Shinjuku 新宿
Home to the busiest train station in the world, with 3.6 million passengers playing human Tetris each day.
Areas to know:
- 歌舞伎町 Kabukichō (Japan’s largest entertainment district)
- ゴールデン街 Golden Gai (tiny bars, huge character)
- 西新宿 Nishi-Shinjuku (business district, skyscraper forest)
- 新宿御苑 Shinjuku Gyoen (massive park)
Safety note: Kabukichō is the playground of certain traditional organizations with fancy tattoos (see yakuza. Stay on main streets, ignore touts, and don’t accept “special deals” from strangers.