Shinjuku
Shinjuku, Tokyo
Shinjuku is a city in itself: the busiest station in the world, ringed by skyscrapers, department stores, the neon of Kabukicho and the calm of Gyoen. Whatever you think Tokyo is, Shinjuku has a district that proves it.
The full Shinjuku neighbourhood guide: every place on the map, where to eat and where to stay.
More photos of Shinjuku
Insider tip
Learn the station exits before you need them. Seriously. West side for views and ramen, east side for neon and nightlife, south for shopping.
What's on at Shinjuku
Upcoming events at Shinjuku and within a ten-minute walk, from the weekly Tokyo events calendar.
Utagawa Kunisada and Utagawa Kuniyoshi: Shinjuku Kabukicho Shunga Exhibition WA
歌川国貞・歌川国芳ー新宿歌舞伎町春画展WA
Time 11:00 to 21:00, last entry 20:30, closed 2 Nov Station Shinjuku-sanchome (Marunouchi Line, Exit E1), 3 min walk
An exhibition of about 100 shunga woodblock prints by Kunisada and Kuniyoshi, with a free audio guide in Japanese and English. Visitors must be 18 or over.
. Ray in Manila, CC BY 2.0 Shinjuku Eisa Matsuri
新宿エイサーまつり
Station Shinjuku (JR, Tokyo Metro, Toei, Odakyu, Keio Lines)
Okinawan eisa drum-dance troupes, around 20 of them, parade through the streets on both sides of Shinjuku Station for an afternoon and evening. Free to watch from anywhere along the routes; held on the last Saturday of July.
. Ray in Manila, CC BY 2.0 Hanazono Shrine Antique Market
花園神社骨董市
Station Shinjuku-sanchome (Marunouchi, Fukutoshin, Toei Shinjuku Lines), 3 min walk
Small, atmospheric antique market held almost every Sunday from early morning in the grounds of Shinjuku's Hanazono Shrine, with 25 to 40 stalls of old ceramics, kimono, coins, and curios. Skipped on festival weekends and in bad weather, so go early and have a backup plan.
Bernard Spragg. NZ, Public Domain Mark 1.0 Sanrio Characters Exhibition: Hotel Floria Tokyo
サンリオキャラクターズ エキシビション ホテルフローリア トーキョー
Time 10:00 to 20:00, last entry 19:30 Station Seibu-Shinjuku (Seibu Shinjuku Line), 3 min walk
A walk-through exhibition styled as a hotel, themed on Sanrio characters, on the fourth floor of Tokyu Kabukicho Tower.
Dick Thomas Johnson, CC BY 2.0 Dai Tsukemen Haku presents Ra-1 Grand Prix 2026
大つけ麺博 presents ラー1 グランプリ 2026
Time 11:00 to 21:00
A month-long ramen contest in Okubo Park where 64 shops compete over eight rounds and visitors vote for their favourite bowl. The winner takes a 5 million yen prize. Bowls start at 800 yen, and last orders are at 20:45.
Smaller local events nearby
Shinjuku Machi Fes 2026: Fun Street Festival
Sat 24 Oct · Shinjuku-dori and Shinjuku Moa 4-bangai, Shinjuku 3-chome
The main day of the Dai-Shinjuku Ward Festival in front of Shinjuku Station, with booths from Shinjuku businesses and groups plus music and street performances.
Free · 11:00 to 15:00 (cancelled in storms) · Map · Source: Shinjuku Machi Fes executive committee · 新宿まちフェス2026 新宿まちフェス ファンストリート
Kabukicho Kuyakusho-dori Illumination Illumination
30 Oct to 28 Feb · Kuyakusho-dori, Kabukicho
The 20th illumination of the street trees on Kuyakusho-dori in Kabukicho, about 700 metres from Yasukuni-dori to Shokuan-dori, lit every evening.
Free · 16:30 to 03:00 · Map · Source: Shinjuku City · 第20回新宿歌舞伎町区役所通りイルミネーション
Live music nearby
Nearby
Around Shinjuku
Neon chaos, tiny bars, and a surprisingly serene garden
Shinjuku is the Tokyo people picture before they arrive, and it's every bit that intense. The trick is knowing when to switch modes. Golden Gai and Omoide Yokocho are for tiny-bar nights, and Shinjuku Gyoen is for when you need the volume turned down. The entry fee at Gyoen keeps the crowds manageable even in cherry blossom season, which makes it one of the best value tickets in the city.
Shinjuku has 16 places on the Roam Tokyo map: 4 restaurants, 4 bars, 2 parks and gardens, 2 bathhouses, 1 shrine or temple, 1 viewpoint, 1 landmark and 1 neighbourhood. Read the Shinjuku guide.
From the blog
Good to know
- How do I get to Shinjuku?
- The nearest station is Shinjuku (JR). Shinjuku is in Shinjuku, Tokyo.
- How much does Shinjuku cost?
- Nothing. Shinjuku is free to visit.
- How long do you need at Shinjuku?
- Plan for half day.
- When is the best time to visit Shinjuku?
- Evening neon.
Stay near Shinjuku
Browse live availability and compare prices around Shinjuku.
Median US$213 a night across 48 listings within 0.6 km for a two-night stay a month out, sampled 20 October 2026. Cheapest quarter under US$165. See the weekly index for every neighbourhood.
See hotels near Shinjuku on Booking.comPrices are for the night of Saturday 24 October. You can change the dates on Booking.com. If you book, Roam Tokyo earns a small commission from Stay22 at no extra cost to you.