Shinjuku

These streets are the very image of the modernity that we all think of when we picture Tokyo.

The electronics shops of Shinjuku are perhaps only rivalled by those of Akihabara, but prices are closer to those you might pay in Europe than those of the little shops in the techy neighbourhood.

Shinjuku Station

The Shinjuku station is the busiest in Tokyo, and, with the size of Tokyo, that makes it, in fact, the busiest in the world. Every single day more than three and a half million people pass through its platforms.

Just as with the main Tokyo station, trains leave from Shinjuku to the majority of destinations in Japan, including the Tokyo Narita airport. This area is also connected to various metro lines and train lines for Japan Railway which connect the enormous city of Tokyo.

Just as with the other areas of Tokyo, the most interesting things in Shinjuku can be found near the station. The three main areas are:

West

In this area, known as Nishi-Shinjuku, you can find the tallest skyscrapers in Tokyo.

It's well worth your while to explore this area, climb the viewpoints of the Metropolitan Government Building and if your budget stretches that far, drink a coffee in the New York Bar in the Park Hyatt Tokyo Hotel, made famous by the film Lost in Translation.

East

The liveliest area of Shinjuku, this nerve centre is Kabukicho, and it's the metro station exit we recommend you take. Here you'll find plenty of bars and restaurants of all kinds, as well as arcades and karaoke.

South

This is a good place to do some shopping, but if you've not got too much time, it's missable compared to the others.