As the literal translation for Shinjuku implies, “the new lodge,” is always full of new innovative and interesting things to do, visit, and see. The numerous shopping malls and department stores always provide customers with the latest fashion, electronic devices, and other boutique items. The city is also a business district, with tall office buildings you can recognize from far away. Millions of commuters and shoppers use Shinjuku, and the streets are busy 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Shinjuku station is also packed with passengers too. It is more like a terminal, with many train lines and subway lines connecting at the station. Due to the fact that so many lines pass through Shinjuku, the station is very convenient for transferring. The station even holds a Guinness World Record for the busiest station, used by more than 3 million passengers a day.

Kabuki-cho is a famous area in Shinjuku, with hundreds of Japanese pubs, also known as izakaya. Izakaya pubs open as workers finish their jobs, and as the sun sets, Kabuki-cho becomes alive with people and bright lights. Even as the night grows old, the number of customers walking around Kabuki-cho does not decrease. Shinjuku is known as the “nemuranai machi,” meaning, “city that doesn’t sleep.” Besides eating and drinking, many people go to karaoke. During the night, karaoke becomes a great place for after-parties.

If you are a fan of Japanese cinema and like Godzilla, you can see the monster in the middle of the city. The real-size Godzilla is right behind a cinema/hotel building, with its mouth open wide as though trying to tear down the building. Sometimes you can hear it roar. When it roars and spits out fire, the hotel wall displays fire and lightning. The building and Godzilla was completed just last year, and is now a landmark of Shinjuku.

Enjoy shopping during the day, and find a nice restaurant in the business area or experience izakaya at Kabuki-cho, and enjoy the “nemuranai machi,” Shinjuku.