When I first visited Tokyo back in 2019, I somehow skipped Shinjuku entirely.
I didn’t mean to — it just didn’t make it into the Tokyo itinerary as we only had a few days in the city (and it’s a really big city). But on my second trip to Japan, I made it my mission to amend that.
This time around, I stayed right in the heart of Shinjuku, and from the moment I arrived (fresh off an overnight flight from Sydney), I immediately noticed the energy of the place.
Shinjuku is intense — in the best way. One moment you’re wandering through a peaceful garden, and the next you’re shoulder-to-shoulder with a crowd of locals under blinding neon signs. It’s a place where tradition and chaos collide.
I spent several days exploring this Tokyo neighbourhood. Here’s everything I saw, experienced, and what I recommend doing for the best Shinjuku itinerary, from the big-ticket sights to the small surprises that I stumbled upon along the way.
Quick summary:
Shinjuku is Tokyo’s most electric neighbourhood — a wild mix of neon lights, peaceful gardens, quirky attractions, and late-night energy. This guide covers the best things to do, where to stay, and unique experiences you won’t want to miss.
Recommended tours & tickets:
🍢 Tokyo Night Foodie Tour – Visit local izakayas and yakitori stalls in Shinjuku.
🥃 Shinjuku Bar Hopping Tour – Explore Golden Gai and Kabukicho with a local guide.
🥢 Shinjuku Chopstick Making Class – Carve your own wooden chopsticks in a peaceful workshop.
Where to stay:
🏨 La’gent Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho – Boutique hotel great for solo travellers or couples.
🦖 Godzilla Room at Hotel Gracery – Stay in the themed hotel room with Godzilla.
Classic Shinjuku experiences:
Go up the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
I’m a sucker for a free observation deck, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Building did not disappoint! This is one of the best Shinjuku activities that I’d recommend to anyone visiting the area.
This building is an easy walk from Shinjuku Station and it actually has two observation decks–one in the north tower and one in the south. I went up the north tower. The viewing angles were great as this building has many pointy corners which provide a variety of views of the Tokyo skyline.
On a perfectly clear day you might be lucky enough to spot Mt Fuji from up there (though I was not so lucky!).
Snap a photo at Godzilla Head
Perched atop the Hotel Gracery in Shinjuku is a giant Godzilla head looming over the Kabukicho area. The replica is modeled after the 1992 version of Godzilla, and it stands over 12 meters tall!
Apparently you can visit Godzilla’s rooftop terrace if you’re a hotel guest, but there are signs in the lobby warning visitors that they’ll be turned away if you’re not. I didn’t put this to the test, but it didn’t really matter as I thought Godzilla looked pretty neat from street level, anyway. Make sure you stay for the hourly show where Godzilla does a roar with some lasers and steam between midday and 8PM (it’s kind of lame, but also pretty funny).
🦖 To lean fully into the Godzilla experience, you can actually stay on the Godzilla Floor at Hotel Gracery where everything is themed around the monster!
Watch the 3D Cat get up to mischief
This giant kitty cat is one the most amusing Shinjuku attractions. It hangs out on a digital billboard next to Shinjuku station. Installed using a special screen a few years ago, the cat does all sorts of weird and cute things. While I was there, I saw it act like a policeman, paw at items on a glass table, and float in zero gravity before getting sucked through a hole in the building.
I’m not entirely sure why, but I found it hard to get photos with my iPhone during the daytime – the screen looked all weird and discolored in my pics. They turned out slightly better on my second walk-by in the early evening, and the 3D effect definitely looks better at night, so try to visit the 3D Cat after dark if you can.
Wander through Omoide Yokocho
Omoide Yokocho, which translates to “Memory Lane,” is a narrow alleyway lined with tiny, traditional eateries — mostly yakitori (grilled meat skewer) joints, ramen stalls, and izakayas (Japanese pubs). It’s also sometimes known by its more infamous nickname: “Piss Alley” — a name that stuck from the post-war days when toilets were scarce (don’t worry, that’s no longer the case!).
You must experience Omoide Yokocho in the evening as the alley is packed with smoke from all the grills and filled with the smell of sizzling meats. I personally didn’t eat here (vegetarian, so… you know!) but I still enjoyed wandering through one evening to experience the loud and lively atmosphere, watching the chefs preparing food for their guests in the tiny little venues.
🍢 If you’re hungry to try out some of the local delicacies, it might be worth jumping on a Tokyo Night Foodie Tour to visit a few of the best local eateries with a guide.
Wander through Kabukicho at night
Formerly a red-light district, Kabukicho draws hoards of tourists to its neon-lit streets after dark. This Shinjuku nightlife destination is a total assault on the senses — the neon signage was so bright that it almost felt like daytime, even during my walk through at 7PM.
I didn’t go into any of the bars, clubs, or other scandalous venues, but just walking through was entertainment enough. It was chaotic, loud, and completely fascinating.
Have a drink in Golden Gai
Golden Gai was one of the most intriguing places I wandered through in Shinjuku, Tokyo. This legendary nightlife spot has dozens of pocket-sized bars with massive character, all crammed side by side in a cluster of narrow alleyways. Each venue had its own personality — some were glowing with fairy lights, others pulsing with music, and all of them looked like they had stories to tell. Many bars have a small cover charge, usually between 400 and 1000 yen, though a few advertise no cover at all.
It definitely wasn’t somewhere to visit during the day, but after 6PM it lit up with music and chatter spilling out of each doorway, tempting travellers and locals to pop inside for a Japanese beer, sake or whisky.
🥃 If you want to make a night of it, consider hopping on a Shinjuku Bar Hopping Tour which visits a few izakayas in Golden Gai and Kabukicho.
Explore Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
This botanic garden is a beautiful place to spend a morning admiring Japanese trees and plants in a peaceful setting. It does have a small cost of 500 yen to enter, but it’s definitely one of the best things to do in Shinjuku. I found the gardens to be surprisingly tranquil considering their location in the middle of Tokyo’s hustle and bustle.
The Taiwan Pavillion is a fantastic spot for pretty pics, and there’s a nearby tea house if you want to take the time to relax yourself even further. Also check out the Japanese Garden, the Greenhouse, and the Cherry Tree Area if you’re traveling during cherry blossom season.
Visit a gaming arcade
Japanese gaming arcades are truly next level, and they’re a big part of the scene in Shinjuku. You’ll find several clustered around Cine City Square — I checked out namco Tokyo inside the Kabukicho Tower and also popped into GiGO. There’s also Taito Station and Game Panic nearby if you’re up for more.
Try your luck at a crane game with Pokémon-themed plushie prizes, play classic and modern arcade machines (I even found Drum ‘n’ Fun, which my husband has on his Nintendo Switch at home), or grab a quirky souvenir from one of the many capsule toy machines.
Even if you’re not big on gaming, it’s worth visiting just for the fun, high-energy atmosphere. The arcades would also be a good activity for nasty weather, in case you’re wondering what to do in Shinjuku on a rainy day.
Browse Kinokuniya Bookstore (Main Branch)
If you love bookstores, don’t miss the main branch of Kinokuniya in Shinjuku — it’s a massive, seven-storey haven for book lovers. I found it fascinating to browse the shelves packed with Japanese titles. I especially enjoyed exploring the art and lifestyle section for Japanese crafts (origami, anyone?), as well as the quirky illustrated children’s books on level 4.
There isn’t a huge English-language selection, but even if you can’t read the language, there’s something interesting about flipping through the pages and seeing what captures attention in a different culture. It’s also provides a nice calm break from the buzz of Shinjuku outside.
🥢 If you’re in the mood for a creative cultural experience, there’s also a lovely chopstick making class nearby where you can carve your own pair using traditional tools. Led by a local artisan, you’ll walk away with a unique souvenir wrapped and ready to take home.
Where to stay in Shinjuku, Tokyo
A major benefit for staying in Shinjuku is that it’s super easy to access the Tokyo metro for visiting Tokyo’s top attractions from this area! There are plenty of Shinjuku accommodation options for solo travellers (like me) or budget travellers who don’t need anything fancy, but also don’t want to be cooped up in a capsule hotel for a week-long visit (no, thank you!). There are a lot of boutique hotels in Shinjuku that have compact-sized rooms, but that still have all the essentials like a private ensuite.
🏨 I stayed at La’gent Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho on this trip, which was perfectly adequate for my needs. It was nothing fancy–the room was expectedly small–but it was clean, comfortable, and quiet with a small work desk (which I loved) and a mini fridge.
My only issue with the room was that the bed was slightly too hard for my liking. I enjoyed heading to the hotel bar in the evenings as it was a pleasant spot to sit and drink an Asahi and watch people walk by on the street. I did wish that the hotel had a daytime lounge area, too, though the bar is open as a cafe from 3PM so guests can use that space if they want to sit with a coffee.
👉 Read my full review of La’gent Hotel here.
So… is Shinjuku worth visiting?
Shinjuku turned out to be the perfect base for my Tokyo adventure — not just because of the convenient transport links, but because there was always something new to stumble across, no matter what time of day (or night) it was. I found that Shinjuku offered a little slice of everything that makes Tokyo so compelling.
If you’re visiting Tokyo and want to experience the city’s energy, quirks, and contrasts all in one place, Shinjuku is the neighbourhood you can’t beat.
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