Shinjuku Iconic Entertainment District in Tokyo Japan

Shinjuku is the entertainment district in Tokyo. This must-visit while Tokyo’s famous tourist area is buzzing with activities 24 hours. It also has many questionable-looking signs on at least half of the buildings. On my last morning here, while rushing and failing to watch the Tsukiji tuna auction, I saw a man with a work suit half shoving a “working girl” inside a taxi. It was 4 AM on a workday.

A Shinjuku Day

Shinjuku is where people who work hard come to party harder.

Unlike our first visit to Tokyo, during which we stayed at a Ryokan, I chose a hotel this time. Mostly out of convenience, damn heavy luggage and the need for clean, wearable clothes. Hotel Gracery, with a vast Godzilla head hanging on its rooftop, is located in the middle of Shinjuku. Easy to find, reasonable price, especially if compared with the Ginza hotels. It also has excellent service with a dash of quirkiness. I highly recommend it.

I have explored it as a tourist before, with my friends. So this time, I took it easy, the local way. On the first morning, I packed my camera and went out to explore one of the world’s most famous tourist spots. I walked around the area for some time through the insides of the department store and train station gates.

Shinjuku at night

Shinjuku at night was busier and livelier than Shinjuku during the daytime. But roaming around alone at night in a foreign land didn’t feel like my thing that day. There was a 7-11 below the hotel, so I got my goodies for the night, including various Onigiri, random coffee cans and a bottle of wine, and returned to the hotel. Time to soak in the unit bath with onsen salt while listening to true crime podcasts.