Shinjuku, Tokyo · Things to do
Things to Do in Shinjuku: 11 Places with Hours, Prices and Access
11 things to do · checked October 20, 2026
11 things to do in Shinjuku, from the garden to the neon alleys
Hours, prices and access checked against each place's own page on October 20, 2026. They change; check before you go.
1Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden新宿御苑
National garden · Shinjuku 3-chome
A national garden with three gates and a greenhouse, a few minutes' walk from Shinjuku-gyoenmae and Shinjuku-sanchome stations. It is open every day, with no closed days, from 1 to 15 November and again from 25 March to 24 April.
Open every day, 1–15 November.
- Access
- Shinjuku Gate: 5 minutes from Shinjuku-gyoenmae Station exit 1 (Marunouchi Line), from Shinjuku-sanchome Station exit E5 (Fukutoshin Line) or exits C1/C5 (Toei Shinjuku Line); 10 minutes from the South Exit of JR Shinjuku Station. Okido Gate: 5 minutes from Shinjuku-gyoenmae exit 2. Sendagaya Gate: 5 minutes from JR Sendagaya Station.
- Hours
- 1 October–14 March 9:00–16:30 (last entry 16:00); 15 March–10 June and 1 August–30 September 9:00–18:00 (last entry 17:30); 11 June–31 July 9:00–19:00 (last entry 18:30). Greenhouse opens 9:30 and closes 30 minutes earlier than the gates.
- Closed on
- Mondays (next weekday if Monday is a holiday), except 1–15 November and 25 March–24 April; 29 December–3 January
- Price
- Adults ¥500; age 65 and over and students (high school and up) ¥250; junior high and under free
2Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observatories東京都庁 展望室
Free observation decks · Nishi-Shinjuku
Two free observation rooms on the 45th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government No. 1 Building, 202 m up. Enter with the dedicated lift from the 1st floor. Advance reservations are not accepted.
- Access
- Directly connected to Tochomae Station (Toei Oedo Line); about 10 minutes on foot from the West Exit of JR Shinjuku Station.
- Hours
- South observatory 9:30–22:00 (last entry 21:30). North observatory 9:30–17:30 (last entry 17:00), open until 22:00 on days the South observatory is closed.
- Closed on
- South: 1st and 3rd Tuesdays. North: 2nd and 4th Mondays (the following weekday if the day is a holiday). Both: 29–31 December, 2–3 January and building inspection days. Closures can happen at short notice in bad weather.
- Price
- Free
3Omoide Yokocho新宿西口 思い出横丁
Alley of small eateries · Shinjuku West Exit
A cluster of about 80 premises, including some 60 bars and restaurants, mostly yakitori and motsuyaki (grilled offal) places, on roughly 2,000 m² beside the West Exit. It grew from an open-air market in the burnt-out city just after the Second World War.
- Access
- About 2 minutes on foot from JR Shinjuku Station (West Exit side); Shinjuku-nishiguchi Station (Toei Oedo Line) and Seibu-Shinjuku Station are also listed as nearby.
- Hours
- Set by each shop; the alley's own site gives no common hours
4Shinjuku Golden Gai新宿ゴールデン街
Bar alleys · Kabukicho
Around 280 small bars fit into a block of six rows of alleys, many seating only five or six people. Most open late in the evening, typically around 20:00; some are members-only and others are open to everyone.
- Access
- About 5 minutes on foot from Shinjuku Station, a few minutes from the East Exit. Address: 1-1-6 Kabukicho.
- Hours
- Set by each bar; most open around 20:00
5Kabukicho歌舞伎町
Nightlife district · Kabukicho
Shinjuku's neon-lit entertainment district, a five-minute walk from the East Exit of JR Shinjuku Station. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police tell visitors not to follow or listen to street hawkers or scouts who approach them, and to be wary of bars that add drinks to a bill or drug them.
- Access
- About 5 minutes on foot from the East Exit of JR Shinjuku Station.
6Godzilla Head (Shinjuku Toho Building)ゴジラヘッド（新宿東宝ビル）
Landmark sculpture · Kabukicho
A Godzilla head about 12 m high on the Shinjuku Toho Building in Kabukicho, above Toho Cinemas and Hotel Gracery Shinjuku. Every hour from 12:00 to 20:00 it roars and lights up. The Godzilla Terrace is currently closed; the Gracery Lounge on the 8th floor, open to non-guests, looks out at the head through its windows.
- Access
- About 5 minutes on foot from the East Exit of JR Shinjuku Station; about 3 minutes from Seibu-Shinjuku Station. Address: 1-19-1 Kabukicho.
- Hours
- Roars and lights up hourly, 12:00–20:00. Gracery Lounge 9:30–22:00.
7Hanazono Shrine花園神社
Shinto shrine · Shinjuku 5-chome
The guardian shrine of old Naito-Shinjuku, an Inari shrine moved to this site in the Kan'ei era (1624–44). The present main hall dates from 1965, and a bronze karashishi lion statue in the grounds is designated a Shinjuku Ward cultural property. The Tori-no-ichi fair is held here in November, with an eve festival the night before each day.
- Access
- Shinjuku-sanchome Station exit E2 (Marunouchi, Fukutoshin and Toei Shinjuku lines); 7 minutes on foot from the East Exit of JR Shinjuku Station. Address: 5-17-3 Shinjuku.
8Isetan Shinjuku伊勢丹 新宿店
Department store · Shinjuku 3-chome
The Isetan main store at Shinjuku-sanchome. The restaurant floor, Eat Paradise on the 7th floor of the main building, keeps later hours than the shops.
- Access
- Shinjuku-sanchome Station: from about 30 seconds to 3 minutes on foot depending on the gate (Isetan-side and front gates are the closest). Address: 3-14-1 Shinjuku.
- Hours
- 10:00–20:00; Eat Paradise (main building 7F) 11:00–22:00
9NEWoMan Shinjukuニュウマン新宿
Station-side shopping complex · Shinjuku Station South
A LUMINE shopping complex at the south side of JR Shinjuku Station, with shops, food shops inside the station (Ekinaka) and a food hall that opens at 7:00.
- Access
- JR Shinjuku Station: Miraina Tower, Koshu Kaido or Shinnan gate. About 3 minutes from Shinjuku-sanchome Station exit E10 (Fukutoshin Line). Address: 4-1-6 Shinjuku.
- Hours
- Shops Mon–Sat 11:00–20:30, Sun and holidays 11:00–20:00. Ekinaka food shops Mon–Sat 8:00–21:00, Sun and holidays 8:00–20:30. Food Hall and Ekisoto 7:00–23:00. Some shops differ.
10Shinjuku Chuo Park新宿中央公園
City park · Nishi-Shinjuku
A ward-run park of about 88,000 m² beside the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. It has a water plaza facing a Niagara-style waterfall, a children's play area, a flower garden and a biotope, and a wading pond that runs from mid-July to early September.
- Access
- Tochomae Station (Toei Oedo Line) is at the park; about 5 minutes on foot from Nishi-Shinjuku Station (Marunouchi Line); about 10 minutes from JR Shinjuku Station. There is no parking.
11SOMPO Museum of ArtSOMPO美術館
Art museum · Nishi-Shinjuku
An art museum at 1-26-1 Nishi-Shinjuku that runs changing exhibitions. Its site lists "Albert Marquet: A Retrospective" as the current show. Fees are not listed here; check the page for the exhibition.
- Access
- 5 minutes on foot from the West Exit of JR Shinjuku Station; also by Marunouchi Line (Shinjuku or Nishi-Shinjuku) and Oedo Line (Shinjuku-nishiguchi).
- Hours
- 10:00–18:00, Fridays 10:00–20:00; last entry 30 minutes before closing
- Closed on
- Mondays (the following day if Monday is a national holiday); New Year holidays; between exhibitions; 24 November as listed on its page
Good to know
Everything on this list is within about 10 minutes on foot of a Shinjuku station, and it falls into three groups around JR Shinjuku Station: the garden and shops to the east and south, Kabukicho's neon streets to the north-east, and the observatories and parks to the west. For a first day, the two fixed daytime stops are Shinjuku Gyoen (¥500, last entry 16:00 from October to mid-March, closed Mondays) and the free observatories on the 45th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (last entry 21:30 on the South side).
The evening places set their own hours. Omoide Yokocho's shops and Golden Gai's bars each decide when to open, and most Golden Gai bars start around 20:00. The Godzilla Head on the Toho Building roars and lights up every hour from 12:00 to 20:00. In Kabukicho the Tokyo Metropolitan Police advise visitors not to follow street hawkers or scouts who approach them.
Dates to plan around: Shinjuku Gyoen is open every day from 1 to 15 November and from 25 March to 24 April 2027. The South observatory is closed on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays and the North on the 2nd and 4th Mondays, and the Godzilla Terrace is currently closed. Hanazono Shrine holds its Tori-no-ichi fair in November.
East, Kabukicho or west of the station
Which side of JR Shinjuku Station each place is on, how far it is, what it costs to get in, and how late you can still start. Adult prices; "not listed" means the pages checked give no fee.
| Where | From the station | Entry (adult) | Latest start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shinjuku Gyoen | 10 min from the JR South Exit; 5 min from Shinjuku-gyoenmae Station exit 1 | ¥500 | Last entry 16:00 (Oct–14 Mar); 17:30 (15 Mar–10 Jun, Aug–Sep) |
| Hanazono Shrine, Isetan | Hanazono: 7 min from the JR East Exit, at Shinjuku-sanchome exit E2. Isetan: 30 sec–3 min from Shinjuku-sanchome gates | Not listed | Isetan closes 20:00; its restaurant floor 22:00 |
| NEWoMan | At JR Shinjuku Station (Miraina Tower, Koshu Kaido and Shinnan gates) | Not listed | Shops 20:30 (Sun 20:00); Food Hall to 23:00 |
| Kabukicho, Godzilla Head, Golden Gai | 5 min from the JR East Exit (Godzilla Head also 3 min from Seibu-Shinjuku) | Not listed | Godzilla roars hourly 12:00–20:00; most Golden Gai bars open around 20:00 |
| Omoide Yokocho | About 2 min from JR Shinjuku Station, West Exit side | Not listed | Each shop sets its own hours |
| Metropolitan Government observatories, Chuo Park, SOMPO Museum | Observatories about 10 min from the JR West Exit (Tochomae Station is directly connected); SOMPO 5 min; Chuo Park about 10 min | Observatories free; others not listed | South observatory 21:30; North 17:00; SOMPO 17:30 (Fri 19:30) |
By kind of trip
First visit: one afternoon and evening
Shinjuku Gyoen closes at 16:30 from October to mid-March, so it comes first. The observatories take their last visitors at 21:30 (South side), and Omoide Yokocho and Golden Gai follow the shops' and bars' own hours.
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden · Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observatories · Omoide Yokocho · Shinjuku Golden Gai
Lowest fixed entry price
The observatories are free. Shinjuku Gyoen costs ¥500 for adults, ¥250 for students and age 65 and over, and nothing for junior high and under.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observatories · Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
After dark
The South observatory is open to 22:00, the Godzilla Head roars until 20:00, and the alleys keep their own hours. In Kabukicho the police advise not following touts or scouts.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observatories · Godzilla Head (Shinjuku Toho Building) · Omoide Yokocho · Shinjuku Golden Gai · Kabukicho
Rain or cold
These are indoors. The observatories are on the 45th floor, SOMPO is open to 18:00 (Fridays 20:00), and NEWoMan's food hall opens at 7:00.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observatories · SOMPO Museum of Art · Isetan Shinjuku · NEWoMan Shinjuku
With children
Shinjuku Gyoen is free for junior high and under. Chuo Park has a children's play area, a waterfall and, from mid-July to early September, a wading pond. The Godzilla Head roars on the hour from 12:00 to 20:00.
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden · Shinjuku Chuo Park · Godzilla Head (Shinjuku Toho Building)
Questions
Is the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observatory free, and how late is it open?
Yes, both observation rooms on the 45th floor (202 m) are free, and reservations are not accepted. The South observatory is open 9:30–22:00 (last entry 21:30). The North observatory is open 9:30–17:30 (last entry 17:00), and until 22:00 on days the South is closed. South closes on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays and North on the 2nd and 4th Mondays.
When is Shinjuku Gyoen open, and what does it cost?
From 1 October to 14 March it is open 9:00–16:30 (last entry 16:00), and it closes on Mondays and from 29 December to 3 January. Adults pay ¥500; students and age 65 and over ¥250; junior high and under are free. It opens every day from 1 to 15 November and from 25 March to 24 April 2027.
What time do the Golden Gai bars open, and can I take photos?
GO TOKYO says most bars open around 20:00, and that some are members-only while others are open to everyone. It lists no smoking or drinking in the street, and no photography without permission. The district's own association says the lanes are private road and photographing or filming the district needs permission.
Can I see the Godzilla Head, and when does it roar?
The head, about 12 m high, is on the Shinjuku Toho Building in Kabukicho and can be seen from the street. It roars and lights up every hour from 12:00 to 20:00. The Godzilla Terrace is currently closed; the Gracery Lounge on the 8th floor is open to non-guests 9:30–22:00 and looks out at the head through its windows.
What do the police advise visitors in Kabukicho?
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police advise not following or listening to illegal street hawkers or scouts, even if they approach you. They also warn of bars that drug drinks and then take customers to an ATM to pay, and of anyone asking for a deposit before taking you to a hotel.