Shinjuku 新宿区

Shinjuku 新宿区

Shinjuku, is a ward or if you would like a mini city inside Tokyo. Durring the Edo period, Shinjuku was major area for shrine’s. Since the Tokugawa shogunate was building the Edo castle many shrines in the castle area were move on the out skirts of Shinjuku. A daimyo named Naito Shinjuku had a mansion or small castle in this area where now stands the Shinjuku Gyoen.
Japan was struck by a major earthquake in 1923 also known as the Great Kanto earthquake. The shear devastation caused by this quake motivated the construction of the current Shinjuku we know.
In May to August 1945 Tokyo and Shinjuku alike were destroyed again by the U.S. air force raids, to yet again rise up for the ashes.

As for today Shinjuku is a major commercial and administrative center. You can find the busiest train station in the world used by an average of 3.5 million people per day. Shinjuku also has the highest numbers of registered foreign nationals of any community in Tokyo.

Shinjuku is also known for its famous district called Kabukichō 歌舞伎町 This district is an entertainment and probably the biggest red-light district in Japan. Tourist love to go explore this district of Shinjuku, but I must say it’s not one of the most beautiful place in Tokyo. You can find many hostess bars, host bars, love hotels, shops, restaurants, and nightclubs in the Kabukicho. Most Japanese often call it the “Sleepless Town”. The district’s name comes from late-1940s plans to build a kabuki theater: although the theater was never built, the name stuck.

Shinjuku is a place to visit if you’re in the Tokyo area. It should be visited at anytime but I would recommend going there at night.

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