Visit the Observatories at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Buildings
The famed Japanese architect Kenzo Tange designed the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Buildings. Many people work in this multi-building complex, which is made up of the TMG No.1 Building , TMG No.2 Building, and the Assembly Building. It is popular as a sightseeing destination, as the interiors are open to visitors, with restaurants, shops, and promotional tourism booths for local areas across Japan. The observatory deck on the 45th floor of the TMG No.1 Building is particularly popular. From there you can get a panoramic view of Tokyo, and you can even see Mt. Fuji from December to February when the low temperatures allow for better visibility. Don't worry if you don't understand Japanese, as there is a viewing guide smartphone application that is available in 15 languages.
Observatories at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Buildings
Open: 9:30 am - 11:00 pm (Last entry 10:30 pm)
*The South Observatory is currently closed for renovation, and will reopen in spring 2019
Closed: North Observatory closed every 2nd and 4th Monday of each month
*If that day is a national holiday, it will be open on that day and close the following day instead
*Both observatories are closed from December 29 - 31, and on building inspection days
*The South Observatory is closed until spring 2019
Average price: Free entry
Address: 2-8-1, Nishi Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo (
Map)
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Tokyo Metropolitan Government Official Homepage Have a Picnic at Shinjuku Gyoen
Shinjuku Gyoen is a large public park measuring 580,000 sq.m. in the area. It is full of nature to the extent that you forget you're in the middle of a city and is beloved by Tokyoites as a spot for rest and relaxation. There are many things to see within the park, such as the expertly arranged French Formal Garden, Japanese Traditional Garden, and English Landscape Garden, as well as a collection of valuable buildings carrying on the legacy of the Imperial family. Cherry blossom season is from mid-February to late April, and autumn foliage season is from early November to early December. This is a popular spot to get a seasonal landscape view with skyscrapers in the background.
Shinjuku Gyoen
Open: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm (last entry 4:00 pm, park closes at 4:30 pm)
Closed: Monday (open if it is a national holiday, and closed the following day), Beginning and end of the year (December 29 - January 3)
Average price: Entrance fee: (General) 200 JPY, (Elementary and middle school students) 50 JPY, (Pre-school and younger) Free
Address: 11, Naito-machi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo (
Map)
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Official Homepage (Japanese only) Rose Shanghai Tokyo (Chinese Cuisine)
This restaurant is located near the north side of Shinjuku Gyoen and serves creative Chinese dishes prepared by Chef Xiao Wei, a top Chinese chef. There are several dishes on offer, such as [Green Asparagus Shark Fin Soup], all of which are as beautiful as they are delicious. This restaurant is also notable for their conscious efforts toward healthy cooking, such as incorporating elements of yakuzen (medicinal cuisine based on traditional Chinese medicine) into the dishes. For drinks, there is a selection of natural wines carefully selected from 300 varieties. You can see the high level of attention paid to every dish within the stylish interior of the restaurant, which is designed with a fusion of Chinese and Western elements.
Rose Shanghai Tokyo
Open: Lunch 11:30 am - 3:00 pm (L.O. 2:30 pm), Dinner 6:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm)
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 8,000 JPY / [Lunch] 1,500 JPY
Address: B1F, Gyoen Hanachu Bldg., 1-2-6, Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Go Bar-Hopping at Golden Gai
Shinjuku's Kabukicho, said to be the best entertainment district in all of Asia, is packed with countless bars and is full of the hustle and bustle well into the night. Even if you don't enter a bar or shop, you can still have an enjoyable time just walking around the area. Golden Gai (Golden Street) is a bar-filled street within the Kabukicho area that has a unique ambiance. Small, wooden shops line both sides of this narrow street, which evokes the atmosphere of the olden days. In recent years, the number of stylish and welcoming shops have increased, making it a popular place to go bar-hopping. The recommended spot for first-timers is "bar araku," which serves as a place for fellow travelers to exchange information.
Golden Gai
Address: 1-1-6, Kabuki-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo (
Map)
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Official Homepage (Japanese only) Robatayaki Zekkocho Teppen Shinjuku (Japanese Izakaya)
This izakaya (Japanese pub), located just 1 minute by foot from Golden Gai, is popular for robatayaki, a style of cooking which is grilling vegetables, seafood, and meat over charcoal. They have dozens of varieties of carefully selected sake on offer as well, all of which were chosen by the four sake experts on staff to match perfectly with the charcoal-scented, grilled seasonal ingredients. There are plenty of other unique dishes to order besides robatayaki as well, such as [Fresh Whole Fish]. With this dish, you can enjoy the fish cooked however as you like, salted and grilled, simmered, or fried.
Robatayaki Zekkocho Teppen Shinjuku
Open:
5:00 pm - 1:00 amClosed:
IrregularAverage price:
[Dinner] 4,000 JPYAccess:
A five minute walk from JR Shinjuku Station's Central East Exit, the building before you come to Golden Gai on Kuyakusho StreetAddress:
9F Sankei 55 Bldg., 1-2-6 Kabukicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo (
Map)
More Details Reservation
Shop for Household Appliances Near Shinjuku Station's West Exit
The area around Shinjuku Station, particularly the area around the West Exit, is full of electronics stores specializing in household appliances. Starting with YAMADA Denki LABI Shinjuku West Exit Branch, which carries the latest in energy-saving and eco-friendly appliances, there are several stores of various kinds. Among them, the one you absolutely must visit is Yodobashi Camera Shinjuku West Main Store. It is made up of 11 buildings, each with their different themes, such as the Smart Phone Building, the Camera Building, and the Multimedia-kan North Building, which mostly sells daily-use appliances, so there is a huge variety of goods on offer. You will also be happy to know you can purchase goods duty-free.
Yodobashi Camera
1. Sumibiyaki Horumon Manten Shinjuku Nishiguchi Branch (Yakiniku)
Located just a 3-minute walk from the west exit of Shinjuku Station, the restaurant Sumibiyaki Horumon Manten Shinjuku Nishiguchi Branch specializes in grilled hormone. The restaurant is known for its delicious hormone and the friendly and energetic service provided by its staff. With a desire to impress not only those who love hormone dishes but also those who are not yet fans, the restaurant offers a variety of uniquely prepared hormone dishes, focusing on the preparation process. They are committed to creating a restaurant that customers will want to boast about, saying, "I know such a delicious place," and one they will want to visit again.
Sumibiyaki Horumon Manten Shinjuku Nishiguchi Branch
Open:
[Weekdays] 4:00 pm - 12:00 am / [Saturday, Sunday] 3:00 pm - 12:00 amClosed:
NoneAverage price:
[Dinner] 6,000 JPYAccess:
3-minute walk from the west exit of Shinjuku StationAddress:
6F, Shinjuku Hikari Bldg., 1-14-3, Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo MapMore Details Reservation
Kobe Beef Teppanyaki Pandora Takumi (Teppanyaki)
This is a long-established, teppanyaki (ingredients grilled on an iron griddle) restaurant with over 40 years of history. You can savor the highest quality of marbled Kuroge Wagyu (a type of high-quality beef) within the luxurious interiors. Its menu is popular for dishes that include naturally sweet and tender fillets made with particularly rare beef from Kobe. All the seats are counter seats, and you can see the chef cook your food right before your eyes, creating a luxurious, lively atmosphere where you can get your fill of a variety of luxury foods that are not only delicious but look and smell amazing as well. There is a wide selection of full-bodied red wines that pair well with Kuroge Wagyu. This restaurant is located just 1 minute on foot northward from the Yodobashi Camera Watch Building.
Kobe Beef Teppanyaki Pandora Takumi
Open: [Monday - Wednesday, Friday - Sunday, National Holidays, Day before National Holidays] Lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm (L.O. 2:00 pm) / Dinner 5:30 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:30 pm)
Closed: Thursday
Average price: [Dinner] 15,000 JPY / [Lunch] 5,000 JPY
Access: 3 minutes walk from the west exit of JR Shinjuku Station
Address: 4F, Nishi-shin Bldg., 1-13-3, Nishi-shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Go Shopping at a Department Store
NEWoMan opened recently in 2016 and is popular as a new shopping hotspot in Shinjuku. The large-scale facility comprises of 6 floors of JR Miraina Tower, 1st floor of the JR Shinjuku Station New South Exit station building, and 3rd floor that extend over the railway tracks, and it includes around 100 retailers selling everything from fashion to cosmetics and miscellaneous goods. You can find a variety of luxurious items discerningly imported from all around the world. It's also the perfect place for souvenir shopping, as there are plenty of sweets shops, both Western and Japanese.
NEWoMan
Sushi Iwase (Sushi)
This shop is located around 12 minutes on foot westward from NEWoMan. Within the classy interior, you can enjoy sushi prepared by a chef who trained at many famous sushi restaurants. The [Chef's Choice Course] is the only option during dinner time and includes sushi and small dishes served alternately. The skills of the chef are apparent in each dish, as he uses techniques like using different types of shari (sushi rice) for different ingredients. The [Rose Chirashi], available for lunch, is a rice bowl topped with various thinly sliced ingredients. It is popular for luxuriously using a large number of ingredients. It's limited to just 10 orders per day, though, so it is recommended to stop by the restaurant just after it opens.
Sushi Iwase
Open:
[Tuesday - Sunday, National Holidays, Day before National Holidays] Lunch: 11:30 am - 13:00 pm / Dinner 6:00 pm - 10:30 pmClosed:
MondaysAverage price:
[Dinner] 16,000 JPY / [Lunch] 1,700 JPYAccess:
1-minute walk from JR Shinjuku Station South ExitAddress:
Shinjuku Youth Bldg. "PAX" 6F, 4-1-9 Shinjuku , Shinjuku, Tokyo (
Map)
More Details Sushi JIN-E
設定
Tokyu Kabukicho Tower was opened in spring 2023 as a new landmark in Shinjuku. Sushi JIN-E is located on its 45th floor, and was founded at the same time as the tower itself. In this hideout-like place away from the bustle on the ground, a skilled sushi artisan shows off the ultimate in nigirizushi and seasonal dishes, charming foodies from Japan and overseas. The view overlooking Tokyo, the dignified atmosphere, and the relaxing interior design and eating ware are all big parts of the restaurant's appeal. Here, 9 special counter seats await guests in the sky. Don't miss out on the freshest Tokyo gourmet cuisine in this restaurant!
Sushi JIN-E
Open:
[Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday] Dinner 5:30 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 8:00 pm) / [Saturday, Sunday, National Holidays] Lunch 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm (L.O. 1:30 pm), Dinner 5:30 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 8:00 pm)Closed:
MondayAverage price:
[Dinner] 40,000 JPY / [Lunch] 20,000 JPYAccess:
1-minute walk from Seibu Shinjuku Station. 7-minute walk from Shinjuku Station. Located on the 45th floor of Tokyu Kabukicho Tower.Address:
45F, Tokyu Kabukicho Tower, 1-29-1, Kabukicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo MapMore Details Reservation