A Tour Through Shinjuku: food, fun, and accommodations!

Packed with things to see, delicious food to eat, and all kind of unique experiences, it's hard to visit Japan without a stop in the Shinjuku neighborhood of Tokyo! Overflowing with crowds of happy locals and travelers alike, there's always something new to see in Shinjuku, along with places that are bound to become old favorites. With plenty to intrigue even the most experienced traveler, it can be hard to know exactly where to start. Not sure where to grab a bite to eat, or the nicest places to stay? Well, we've got a few suggestions to help you spend a great day in Shinjuku.

If luxe crab, tranquil hotels, some classy new additions to your wardrobe and a little raucous entertainment sound good, check out some of what Shinjuku has to offer!

① Eating in Shinjuku

Want to grab lunch high in the sky of Shinjuku? You'll find Kani Doraku (かに道楽) on the 7th and 8th floors! It's hard to miss thanks to the shop's signature giant moving animatronic crab sign.

Coming in off of Shinjuku's busy streets, the traditional Japanese interiors and calm atmosphere at this restaurant are a nice little break. Take a little refresher and sit down to a meal of fresh seafood, available in a variety of Japanese dishes. We'd like to recommend the crab-meat sushi, and the rare crab shabu-shabu hot pot, one of the restaurant's most popular dishes. Thanks to consistently high quality, Kani Doraku's popularity has helped it spread to locations across the country, but the Shinjuku location is especially worth visiting for the spectacular shop interior.

This particular location is a recreation of a traditional Japanese street, giving guests a private, small-scale experience right in the middle of Shinjuku. There are enough "horigotatsu" tables lining the approximation of a small town to seat 360, and even though it's a bit like sitting on the floor, open space under the tables makes it a comfortable experience even for stiffer bodies.

Kani shabu (かにしゃぶ), or crab hotpot, is an unusual dish in Japan, but it's one of Kani Doraku's specialties. The restaurant has both sukiyaki and shabu-shabu styles of hot pot, but the shelled crab meat that comes with the shabu-shabu makes it a really luxurious experience.

As you savor the delicate crab meat, you might notice that the type of crab offered changes throughout the year, and throughout the country. The shop serves fresh seasonal ingredients, which means that summer might bring in a catch of Hokkaido crab, while in winter they'll often serve crab caught in the Sea of Japan.

If you're still not sold on the crab hot pot, just know that they take particular pride in their extra-flavorful broth! It's made fresh from scratch twice a day, and lends that extra burst of umami to the vegetables and crab you drag through the liquid. It's hard not to drink the broth down to the last drop.

For those of us that love the variety that dipping sauces bring to the taste buds, the hotpot comes with two "tsukedare" (つけだれ, dipping sauces): ponzu (a citrus-based sauce) and sesame. You can dip crab in the tsukedare, but the distinct flavors really shine against a background of hot pot cabbage or tofu.

When you want a dish that's a little lighter, you're bound to enjoy Kani Doraku's sushi platters. The plates pack a wide variety of crustation flavors into a few tasty bites.

Between the shabu-shabu, sukiyaki, sushi, and side-dishes galore, a trip to Kani Doraku is really a treat for the seafood-lovers among us. The restaurant is known for its accessible and delicious multi-course meals, meaning it's a great place to try not only a variety of crab delicacies, but also a selection of traditional Japanese dishes. Our last recommendation? Make a recommendation in advance, so you can get to the crab in no time.

Kani Doraku (かに道楽), Shinjuku Location

Address: Theatre Shinjuku 7th/8th Floor, 3-14-20 Shinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo

Hours: 11:30 - 23:00

Access: 3 min. from Shinjuku-sanchome Station, exit B3

Phone: +81 3-3352-0096 

Reservation Page (en)

② Shopping in Shinjuku

Sick of the same old keychains and t-shirts? Find a special souvenir at Brick House, by Tokyo Shirts

If you're looking to up your souvenir game, then Tokyo is the perfect place to look for something a little unexpected. While a nice shirt or two might be a bit of a surprise when it comes to souvenirs, most of the workforce of Tokyo still spends their days clad in suits, which means it's a great place to look for a classy little wardrobe update. If you think your friends might appreciate a fashion-forward taste of Shinjuku style over a nerdy t-shirt, companies like Tokyo Shirts offer a variety of distinctly Japanese garments. While there are plenty of simple cuts and colors, take a closer look at these shirts and you'll see some intriguing solutions to all kinds of common issues. With department store quality, 300 different designs at any one time, and reasonable pricing (of about 4,900 yen for premium cotton varieties) we think Brick House by Tokyo Shirts, in eastern Shinjuku, is worth a look.

If you're particular about your shirts (or perhaps a friend or family member is) there are plenty of details you can discuss with the shop staff to find the perfect garments, but during our visit we were walked through a few key details: collar and the button positioning, material, pattern, and fit/sleeve length. For a dash of uniquely Japanese style, grab a shirt with a pop of color lining the collar, or two buttons at the neck instead of one (opening just one of these keeps things both formal and comfortable.) Or if you want to grab a new tie in Japan, get yourself a shirt carefully designed to stylishly push your tie forward.

The golden Brick House tags are attached to the store's most luxurious shirts, which are wrinkle-free 100% premium Pima cotton, for 4,900 yen. If you let them hang dry, they'll look sleek and ready to go the next day, without ironing! Pretty ideal during your travels around Japan.

Thanks to different sleeve lengths and shirt cuts, in addition to sizes up to 4L, you'll find a great fit.

The store's unique innovations are clearest when you take a look at some of their seasonal products. Classy dress shirts made out of high-tech soccer jersey material or soft, light double-gauze, plus shirts lined with a sweat-wicking built-in undershirt layer, these items are like the next step in dress shirt evolution.

If you're worried about finding the perfect fit for a friend, or you want something a little more flashy, you can always bring home a nice necktie or two! They come in hundreds of designs, from traditional simple affairs and Japanese-style designs all the way to cartoon characters, and some of them are made of glossy Japanese silk.

Make a little room in your suitcase before you head over to Brick House - you're bound to find a few items for yourself and for others.

Brick House by Tokyo Shirts, Shinjuku Sanchome Location

Address: 3-14-23 Shinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo

Hours: 11:00 - 21:00

Access: 3 min. from Shinjuku-sanchome Station, exit B3

Official Website

③ Entertainment in Shinjuku

You'll find a show as flashy at it is famous at the Shinjuku Robot Restaurant!

If you're looking for things to do in Shinjuku, you've probably heard the name Shinjuku Robot Restaurant before, but such a moniker conjures up all sorts of images... it can be hard to imagine what colorful, vibrant fun you're really in for. You can get some food there if you want, but it's more of a wild show than a restaurant, so let us give you a little peek at what to expect.

There's no mistaking this place. Join the throngs of other audience members coming from all over the world.

A little glimpse of what's to come. There's so much going on, it's hard to know where to look.

Who's your favorite? Cheer them on in the robot dinosaur wars!

There are some mesmerizing light shows.

The human performers are pretty vital to the experience! Their enthusiasm and excitement is contagious.

With even the waiting room giving off this kind of vibe, the Robot Restaurant feels like its own little universe.

▶︎ Don’t forget to bring your discount coupon when you visit, for 2,000 yen off!

Robot Restaurant Shinjuku

Address: 1-7-7 Kabukicho, Shinjuku, Tokyo

Fee: 8,000 yen (6,000 yen with the use of the above coupon!)

See the official website for the show schedule. Standard runtime is 90 minutes.

Official Website (en)

④ Staying the Night in Shinjuku

Luxuriate in the brand new facilities of the newly constructed Daiwa Roynet Hotel Nishi-Shinjuku.

Staying a night in one of the most popular parts of Tokyo, you may as well treat yourself. Western Shinjuku's Daiwa Roynet Hotel, which only opened in early 2019, will spoil you with its clean, new facilities and convenient location.

Satisfy your dreams of futuristic Japan with the hotel's chic interiors and cool conveniences, like automated check-in and room TVs that let you check the current status of facilities around the hotel (down to the individual washing machine).

If you're feeling the fatigue of a full day of wandering Shinjuku, you'll love the chance to come back to a room fitted with a state-of-the-art massage chair.

If you're a solo female traveler, there are even facilities built to make you feel especially taken care of. On the women-only floor, you can treat yourself with foot massagers and face misters. 

The hotel's direct surroundings are quiet enough to make for a relaxing stay, but it's just a quick stroll from all the hustle and bustle. The nearby Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building provides a spectacular (and totally free) view of Tokyo from the observation deck, and back on the ground, you're not far from Shinjuku's LOVE sculpture. Before you hit the hay, finish off a full day with a full stomach, at one of the many tiny bars and restaurants tucked into Shinjuku's old-fashioned Omoide Yokocho alley!

Daiwa Roynet Hotel Nishi-ShinjukuAddress: 6-12-39 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo
Check-in/Check-out: 14:00/11:00
Reservations

There will always be something new to do in Shinjuku, some new treat to taste or a new show to check out, but hopefully we've given you some ideas of where to start! 

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