotel located in west Shinjuku, with indoor pool, sauna, fitness centre, salon, restaurants and a free shuttle to the train station. Check rates and availability for The Hilton Tokyo
Check out the best hotels in Shinjuku via Booking.com >
Getting to Shinjuku and public transport
To get to most of the popular Shinjuku attractions, the easiest starting point is Shinjuku Station.
Shinjuku Station is known as the world’s busiest station with around 4 million visitors and a day – it is so big, there are over 200 exits to get out from and it is served by around a dozen different JR and Subway lines.
If you want to see the main sights of Kabukicho and Golden Gai (especially at night), you can exit Shinjuku Station at the Central East Exit.
Also be aware there are two distinct Shinjuku neighbourhoods – Shinjuku East and Shinjuku West.
You might like these Tokyo neighbourhood guides:
Akihabara
Asakusa
Ginza
Harajuku
Ikebukuro
Nakano
Odaiba
Ryogoku
Shibuya
Shimokitazawa
Shinjuku
Also check out our
Where to stay in Tokyo guide
Shinjuku Tokyo area guide
1. Omoide Yokochō (AKA P*ss alley)
Our first thing to do in Shinjuku – take a stroll down Omoide Yokochō, day or night.
By day, Omoide Yokocho is full of small eateries frequented by workers and salarymen. As evening falls, the alleyways are teeming with tourists and locals drinking beer and sake in close proximity – conversations and good cheer emanate from the dozens of small bars and restaurants.
Omoide Yokochō means ‘Memory Lane’ in Japanese and started life as quite a notorious black market hang-out full of illicit back-street bars in the 1940s.
As the bars were so small and often didn’t have toilets, drinkers would often have to relieve themselves in alleys or train tracks outside – hence the ‘P*ss Alley’ nickname for Omoide Yokochō.
These days, it still retains a little of its original grit but many of the eateries here are quite mainstream now and some of the most frequented in Shinjuku.
Popular joints include ramen stalls (with only a half dozen seats – eat quick!) and izakayas. The smell of grilled yakitori also wafts through the alleys – be sure to arrive hungry!
Try this – Tokyo: Shinjuku Drinks and Neon Nightlife Tour >
2. Shinjuku Golden Gai
Best visited at night, Golden Gai is a series of narrow alleyways and streets packed full of small hole-in-the-wall style bars and tiny taprooms.
A popular place for locals and expats, Golden Gai comes alive at night with buzzing bars, popular pubs and small sake sipping spaces (try saying that after a few highballs).
Very photogenic (especially on rainy nights when the neon lights reflect in puddles) and atmospheric, most of the bars only have a handful of seats and each pub seemingly has its own set of rules and regulations.
Also take note that some (but not all) Golden Gai bars charge an entry fee on top of the drinks and snack prices and some bars are Japanese only – so you want to double check as you enter. ‘Kanpai’ to a memorable night out in Golden Gai!
Check out this Shinjuku izakaya and Golden Gai bar hopping tour or Shinjuku Golden Gai food tour.
3. Cat Cafe Mocha Lounge (Shinjuku)
Japanese cat cafes are the purrfect thing to do rain or shine and Shinjuku has one of Tokyo’s largest cat cafes – Cat Cafe Mocha Lounge Shinjuku.
The best time to go is during feeding time and the cats are seemingly well looked after with lots of play toys (they are SO fluffy too).
Genuinely, watching almost 20 cats eat in a big circle at Shinjuku Mocha Cat Cafe was one of the most memorable experiences in Tokyo as it was so damn cute!
Mocha Cat Cafe Shinjuku prices start from 200 Yen for the first few minutes on weekdays or a package from 2,400 Yen. It is on the sixth floor and open daily from 10am to 8pm (last entry at 7.30pm).
If you get bored of the cats (not possible!), you can also read Manga magazines or play Nintendo consoles.
Read more in our guide to the Cat Cafe Mocha chain in Tokyo >
You might like – Guide to Kura Sushi Conveyor Belt Restaurants in Japan >
4. Tokyo Go Kart: Shinjuku, Akihabara, Asakusa and Tokyo Skytree
See Shinjuku from the streets by go-kart. Whizz around the streets of Tokyo driving through the coolest Tokyo neighbourhoods including Akihabara, Shinjuku and Asakusa. Dress up as your favourite cartoon character and release your inner otaku.
You can pay extra for an action camera – please note an international drivers licence is required to go street karting in Tokyo.
Book your Tokyo Go Kart with Viator or Get Your Guide.
5. Kabukichō area
If you only plan to see one area of Shinjuku lit up at night, make it Kabukichō, the heart and soul and a great place to explore in Tokyo at night.
Best described as a heady mix of sass and seediness, a lot of the bars in the Kabukichō area are quite ‘adult focused’ and many of the clubs have girls dressed in outfits beckoning you in or handing out flyers.
Be aware that many bars in Kabukichō have an admission fee or minimum spend and some tourists have been known to have been drugged and woken up to find their money gone and credit cards maxed out.
The Kabukichō Shinjuku streets are generally safe to walk around at night and there is lots of security outside most ‘entertainment’ establishments.
Check out this Dark Side of Tokyo Night Walking Tour of Kabukicho >
You might like – Guide to Uniqlo Ginza, the world’s biggest Uniqlo Store in Tokyo >
6. Tokyu Kabukicho tower
Newly opened in 2023, Tokyu Kabukicho Tower is a 53 storey building (48 floors above ground and 5 below) and one of Japan’s tallest 20 buildings.
An entertainment epicentre, here you’ll find everything from two hotels (Hotel Groove Shinjuku and Bellustar Tokyo) a cinema, theatre, clubs plus there is even a bus stop area built into the first floor for a very quick getaway.
Kabukicho tower really looks the part with vibrant artwork from Japanese artists dotted throughout plus a yokocho-alley style food-court, Kabuki Hall.
Namco also have set up an arcade and gaming bar (Namco Tokyo) complete with gachapons galore (there are said to be almost 300 different gachapon toy capsule machines).
Check out the rates of the Hotel Groove Shinjuku inside Kabukicho tower or Bellustar Tokyo hotel.
Try this – Easy Ramen making experience in Kabukicho, Shinjuku >
7. Don Quijote Shinjuku – various branches
Don Quijote Japan discount department stores are home to thousands of items generally at low prices, from sneakers to stationary, Hello Kitty to Kit Kats (plus more interesting ‘adult sections’).
There are several Don Quijote branches in Shinjuku (including Don Quijote Shinjuku Kabukicho – in the heart of the action and in the shadow of Shinjuku Godzilla).
The two Don Quijote Shinjuku stores closest to Shinjuku Station are open 24 hours a day, so it is somewhere to shop day and night in Shinjuku.
The Don Quijote branch near Korea Town is the only Don Quijote we know that sells second-hand designer hand-bags and jewellery (called Don Quijote Shinjuku and open until midnight).
You could literally spend hours in Don Quijote browsing all the shelves – each floor has different sections plus there is a duty free tax counter.
Check out guide to Don Quijote stores (including MEGA Don Quijote branches) here + photos >
Do you love all things Don Quijote and Don Don Donki? Join our Donki Fans Facebook group!
8. The American / New York Bar at Park Hyatt Tokyo (temporarily closed until October 2025)
Relive ‘Lost in Translation’ at Tokyo’s Park Hyatt hotel – not only does it have incredible views of Tokyo and live jazz music most nights, it is also where most of the key scenes between Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson took place in ‘Lost in Translation’.
Fact – this is Caroline’s favourite movie of all time and she has watched it over a dozen times!
Get there very early to guarantee a prime seat with city views or get a good spot to see the live musicians.
Please be aware that the New York Bar at the Park Hyatt Tokyo is currently closed for renovations until at least October 2025.
You might like – Our guide to the top Studio Ghibli things to do in Tokyo >
9. Shinjuku Godzilla Head
Perhaps the most famous sight and attraction in Shinjuku, the ‘roarsome’ Godzilla head sits atop Hotel Gracery Shinjuku and the Shinjuku Toho Building, looking out across Tokyo’s sublime cityscape.
If you are lucky enough to stay at Hotel Gracery Hotel, there are even some rooms you can pay a premium for to look out across the city with Shinjuku Godzilla’s head in shot – plus there is a small viewing deck next to it and lots of Godzilla theming across the hotel.
Don’t worry, if you aren’t staying in the hotel, you can still get a great view of Shinjuku Godzilla from Shinjuku Central road, next to Don Quijote Shinjuku Kabukicho.
You might like – Plan My Japan’s Guide to Tokyo Character Street in Tokyo Station >
10. Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observatory
OK, this might sound like a boring place to visit (most Government buildings usually are) but on top lies a free viewing area and deck where you can see the Tokyo cityscape unfurl before you. Plus if you are lucky (like we were), you can even see Mount Fuji on a clear day.
We’d rate Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observatory as one of the best free things to to in Tokyo.
Although there can be big queues to get in, it is totally worth it as there are panoramic views (although to may have to hustle to get a window view at sunset, especially looking towards Mount Fuji).
The free Tokyo observation deck is on the 45th floor of building number 1 – you may need to queue on the ground floor plus go through security scanners.
BRAND NEW FOR 2024
Join our Facebook Japan Travel Tips Group!
Need help with your Japan itinerary or have any questions?
Head on over to our Facebook group and ask the experts!
Click here to join our group >
11. Shinjuku Cat 3D Billboard Cross Space
Tokyo is known for its 3D billboards but it all started off with Shinjuku’s famous 3D immersive cat billboard at Cross Space.
The Most Famous 3D Billboard in Japan, the Cross Space Cat Shinjuku has clocked up thousands of posts and millions of views across social media, as well as tens of thousands of bystanders each day. This is easily one of the most fun things to do in Shinjuku.
The 3D billboard has its own Twitter channel (@ xspace_tokyo) and there used to be ‘GIANT 3D CAT CAFE’ and gift shop below but these appear to be no longer open in 2024.
Find out more about in our cult of 3D billboards in Tokyo, Japan >
12. Yona Yona Beer Works
An excellent and cosy Tokyo craft beer bar in the heart of Shinjuku (near the Godzilla head), Yona Yona Beer Works Shinjuku has a nice atmosphere and is popular with workers and tourists alike.
We visited Yona Yona Beer Works Shinjuku early one evening and managed to get a seat at the bar, drinking some rather fine dark beers and IPA; there were around 10 different craft beers to choose from including guest brewery taps. We didn’t dine here but the food smelled incredible.
Although a little on the expensive side for beers, this is a nice place to escape the hustle and bustle of Shinjuku’s streets or as a reward after a busy day of Shinjuku sightseeing.
If you don’t fancy a Tokyo Bar Hopping Night Tour in Shinjuku, Yona Yona is a much quieter way to enjoy some craft goodness.
You might like our guide to the best craft beer bars and beer halls in Tokyo >
Love beer? Read our Plan My Japan guide to Japan’s oldest beer hall, Tokyo Ginza Lion >
13. Ryu no Miyako Inshokugai
This neon-lit food court and late-night bar complex is epic – boasting almost 20 street food eateries, sake bars and dining experiences, Ryu no Miyako Inshokugai is one of the most popular places to eat in Shinjuku, especially at the weekends.
This Shinjuku Yokocho style eatery recreates the narrow alleyways of Tokyo in a cavernous huge building, kinda like Golden Gai on a grand scale.
There are three floors of food at Ryu no Miyako Inshokugai, from Japanese izakaya style bars to international eateries serving up Thai, Chinese noodles or pasta pronto.
The basement levels have a rather good line up of ramen noodle restaurants and the theming is top notch.
A short walk (or stumble) from Shinjuku Station, Ryu no Miyako Inshokugai is open 24 hours a day (selected stalls) and great for late night bites or boozy brunch and lunches.
You might like – Our Tsukiji Outer Market Tokyo (formerly Tsukiji Fish Market) Guide >
14. Hanazono Shrine
One of Tokyo’s oldest shrines, Hanazono is a Shinto shrine that was originally built in the early 17th century and is famous as a place of worship dedicated to Inari, the deity of success and fertility.
Hundreds of worshippers visit Hanazono Shrine every day wishing for prosperity or promising endeavours.
Cherry blossom sakura bursts forth during the spring months here and Shinjuku Hanazono shrine also has traditional torii gates, making a photogenic place of worship.
You might like – Guide to Takeshita Street in Harajuku Tokyo >
15. Shinjuku Street Performers
One of our favourite sights and sounds of Shinjuku was the nightly array of buskers and street performers that sang and played live music outside Shinjuku Station.
They can be found from dusk onwards on the pavement, in front of the station, facing across from the Shinjuku Southern Terrace mall.
Whilst some singers were great (and some not so), most Shinjuku singers and street performers seem to have their own fan clubs / fan groups who attend every gig with light sticks, whooping along – it is so much fun!
Many Shinjuku singers also live stream their performances to their adoring followers, many of whom tip online.
Try this – Licensed Guide Shinjuku Underground Mall Tour (Tokyo) or Shinjuku ‘dramatic’ day tour!
16. Isetan and Takashimaya department stores – shopping in Shinjuku
Both Takashimaya and Isetan are popular Japanese department stores, with huge malls in Shinjuku.
Takashimaya has 18 stores across Japan (4 in Tokyo) as of May 2024. The Shinjuku Takashimaya has 14 floors of shopping and restaurants, plus a small South Building with brands like Nitori and Books Kinokuniya.
Isetan Shinjuku department store is based in an old building that began life as a kimono store in the 1880s and also has some incredible food-courts and supermarket sushi at inexpensive prices.
There are six floors of high fashion at Isetan Shinjuku plus the seventh floor has lots of restaurants and eateries.
17. Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
One of the most beautiful gardens in Tokyo, Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden was once a private residence before opening to the public in 1946.
We were fortunate enough to visit Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden on a crisp Tokyo winter afternoon when the skies were clear blue with no clouds – magical!
There are several landscaped lakes and indoor botanical gardens and conservatories to explore plus the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden Rakuu-Tei tea-house.
If you are more of a coffee or Starbucks fan, one of the most beautiful Starbucks in Tokyo can be found here (more so for the view outwards) – Starbucks Coffee Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden.
Entrance and admission to Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden costs 500 Yen, as of Summer 2024 – there are ticket gates and machines at several of the garden gates.
Once there, you explore by yourself or download an app for your own guided tour of the garden >
You might like – Plan My Japan’s guide to Tokyo’s Top 15 immersive events & experiences >
18. Shin Okubo – Shinjuku KoreaTown
Tokyo’s biggest KoreaTown Skin Okubo is always bustling – particularly when a visiting K-pop star is in town (we experienced this in Shin Okubo and it was manic).
It also gets very busy during the birthday sales and celebrations for K-pop and J-pop music stars (fans buy gifts).
Popular with Tokyo’s youth, Shin Okubu is one of the hippest areas in town, with numerous cake and candy stores, bubble tea shops and Korean fried chicken stalls popping up in the side streets.
Record stores are plentiful and many of the food outlets in Shin Okubo are very Instagrammable and selfie central – so be prepared to queue for the most popular places.
You might like – Tokyo’s Totoro Cream Puffs at Shirohige’s Cream Puff Factory >
19. Samurai Museum (Temporarily Closed)
Update – The Tokyo Samurai Museum closed during COVID and has still yet to reopen as of May 2024
The Samurai Museum in Shinjuku is packed full of Japanese swords and daggers, from the Kamakura to Edo period covering almost 800 years of Samurai history.
There is also a ‘cutting’ collection of old texts and sword hilts plus a detailed history of the Samurai traditions– a small gift shop is also available.
The Samurai Museum is (normally) open between 10.30am and 9pm and is around 5 to 10 minutes walk from Shinjuku Station.
You might like – Guide to Mandarake second-hand stores or retro gaming at Super Potato stores
20. Thermae-Yu Onsen
Time to get steamy in Shinjuku (and we don’t mean in a Golden Gion backroom kind of way).
Thermae-Yu Onsen is a public spa, sauna and hot pools that are open 24 hours a day. You can even have hot scrub treatments to get rid of the hangovers you might experience from all the nearby izakayas.
You could stay here for hours as there is a bar, restaurant, cafe and shop onsite to enjoy mid soak.
Please note onsen bathing a Thermae-Yu Shinjuku is nude and tattoos are not allowed.
As of May 2024, basic admission prices at Thermae-Yu Shinjuku start from 2,700 Yen for non-members Monday to Thursday and 2,800 Yen Friday to Sunday.
For shorter stays from midnight to 9 am the next day, the price drops to 2,000 Yen Monday to Thursday and 2,200 Yen Friday to Sunday. Thermae-Yu prices correct as of May 2024.
Book your Thermae Hotspring tickets with Viator >
21. Gigo Shinjuku Kabukicho (formerly SEGA Shinjuku Arcade)
Taking over the old SEGA Shinjuku arcade, the Gigo Shinjuku Kabukicho was reopened in 2023 with a new lick of paint.
Amazingly, this Shinjuku Arcade once once held the Guinness World Record for the most claw machines in the world (over 470 of them, which cost around 100 Yen a go).
GiGO Shinjuku has two floors and is a good way to get your gaming fix – there are around 150 gaming machines including Cho Chabudai Gaeshi (the Taito table flipping), Mario Kart and the highly popular Taiko no Tatsujin drum machines.
You might like – Our Japanese convenience store guides including Lawson, 7-Eleven Japan and FamilyMart
22. Taito Station Shinjuku Station
There are plenty of games arcades in Shinjuku but Taito Station Shinjuku Station is one of the best.
Not only does it have all the usual UFO / claw machines, dance machines, photo booths and cool games like Taiko no Tatsujin Japanese Drumming Game, it also has a basement sports bar where you can pour your own craft beer pint.
So after some Tekken, take a pint of craft beer and say ‘Kanpai’ to your high score – Taito Station Shinjuku is open daily until from 10am to 1am.
There is also a second (and smaller) Taito Station by the east exit of Shinjuku Station, if the other is too busy.
Try this – Mt. Fuji and Hakone Day Trip From Tokyo with Bullet Train Option >
23. Shinjuku Southern Terrace
More of an outdoor avenue of nice restaurants and coffee shops, popular places at Shinjuku Southern Terrace include Shake Shack burgers, eggslut and a Starbucks with a nice outdoor area.
If you want something a little more quick and cheaper, your best bet here is the NEWoMan mall and food hall. Given its super close location to Shinjuku Station and Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal, it is a popular place to grab a coffee or bite to eat by locals and workers before taking a train or bus.
This is also a nice place to see some festive lights during Christmas time in Tokyo.
Try this – Drink like a Tokyo salaryman! 3 Hours Shinbashi Salaryman Experience >
24. HUB pubs in Shinjuku
‘Kanpai’ to a little bit of Britain in Dotonbori, there are several British themed HUB Pubs in Shinjuku including HUB Shinjuku South Exit and HUB Shinjuku West Exit Large Guard.
One of Japan’s biggest bar chains with over 100 pubs, the 82 Ale House and HUB pubs are British themed pubs that have (VERY) happy hours, pub grub style food plus bar interiors just like British pubs.
Check out our full guide to Japan’s British Themed HUB Pub Bars and 82 Ale Houses here >
Plan My Japan tip
At Shinjuku Station South, the Expressway Bus Terminal is one of the best places to grab a bus to other parts of Japan from Tokyo. We’ve travelled on lots of buses in Japan (Willer Express Bus is always good) and it is usually MUCH cheaper than the train network (especially if you are using Bullet trains compared to local trains).
25. Shinjuku Robot restaurant – still closed as of Summer 2024
Update – Robot Restaurant in Tokyo remains still closed as of May 2024.
There are constant rumours it will return but it has still yet to materialise. There are some more adult oriented clubs operating in the building but it ain’t no Robot Restaurant!
Tokyo’s Robot Restaurant was like nothing else we’d ever experienced – we were lucky enough to ‘do battle’ with the live robot show in 2019 but alas it was so costly to run (and the initial set-up costs were several million dollars).
Tokyo’s Robot Restaurant show was a pretty special spectacle and a total feast for the eyes – glow sticks were also handed out to all!
Think giant robots, huge dinosaurs, laser sharks, prancing pandas, Taiko drummers, a massive cast and more – we hope Shinjuku Robot Restaurant in Tokyo makes a welcome return in 2024 / 2025.
Read more in our guide to Robot Restaurant >
You might like our Japanese convenience store (konbini) guides:
What is a konbini in Japan >
7-Eleven guide >
Lawson guide >
FamilyMart guide >
Seicomart >
Daily Yamazaki >
Konbini egg sandwiches >
Lawson karaage chicken >
Dragon Quest themed Lawson >
Craft beer 7-Eleven in Yokohama >
26. Karaoke in Shinjuku
Shinjuku has always been a great late night place to explore and it is also one the best places to experience karaoke in Tokyo (alongside Akihabara and Shibuya). Shinjuku has a crazy amount of karaoke booths and lounges (over 20 on our last count).
All the major chains are here like Big Echo, Karaoke Pasela and Karaoke Kan, and song language choices usually include Japanese, English and Mandarin.
This is one of the best late night activities in Shinjuku with most karaoke lounges open from 9am until 5am to 6am the next morning – so get singing!
Try this – Karaoke Night Party in Tokyo >
27. Play Pachinko
Hear the noise of coins rattling and arcade slots ringing? That’ll likely be one of Shinjuku’s numerous Pachinko parlours.
A bit like casinos in the West, Pachinko arcades consist of hundreds of machines in close proximity where players play the pinball style Pachinko machines, where getting the balls in certain areas wins tokens or cash prizes.
Given each machine has dozens of small ball bearings and there are hundreds of machines constantly in play, the noise can be quite deafening – we also found them to be quite smokey places as cigarettes linger in the area.
There are several huge Pachinko parlours and lounges in Shinjuku including Maruhan, Kaleido Shinjuku, Vegas Vegas and Aladdin.
You might like – Daiso Japan: 22 best products to buy >
28. Shinjuku Lightshow – the world’s largest projection mapping show
New for 2024, the world’s largest projection mapping show now takes place nightly projected onto the side of Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Number 1 building.
As featured in the Guinness World Records as the largest permanent show of its kind, the building lights up every evening between several different shows, each designed by a different local Tokyo artist (a recent introduction to the lightshow was Godzilla).
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building projection mapping shows currently run every daily from 7pm in the winter months and from 7:30pm in the summer (until around 9pm to 9:30pm approx at night).
Try this – Shinjuku comedy club >
Found this things to do in Shinjuku article helpful?
Did you enjoy our blog post? Let us know in the comments or by sharing it on social media.
You can follow us on:
Instagram
Tik Tok
Facebook
Pinterest
YouTube
You might also like
Ginza, Tokyo – Things To Do + Photos
Yokohama, Japan – Things To Do Guide + Photos
Guide to Kit Kat Flavours in Japan!
Odaiba, Tokyo – Things To Do + Photos
Cup Noodles Museum in Yokohama, Japan – Guide + Photos
Super Potato – Retro Game Store in Japan