Things to do in Shinjuku, Tokyo / Japan Travel Ultimate Guide / Food and Tips 2024

Japan Travel Tips – Things to do in Shinjuku, Tokyo. 30 recommended spots in Shinjuku including food and shopping. Include Shinjuku in your Tokyo itinerary for an unforgettable Japan travel experience!

◆Things to do in Tokyo – 12 Spots

◆SIM & Pocket Wifi Guide

【Contents】
0:00 About Shinjuku

West Exit Area
0:43 Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/FRBg8fMzE1f5wxxHA

2:34 Tomin-Hiroba
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/Ja1PTbdkSdsTsx2VA

3:13 Shinjuku Chuo Park
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/HxZWKRS5MZGXz8uC7

3:39 Yodobashi Camera
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/7ndwJq82L7HBiiVeA

4:14 Shinjuku i-LAND
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/tpEd53qhrmawVTYy8

4:36 Sushiro Shinjuku Nishiguchi store
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/qb6AyhoM4qUhoRf69

5:35 Omoide Yokocho
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/PwxcpjeGdSJNvkdZ6

– Yourou-no-taki
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/fsEv6DPRx8pQWfBe7

– Banshaku-ya
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/yj7Dq1VhZ4vGknCQA

– Isuzu
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/TYoDHW7C4KJbNFkE7

South Exit Area
6:54 Suica’s Penguin Park
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/rwF3iBg9KjKXf8Ct7

– CARAMEL MONDAY
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/zQwEzNuc2xfcddWV7

– eggslut
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/1nwM1wPmnvsRjzj9A

8:10 Sekaido
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/9ifPQgidaubarUZA9

8:40 Shinjuku Flags
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/quiYxGzexazW5Usm9

9:16 ME TOKYO SHINJUKU
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/g2s4mAzWVaF3ftLa6

9:59 Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/2A8jnu1xz3GsmJxHA

10:46 YOYOGI BROADWAY
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/P71FD64RAEvPHfM49

Hobo Shinjuku Norengai
– Iroha
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/u7dC6aVEgwFWFjQD9

East Exit Area
11:34 Hanazono Shrine
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/QBtBisSiRctWhwGk7

12:11 Oiwake Dango
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/QZbzR9dF8NUwLv6r8

12:42 Onigiri Manma
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/nxnwnZQUHAWesifD8

13:18 Seibu-Shinjuku PePe
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/hjhMcxsuRnPT7Zka7

– Can Do
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/TnqKbvRy72XX4xmf6

13:57 Cross space Shinjuku
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/AYYuuX7UJZWPX7Wq7

14:24 Don Quijote
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/KPj3kprKL8pKGXSJ7

14:46 TOHO CINEMAS SHINJUKU (Godzilla)
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/a8kcaFyxzWN8M7bU6

15:13 Kabukicho
– Osusumeya
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/WD1orEJ9i7cPtXKq8

– Isomaru Suisan
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/9UGPRWa3VSwTkvTr7

– Tori-kizoku
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/kQuoB26gBfp5S2869

16:57 Kabukicho Tower
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/LaKPk5mtKsse1CNT9

– Gelato (17th floor)
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/RLGFfarS6u6ghju77

17:44 Shin-Okubo
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/S1cfzVv4REBz2eFw6

18:01 Golden Gai
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/zHWmmgyjycoipNf88

– Hameln
【Address】https://maps.app.goo.gl/TDyEhz8dz5P3xWUr6

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Your Perfect Japan Travel Food Guide – We introduce Japanese food (cuisine), Japanese restaurants and stores.
We’re introducing not only famous places in Japan, but also some hidden spots that Japanese people don’t know much about. We hope this will be a good guide and tips for you when you travel to Japan. There will be lots of delicious food, so even if you can’t make it to Japan, our videos will make you feel like you’re actually there!
If you have any video requests, please let us know in the comments!
(Conveyor belt sushi, shabu-shabu, soba noodles, tempura, yakitori, ramen, sake, yakiniku, Japanese street food, Japanese vending machine etc.)

#japantravel #tokyo #japanitinerary

Things to Do in Shinjuku! 30 Recommended Spots! Hi! I’m Akanemaru, born and raised in Japan. This time, we have selected 30 recommended spots in Shinjuku. Shinjuku is spacious, so we’ll introduce it in 3 areas. By the way, it takes about 7 minutes from Shibuya Station to Shinjuku Station on the Yamanote Line.

It takes about 25 minutes to get from Asakusa Station by subway.  Now, let’s start with the West Exit area. First up is the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, located about a 12-minute walk  from the West exit of Shinjuku Station. There are 3 buildings, but the recommended spot for tourists is this one.

There is an observation deck that you can enter for free. It’s located on the south and north sides, but currently only the south one is available. When you enter, you’ll find the dedicated elevator for the observation deck immediately on your left.

You can bring tripods and selfie sticks for cameras, but you can’t use them, so keep that in mind.  The observation deck is closed on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month.  Once you’ve completed the baggage check, you’ll take the elevator. It takes 55 seconds to reach the 45th floor.

This is the south observation deck. You can view the Tokyo area from 4 sides of the building. It’s located at the highest position among the free observation decks in Tokyo. You can see the Tokyo Skytree. If the weather is good, you can also see Mount Fuji.

On this floor, there is a souvenir shop so you can buy Japanese-style items. You can also enjoy coffee or soft serve ice cream at the café. Projection mapping has been taking place at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building since February 25th.

You can see it from various angles, but this time we’ll introduce the best viewing spot.  Exit the building where the observation deck is located and cross the signal in front.  This is Tomin-Hiroba. It’s a plaza right in front of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building,

And it’s the most recommended spot where you can enjoy projection mapping without any obstruction from the building. If you sit on this bench, you can see it directly from the front. It will take place 5 times between 7 PM and 9 PM every day. Each screening time will last 10 minutes or 15 minutes.

It’s currently planned to take place until the end of April. But please note that they won’t take place on bad weather days. Next up is Shinjuku Chuo Park, located right nearby the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. This park is surprisingly lush with greenery, which is unexpected for Shinjuku.

It’s a perfect place to take a break from sightseeing. You can also have a meal here, and we recommend enjoying the bento boxes or onigiri that you’ve bought. Next is Yodobashi Camera located right in front of the west exit of Shinjuku Station.

It’s a large electronics store consisting of 13 buildings, making it one of the largest in Japan. You can find most electric appliances here. They also sell SIM cards. There are various types available, and the prices vary depending on factors such as data traffic.

We have posted a video about SIM cards and pocket Wi-Fi before, so please check it out. Next is Shinjuku i-LAND. This is a building that houses restaurants and offices. It’s recommended here is the LOVE sculpture. It’s a popular spot often featured in Japanese dramas, and many people take commemorative photos here.

Take some wonderful photos! Next is a special Sushiro that you can only find here in Japan. It’s located about a minute’s walk from the west exit of Shinjuku Station. During lunchtime, there is often a line, so if you come around 3 PM on weekdays, you can get in smoothly.

At regular Sushiro, you order using a touch-screen about the size of an iPad, but at this store, there are large monitors at the table seats, almost like TVs. Recently, Sushiro doesn’t rotate sushi on conveyor belts, but you can see recommended sushi rotating on these monitors.

You can also order sushi just like on a regular touch-screen. The ordered sushi will be automatically brought to your table. It’s a special monitor that is unique to this store, so be sure to give it a try! By the way, the counter seats have the usual touch-screen. 

Next up is Shinjuku Omoide Yokocho, located about a 3-minute walk from the west exit.  This is an izakaya area that has been around since around 1964, and there are about 60 small stores. You’ll find many shops that have a retro Japanese atmosphere, and you can also enjoy drinking outside. 

We’ll briefly introduce 3 recommended shops in this area.  First up is Yourou-no-taki. The beef stir-fried with miso has a rich flavor and goes perfectly with beer. Next is Banshaku-ya, where you can enjoy drinking outside. This is abura-age, which is fried tofu. It’s seasoned with a sweet miso, and it’s addictive.

Next is Isuzu, a specialty shop for yakitori. Their assorted yakitori, which allows you to enjoy 5 different types at once, is particularly affordable compared to other shops in Omoide Yokocho. Most of the izakayas offer soft drinks, so even if you can’t drink alcohol, you can enjoy the atmosphere. 

Next is the South Exit area. First up is Suica’s Penguin Park. The closest station exit is the New South Gate. This park is right in front of the station. It’s a park where you can take a break while watching the trains and it’s bustling with many people every day.

You can have a meal here, so having lunch in this park is also recommended. We’ll briefly introduce 2 shops near New South Gate. First up is CARAMEL MONDAY. It’s a caramel specialty shop, and their most popular item is the caramel cream sandwich.

Inside the fluffy dough, there is whipped cream and caramel cream.  It’s not too sweet, and it has an elegant taste.  Next up is Eggslut. This is a restaurant specializing in eggs, originating from Los Angeles, and at this store, they offer a hamburger exclusive to Japan.

It’s sandwiched between a soft-cooked egg, scrambled egg, a beef patty, and cheddar cheese. The combination of fluffy eggs and crispy beef patty is perfect! Next up is Sekaido, located about an 8-minute walk from the south exit of Shinjuku Station. It’s a specialty store for stationery that was founded in 1940.

From the 1st floor to the 5th floor of this building, over 100,000 types of products are sold.  If you come here, you can see stationery from all over the world at once. If you like stationery, this is a recommended store.  Next up is Shinjuku Flags, directly connected to the south exit of Shinjuku Station. 

It’s a commercial facility with 10 stories, including one basement floor,   mostly consisting of apparel stores. There are 16 world-famous stores. On the 4th and 5th floors, you’ll find UNIQLO, offering many exclusive items that you can only purchase in Shinjuku. There is a GU on the 6th and 8th floors.

If you buy clothes in Shinjuku, it’s the most convenient place, so we recommend it. Next is ME TOKYO SHINJUKU, located very close to Shinjuku Flags. This is an amusement arcade that opened in December 2022.  From the 1st floor to the 2nd floor,

There is a claw machine area where you can win the latest character merchandise. The basement floor is especially recommended. This floor is dedicated to capsule toys, with 600 varieties available. There are also high-priced capsule toys ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 yen,

And if you’re lucky, you might even get a Nintendo Switch or PS5. Please give it a try! Next is Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. The nearest station is Shinjuku Gyoemmae Station. It’s about a 3-minute walk from there. From the south exit of Shinjuku Station, it’s about a 10-minute walk.

Admission fee is 500 yen. If you have a Suica card, you can just tap it to enter without buying a ticket. You can scan the QR code with your smartphone to see the map of the garden. It’s hard to believe it’s Shinjuku because it’s rich in nature and very relaxing.

This park is spacious and has many attractions, so you won’t get bored even if you spend the whole day. Next is YOYOGI BROADWAY, located about a 12-minute walk from the south exit. In the front area, there are art spaces and cafes. Towards the back, there is Hobo Shinjuku Norengai, which has 13 restaurants.

You can enjoy various types of cuisine here, including sushi and eel. The Gyutan (beef tongue) specialty restaurant Iroha is especially recommended. You can enjoy thick slices of beef tongue. It has juicy and tender texture, and it’s addictive. By the way, the nearest station is Yoyogi Station.

It’s right in front of the east entrance, so it’s accessible. Lastly, we’ll introduce the East Exit area. First up is the Hanazono Shrine, located about a 7-minute walk from Shinjuku Station. It’s a historic shrine built around 1590. It’s known to bring you good luck with matchmaking and career advancement.

It’s also famous as a photo spot and popular with many tourists. There are cute and colorful charms, which you might not see much at other shrines. Let us briefly introduce 2 shops located within a 5-minute walk from Hanazono Shrine. First up is Oiwake Dango.

It’s a specialty shop for dango founded in 1948, and various types of traditional Japanese sweets are sold. The mitarashi dango has a pleasant aroma of soy sauce and a simple taste. The daifuku is filled with plenty of sweet bean paste, but it’s not too sweet, and it has an elegant flavor. 

If you don’t like sweet treats, we recommend the dango topped with chili pepper.  Next is Onigiri Manma that was opened in May 2023.  It’s a shop opened by the staff of Bongo, the world’s most famous onigiri specialty store in Otsuka, Tokyo.

The second most popular filling is minced chicken and egg yolk, and the first is salmon roe and salmon.  The minced chicken has a subtle sweetness, and the yolk is creamy.  The salmon roe is seasoned with a rich flavor, and the salmon has just the right amount of fat. 

You can enjoy authentic onigiri, so it’s worth trying!  Next is Seibu-Shinjuku Station, located about a 5-minute walk from Shinjuku Station.  There is the Seibu-Shinjuku PePe, a commercial facility directly connected to the station.  On the 8th floor, you’ll find a 100-yen shop called Can Do.  This item is a silicone ice maker

That you can make bear-shaped ice by pouring coffee into it and freezing it. It’s great that you can buy unique products for just 100 yen. In addition to this, there are various items available for 100 yen, so be sure to check it out! 

Next up is Cross Space Shinjuku, located right in front of the east exit.  On top of this building, there is a huge monitor  where the visuals appear three-dimensional.  If you can’t capture it well with your smartphone, you can touch the screen to focus and then take better shots.

You can enjoy various visuals because the theme changes every 15 minutes. Straight ahead on the street where that monitor is, you’ll find Don Quijote. It’s a building spanning from the basement 1 to the 4th floor above ground,

So it’s a slightly smaller store compared to Mega Don Quijote in Shibuya. They sell T-shirts with a Japanese style, so give them a try! Beyond Don Quijote, you can see TOHO CINEMAS SHINJUKU. It’s the movie theater built in 2015, and you can see Godzilla on top of the building.

You used to be able to see Godzilla right in front of you from the terrace seats at the café on the 8th floor, but currently, the terrace seats are closed. It’s not available for use, so keep that in mind. By the way, the area where this movie theater is located is Kabukicho.

It’s the busiest downtown area in Japan with plenty of restaurants. Even at night, it’s as bright as daytime. It has decreased recently, but there are still places that overcharge tourists and drunks. If you are worried, you should probably avoid entering restaurants

Where the staff approach customers on the street to invite them in. We’ll introduce 3 recommended izakayas in this area. First up is Osusumeya. It’s a popular place where you can enjoy all-you-can-eat and drink for 2,200 yen for 2 hours. The prices are affordable, and the food is delicious.

The hot pot with beef tripe is rich in flavor and tasty. You can also enjoy all-you-can-eat negitoro bowls. It’s a great choice if you’re looking for an affordable restaurant. Next up is Isomaru Suisan. It’s a famous seafood izakaya in Japan.

Our recommendation is the seafood grill, where you can enjoy 5 types including scallops and shrimp. It goes perfectly with beer! Next up is Tori-kizoku. It’s a yakitori specialty izakaya where all items on the menu, including drinks and food, are priced at 360 yen.

The recommendation is the kama-meshi, which is cooked right in front of you. The chicken broth soaks into the rice, making it delicious! Next is Kabukicho Tower. This is a massive 48-story building with 5 basement floors, including a hotel, a movie theater, and a food court.

The amusement arcade on the 3rd floor has a large capsule toy machine, which is the only one found in Japan. You can enjoy 3D visuals of the popular anime ONE PIECE. The most recommended floor in this building is the 17th floor.

This floor is open to anyone for free, and you can overlook the streets of Shinjuku.  There is a gelato shop. Eating gelato while enjoying the nice view makes it taste even better. There is Shin-Okubo, known as the largest Koreatown in Tokyo, located about a 10-minute walk from Kabukicho Tower. 

It’s a recommended area for enjoying street food.  You can enjoy authentic Korean cuisine while in Japan.  Finally, we’ll introduce Golden Gai, located about a 10-minute walk from the east exit of Shinjuku Station. This area is packed with over 200 small stores, popular for its nostalgic atmosphere.

However, there are many shops and you can’t see inside them, so it might be difficult to decide which one to visit. This time, we’ll introduce a place that’s affordable and easy for first-timers to visit.  It’s called Hameln. The cover charge is 500 yen, and drinks start from 600 yen.

It’s a small restaurant with only 6 seats, but the staff are kind and friendly. There is a link to Google Maps in the description box, so be sure to check it out. If you have any places you’d like to know more about, let us know in the comments!

Well, that’s all for today! See you in the next video! Bye bye!