Last updated on May 7th, 2026
The city of Tokyo is huge, with 23 different neighborhoods (called wards) to explore. In this guide, we’re diving into one of its most popular neighborhoods and sharing all the best things to see and do in Shinjuku.
This buzzing neighborhood is packed with neon lights, late-night energy, and some of the best food you’ll find in the city. It’s where we chose to stay during our time in Tokyo, and while it definitely leans a little grittier with more of a party scene, that’s part of the appeal!
But beyond the nightlife, Shinjuku is also home to one of the most beautiful parks in the city, plenty of fun (and free!) things to do, and endless spots to eat your way through. Whether you’re here for the nightlife, the green space, or the food, Shinjuku is a must-see stop in Tokyo.
- Things to do in Shinjuku
- 1. Check out a local coffee shop
- 2. Walk around Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
- 3. Visit Hanazono Shrine
- 4. Admire the views from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
- 5. Watch the Tokyo Night & Light Show
- 6. See the 3D Cat Billboard
- 7. Explore Kabukicho at Night
- 8. See Godzilla Breathe “Fire”
- 9. Go on a food tour
- 10. Enjoy Ramen
- 11. Go Izakaya Hopping
- 12. Play games at an arcade
- 13. Get lost in Shinjuku Station
- Planning your time in Tokyo, Japan
- Save this guide with fun things to do in Shinjuku, Tokyo
- About the Author
Things to do in Shinjuku
1. Check out a local coffee shop
If you’ve read our blog before, you know we love coffee and make it a point to try local coffee shops in every place we visit. And Shinjuku is no exception! There are some amazing spots to grab a cup (or two!) before you hit the streets and explore all that Shinjuku has to offer.
Coffee Swamp is a great first stop in Shinjuku. It’s a cute little hole-in-the-wall coffee shop that sells hand crafted cups of coffee while playing records in the background. They actually have a whole wall of records to admire, which we loved! Plus, it’s open early, a rarity in Tokyo that saved us from konbini coffee (which is good, but not nearly as good).
Some others we wanted to check out were EIGHT COFFEE Shinjuku,Cois Espresso Club Shinjuku Gyoemmae(try the creme brulee cheesecake!), and All Seasons Coffee.
2. Walk around Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
Despite being the most populated city in the world, with buildings everywhere you look, Tokyo boasts more than 8,000 parks and gardens. And the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden is one of the largest parks in the city, with three different types of gardens, plus a greenhouse with tropical plants and lots of ponds.
We loved walking around here! It was a peaceful escape among the chaos, and one of our favorite things to do in Shinjuku. Try to find the adorable National Parks Dog stand for a refreshing lemonade!
3. Visit Hanazono Shrine
We randomly stumbled upon the Hanazono Shrine while walking the streets. It’s a hidden, peaceful escape inside the city and well worth a stop in your Tokyo itinerary.
This historic Shinto shrine dates back to the 17th century and is known for its vibrant red torii gates and peaceful atmosphere. It’s especially worth a stop if you’re exploring nearby Kabukicho, as it offers a totally different vibe just steps away from the nightlife. If you happen to visit during one of its festivals, you’ll find the grounds filled with food stalls, lanterns, and locals that make it even more special.
4. Admire the views from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
There are many amazing spots to view the city from above in Tokyo. Our first two favorites are in other neighborhoods, Shibuya Sky and Roppongi Hills – Tokyo City View. But our third favorite is in Shinjuku!
Not only does the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building have great views from the 45th floor, but it is FREE to visit! And at the observation area you can find a cafe, plus a gift shop that sold some really nice items.
For an even better experience, pair this with the free Tokyo Night & Light Show (next on this list of fun things to do in Shinjuku)! Just make sure to time your visit right, as there is usually a line to go to the observation point and the show only runs at specific times.
5. Watch the Tokyo Night & Light Show
Not only does the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building have a free observation deck, but every night they have multiple free light shows where they project different graphics onto the building! It runs a few times a night and is the largest architectural projection-mapped display, according to the Guiness World Records. And it is pretty spectacular! Each show is different, but during the show we went to we got to see a massive Godzilla stomping around, some trippy shapes flying across the building, and Pac-Man!
6. See the 3D Cat Billboard
You might not expect to see a billboard on a list of best things to do in Shinjuku, but this 3D Cat Billboard really is a must-see! It really looks 3D and is SO cute! We lucked out and stumbled upon it during the day, but then went at night and other things were playing on the billboard. So you may have to wait around for a bit for the cat to come back on the screen.
7. Explore Kabukicho at Night
Another fun thing to do in Shinjuku, Tokyo is to explore Kabukicho at night. It’s definitely a party area and technically a red light district, but if you go earlier in the evening it feels safe. We liked walking around to see all of the lights. Beware of people trying to get you to go into bars for cheap drinks, but then charging you a lot more.
8. See Godzilla Breathe “Fire”
On top of the Hotel Gracery sits a huge Godzilla head that breathes fire! While exploring Kabukicho, make sure to head over to the outside of this hotel to get a view and take some pictures.
For the ultimate experience, stay in the hotel he is on top of, Hotel Gracery Shinjuku! They have standard hotel rooms, but for the ultimate experience, stay on the highest floor (the Godzilla floor). This entire floor and all of its rooms are Godzilla themed and you will have stunning city views from up here.
9. Go on a food tour
On our list of things to do in Tokyo we share specific food items we loved in the city, but if you want to try a wide range of popular Japanese dishes at once, go on a food tour! Not only will you get some tasty bites, but you’ll also get to learn a lot from a local guide along the way.
There are quite a few food tours to choose from in Tokyo, but this Shinjuku food tour is a great pick. They’ll take you to 4 restaurants to try 13 dishes!
Want to save some money on this tour or experience? Join Tripadvisor Rewards to earn 5% Trip Cash on any hotel or experience booking made in their app, which can be applied to future in-app bookings!
10. Enjoy Ramen
No trip to Tokyo is complete without ramen! There are many different styles and types of ramen and we recommend trying as many as you can while in the country.
In Tokyo, we loved Ramen Tatsunoya Shinjuku Otakibashidōri for two different types. The first being their tonkotsu, which is made by boiling pork bones for several hours with minimal other ingredients. The ramen is then topped with pork, mushrooms, green onions, sesame seeds, and a seasoned ramen egg.
They also have a delicious tsukemen, which means “dipping ramen.” The noodles are served separately from a thick, concentrated broth and then you dip the noodles into it.
Ramen Mitaba is also a good spot to check out for chicken ramen if that’s something you’re interested in.
A+K Tip: One helpful resource for finding restaurants in Tokyo is a website called Tabélog, which is Japan’s top restaurant review website, with over 886,000 restaurants. While we typically shoot for as close to 5 stars as possible on Google Maps, we had read that on Tabelog, anything over 3.5 is considered to be really good.
11. Go Izakaya Hopping
Shinjuku is filled with izakayas, which are small Japanese pubs that serve drinks and small plates of food. Some popular areas to visit an izakaya in Shinjuku are Omoide Yokocho Memory Lane and Shinjuku Golden-Gai. These streets are lined with many spots, giving you the chance to hop around between a few of them.
Just keep in mind that some do have an otoshi (cover charge) in the form of a mandatory side dish or food purchase. This is not a scam, but simply a part of the izakaya culture, as they are small establishments with little seating and typically slower turnover. These streets are fun to walk down even if you don’t plan to stop and eat!
Want to go izakaya hopping with a guide? Check out this Izakaya Food Tour in Shinjuku, which has 4 stops and 14 different tastings!
Want to save some money on this tour or experience? Join Tripadvisor Rewards to earn 5% Trip Cash on any hotel or experience booking made in their app, which can be applied to future in-app bookings!
12. Play games at an arcade
Love to play games? Head to an arcade! Tokyo is home to quite a few massive game centers where you can find multiple floors with all kinds of arcade games and claw machines. We had so much fun at TAITO STATION, which has multiple locations in the city, including one in Shinjuku.
13. Get lost in Shinjuku Station
The Shinjuku Station is the busiest train station in the world, with 3.6 million passengers daily. It is insanely confusing knowing where to go at times (or how to get out), but it’s a rite of passage when visiting Tokyo and Shinjuku. Just make sure you’re not in too much of a hurry to catch a reservation or tour when going to the station. Give yourself plenty of time to enjoy the chaos and not be stressed about being late!
Planning your time in Tokyo, Japan
Looking for more things to do beyond Shinjuku? Check out our guide with 35+ fun things to do in Tokyo, Japan! We also have a 4 day Tokyo itinerary to help you organize these fun things to do in Tokyo into an easy to follow itinerary.
But before you go, make sure to read our first-timer’s guide to visiting Tokyo. In this guide we share how to get to the city, getting around, when to visit, and where to stay. Plus specific tips for Tokyo itself!
And if you need more help with planning your visit to Japan, check out other other Japan resources:
- The 37 Best Things to Do in Kyoto, Japan
- Read all of our Japan guides
- Watch our Japan video series
Save this guide with fun things to do in Shinjuku, Tokyo
About the Author
This article was written by Tori, one of our Adventures of A+K team members. Learn a bit about her below!
Hi, I’m Tori! I live in Nashville, TN with my husband and two daughters. We travel as much as possible throughout the year, around a 9-5 schedule and with babies in tow! My travel blog, Tori Pines Travels, aims to help people plan action-packed and culture-rich vacations around their busy jobs, fitting in as much exploring as possible. When I’m not working for Adam and Kathryn or entertaining my little ones, I’m writing, cooking, crafting or exploring Music City!