There are many reasons to stay in Shinjuku, Tokyo for your first visit to Japan. It’s one of the most popular areas in Tokyo convenient for travel, food, and overall full Japanese travel experience.
Shinjuku district has everything you’ll love and or was interested in Japan in the first place. The wonderful culture, the mesmerizing lights of billboards and signs with flashy Japanese characters. The sounds of J Pop music blaring around every corner with maid café hostesses carrying billboard menus.
The vibe of Japan is everywhere!
And who can forget about amazing Japanese foods too!
You’ll either love the Shinjuku in Tokyo or hate it. Some friends told me so when I was looking for good affordable hotels in Shinjuku. It was my first visit to Japan back then.
I’ve stayed in Shinjuku frequently. Although you can visit most of Tokyo via the Yamanote Line I prefer walking. So I’ve never taken a train to Shinjuku Gyoen Park, Shibuya, Harajuku, and Meiji Shrine to the south. I walked to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office to the west before and it was pleasant.
I tell you staying in Shinjuku was everything I expected. It blew my mind.
But there is more to Shinjuku. It will be right in your face and hard to ignore.
Shinjuku’s Famous Red Light District
Shinjuku is home to Tokyo’s largest red light district. To be more precise the Kabukicho Entertainment District. According to Wikipedia, there are over 3,000 nightlife establishments for tourists and locals to behave naughty. All crammed into .15 square miles.
It’s a terrific area to check out, especially at night. I recommend Izakaya Bars, these are popular food and drink establishments preferred by hard-working salary men and women. You can easily find them all over Kabukichō Entertainment District.
If you want a guided tour of Shinjuku bars I recommend Magical Trip. An English-speaking guide that will take you on a 3.5-hour bar-hopping tour of Shinjuku to places you might not find on your own.
Shinjuku Golden Gai
If you love beers and hard liquors, in tight quirky spaces with friendly bartenders, you must not miss the bars of Golden Gai! It’s an alley full of tiny bars stacked on top of tiny bars. Many with only 5 seats for bar patrons.
I first took a walk through Golden Gai twenty years ago. Back then it wasn’t really for foreign tourists. And I gotta admit it was intimidating.
Today Golden Gai has become so famous and well-known around the world Golden Gai’s Japanese bars have adopted a foreign-friendly attitude.
Today there are signs welcoming everyone. Even when the bars are super tiny with very little seating.
Because Shinjuku is NOT for Everyone
I stayed in Shinjuku a few times as a single male traveler. I can tell you with certainty if you’re a guy walking around Kabukicho you will be approached by pimps and touts. It’s annoying but if you can chill and relax they will leave you alone.
Today now that I have a wife and child traveling with them around Kabukicho where you see photos of scantily clad women plastered all over the area I get it. Shinjuku is not the type of place you want to take your mother to.
So why am I recommending Shinjuku for your first time in Japan? When they’re are so many other terrific neighborhoods in Tokyo.
If you can overlook the shenanigans and monkey business, which the local Japanese and millions of foreign travelers with families do you can easily have a terrific holiday.
There’s more good than bad for Shinjuku and safe for solo and female travelers.
Why Stay in Shinjuku
- You can find all types of accommodations for all budgets. Because Shinjuku has a high concentration of hotels from the capsule, budget, and luxury, it’s all there.
- Shinjuku Station is a great starting point for train travel to neighboring cities in Japan and also around the country.
- Whether you prefer traveling by train or on foot, you can reach many popular areas in Tokyo quickly.
- Lots of shopping and restaurants, just like it is in any of Tokyo’s major neighborhoods.
Shinjuku Station is an incredibly complex transportation hub. All major railways connect to what the Guinness Book of World Records calls the busiest station. It’s where you can ride the city’s subway or catch a bus from the nearby bus depot.
It’s an amazing and beautiful station it’s even possible you can spend an entire day inside.
Sotetsu Fresa Inn Higashi Shinjuku ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Although this hotel is the furthest away from Shinjuku station, Kabuchiko, and the center of activity, it’s not that bad. Sotetsu Fresa Inn Higashi Shinjuku is located on the quiet side of Shinjuku. I’ve stayed here more than a few times.
There’s a metro station not far from the hotel with plenty of restaurants for food and drink.
The rooms are typically small but most importantly clean and tidy. The hotel staff are curt and polite it is a good business-class hotel fit for touring Tokyo. I highly recommend this hotel!
Read reviews and find discounts for Sotetsu Fresa Inn Higashi Shinjuku on Agoda.com
Super Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This hotel will put you in the thick of all the nightlife action Kabukicho offers. Still a great little hotel mainly due to its location and quality. Though I warn you the room size is not highly desired at 12 square meters. But the room is clean, there is an onsen bath onsite and the room rate usually includes breakfast.
Overall a pretty good value.
Read reviews and find discounts for Super Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho on Agoda.com
Hotel Gracery Shinjuku ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you want to stay at a hotel with a massive Godzilla head on the rooftop and close to Shinjuku Station then I’ve got a hotel for you.
It’s a really good value for a 4-star hotel. The standard rooms are just slightly larger at 18 square meters and cost around $125 USD. Though they do have rooms up to 25 square meters you have to pay extra but not that much.
But I gotta warn you this hotel is in a super busy location so there are lots of people especially at night and on the weekends. But none of the stuff outside spills into the hotel.
Read reviews and find discounts for Hotel Gracery Shinjuku on Agoda.com
WPU Shinjuku ⭐️⭐️
I always seek out new hotels in Shinjuku. WPU is one of the newest in the district. This means that the rooms will be tiny as most newer hotels in Tokyo are.
Located around the northern tip just a 10-minute walk to Shinjuku station. And Shinjuku subway station is mere meters away. Goes without saying there are plenty of dining options all around.
WPU Hotel has really good reviews for cleanliness and front desk service. But I warn you the rooms are the smallest like I mentioned at around 11 square meters.
Read reviews and find discounts for WPU Shinjuku on Agoda.com
Rembrandt Cabin Shinjuku Shin Okuba ⭐️⭐️
If you want to do something mostly unique to Japan I recommend staying at a capsule hotel. Just for the experience and to have some bragging rights.
Just $40 US per night there are separate men’s and women’s capsules available. There’s a cool and futuristic vibe to it all.
It’s not in the heart of Shinjuku, Rembrandt Cabin is located just north near Shinjuku’s Korea Town. And about a 5-minute walk to Shin Okubo station.
Read reviews and find discounts for Rembrandt Cabin Shinjuku on Agoda.com
Hotel Amanek Shinjuku Kabuchiko ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Hotel Amanek is another property in the heart of Kabuchiko. So the price is higher but not so much that it’s not affordable.
The rooms here are slightly larger and the hotel staff is attentive. Again even though Hotel Amanek is located in Shinjuku’s red light district, none of spills into the hotel. Matter of fact it’s like an oasis away from the madness of Kabuchiko.
You can walk to nearby Golden Gai or simply check out the Izakayas for food and drink. Just the perfect location for enjoying local nightlife.
Read reviews and find discounts for Hotel Amanek Shinjuku Kabuchiko
There are many hotels all over Shinjuku and I’ve shown you a few around Kabuchiko and Golden Gai. As well as others that on the outside away from the district’s nightlife.
And even though there are so many transportation options in Shinjuku I recommend getting around on foot if possible. Because Tokyo’s sidewalks are wide and well-paved. Streets signs are in English which makes wandering around fun.
I hope you find my hotel recommendations to your liking. Please check out my other Japan travel recommendations for even more helpful resources:
MORE OF THE BEST CITIES AND HOTELS TO STAY FOR YOUR FIRST EPIC VISIT TO JAPAN
Osaka – Three Best Areas to Stay in Osaka
Kobe – Looking to stay in Kobe, check out Sannomiya
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