Dec 13, 2013 - 1 min read

Walking around Shinjuku

One of the most liveliest places in Tokyo

By Shehzad Lokhandwalla

Community writer

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Shinjuku at night

The colorful neon advertisements light up the whole area.

Shinjuku station is surrounded by several shopping malls; Lumine featured here is just an example.

Street view around the Yodobashi Camera complex

Shinjuku is a commercial district and has many offices, so it's a good place to spot "salary men"!

Several restaurants employ hosts that attract and invite customers

Another street view of Shinjuku during the day

Shinjuku is a major commercial center, well known for its skyscrapers and its Shinjuku Station, the busiest station in Japan with some two million daily passengers. The station is also surrounded by scores of well-known hotels, shopping malls and offices. There is certainly plenty to see and do here.

However, in my opinion, what makes Shinjuku particularly special are its colorful and lively streets; they are filled with small electronic shops, restaurants, karaoke bars and game centers. Two of the biggest camera shops in Tokyo, and perhaps the world, are to be found in Shinjuku, but they don't just sell cameras and camera accessories; almost any kind of electronic item can be found here.

When considering where to shop in Tokyo most of us normally think of just Shibuya, but Shinjuku, too, offers plenty of value. The surprise if you can believe it is that it can actually be less crowded! You can certainly have a great time with more space.