Shinjuku

History of Shinjuku

According to records, a man named Kiroku Takamatsu established an inn town called “Naito Shinjuku” in the Edo period (1603-1868). It seems that the word “Shinjuku” was used to refer to a new post on the Koshu-kaido highway.
During the Pacific War, Tokyo was bombed by the United States. The Shinjuku area was destroyed, but it resurrected itself and became a commercial center, starting with a black market.
In the 1960s, major department stores competed with each other to open stores in Shinjuku, and in the 1970s, an office district was formed in Nishi-Shinjuku, the prototype for today’s high-rise buildings. Kabukicho is synonymous with Shinjuku.

The Pleasures of Shinjuku

Shinjuku is home to ancient Japanese cultural and performing arts facilities that foreigners can enjoy when visiting the city. For example, visitors can watch an ancient stage performance at the Yarai Noh Theatre. Or you can experience traditional techniques at the Tokyo Dyeing Museum.
In between sightseeing, a ramen noodle tour is also recommended. On Otakibashi-dori Avenue, which runs from Nishi-Shinjuku to Okubo, there are many famous ramen stores from all over the country, and you can even compare the different types of ramen. The competition among the stores keeps the level high.
A fashionable dinner is fine, but if you want to take a peek into Japanese salaryman culture, you should go to “Golden Gai. It is said that cultural figures of yesteryear such as Yusaku Matsuda, Kenji Nakagami, and Shuji Terayama used to go there.