is a special ward in

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

. It is a major commercial and administrative centre, housing the northern half of the busiest railway station in the world (

Shinjuku Station is a major railway station in the Shinjuku and Shibuya wards in Tokyo, Japan. In Shinjuku, it is part of the Nishi-Shinjuku and Shinjuku districts. In Shibuya, it is located in the Yoyogi and Sendagaya districts. It is the world's busiest rai ...

) and the

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building The , also referred to as the for short, is the seat of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, which governs the special wards, cities, towns, and villages that constitute the Tokyo Metropolis. Located in Shinjuku ward, the building was designed b ...

, the administration centre for the government of Tokyo. As of 2018, the ward has an estimated

population Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction using a ...

of 346,235, and a

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

of 18,232 people per km². The total area is 18.23 km². Since the end of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, Shinjuku has been a major secondary center of Tokyo ( ''fukutoshin''), rivaling to the original city center in

Marunouchi Marunouchi () is a commercial district of Tokyo located in Chiyoda between Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace. The name, meaning "inside the circle", derives from its location within the palace's outer moat. It is also Tokyo's financial di ...

and

Ginza Ginza ( ; ja, 銀座 ) is a district of Chūō, Tokyo, located south of Yaesu and Kyōbashi, west of Tsukiji, east of Yūrakuchō and Uchisaiwaichō, and north of Shinbashi. It is a popular upscale shopping area of Tokyo, with numerous intern ...

. It literally means "New Inn Ward". Shinjuku is also commonly used to refer to the entire area surrounding

. The southern half of this area and of the station in fact belong to

Yoyogi is a neighbourhood in the northern part of Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Geography The area encompassed by Yoyogi is typically defined two ways: * Only the five Yoyogi . * The former , corresponding roughly to the area south of National Route 20 (K� ...

and

Sendagaya is an area within Shibuya ward, one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo. Introduction Sendagaya is nestled in an urban green area in Shibuya ward between Shinjuku ward and Shinjuku Gyo-en (Shinjuku Imperial Gardens) to the north (an area in Senda ...

districts of the neighboring

Shibuya Shibuya ( 渋谷区 ''Shibuya-ku'') is a special ward in Tokyo, Japan. As a major commercial and finance center, it houses two of the busiest railway stations in the world, Shinjuku Station (southern half) and Shibuya Station. As of April 1 ...

ward.

Geography

Shinjuku is surrounded by Chiyoda to the east; Bunkyo and

Toshima is a special ward in Tokyo, Japan. It is one of the eight central wards of the Tokyo Metropolitan area. Located in the northern area of Tokyo, Toshima is bordered by the wards of Nerima, Itabashi, and Kita in the north and Nakano, Shinjuku, a ...

to the north; Nakano to the west, and

and Minato to the south. The current city of Shinjuku grew out of several separate towns and villages, which have retained some distinctions despite growing together as part of the Tokyo metropolis. * East Shinjuku (or administratively called Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku): The area east of

and surrounding Shinjuku-sanchome Station, historically known as Naito-Shinjuku, houses the city hall and the flagship

Isetan ( unlisted on March 26, 2008, ) is a Japanese department store. Based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Isetan has branches throughout Japan and South East Asia, including in Jinan, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Shanghai, Singapore and Tianjin, and formerly in Ba ...

department store, as well as several smaller areas of interest: **

Kabukichō Kabukichō ( ja, 歌舞伎町, , ) is an entertainment district in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. Kabuki-chō is the location of many host and hostess clubs, love hotels, shops, restaurants, and nightclubs, and is often called the "Sleepless Town" (, , ...

: Tokyo's best-known red-light district, renowned for its variety of bars, restaurants, and sex-related establishments. **

Golden Gai is a small area, which is located in Kabukicho, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. It is composed of a network of six narrow alleys, connected by even narrower passageways which are about wide enough for a single person to pass through. Over 200 tiny shant ...

: An area of tiny shanty-style bars and clubs. Musicians, artists, journalists, actors and directors gather here, and the ramshackle walls of the bars are literally plastered with film posters. **

Shinjuku Gyo-en is a large park and garden in Shinjuku and Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. It was originally a residence of the Naitō family in the Edo period. Afterward, it became a garden under the management of Japan Imperial Household Agency. It is now a nation ...

: A large park, 58.3 hectares, 3.5 km in circumference, blending Japanese traditional, English Landscape and French Formal style gardens. **

Shinjuku Ni-chōme Shinjuku Ni-chōme (新宿二丁目), referred to colloquially as Ni-chōme or simply Nichō, is Area 2 in the Shinjuku District of the Shinjuku Special Ward of Tokyo, Japan. With Tokyo home to 13 million people, and Shinjuku known as the nois ...

: Tokyo's best-known

gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...

district. *

Nishi-Shinjuku is a skyscraper business district in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. This region was previously called . Nishi-Shinjuku was Tokyo's first major foray into building skyscrapers with the first appearing in the 1970s with Keio Plaza Inter-Continental. It ...

: The area west of Shinjuku Station, historically known as Yodobashi, is home to Tokyo's largest concentration of

skyscrapers A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable building having multiple floors. Modern sources currently define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition. Skyscrapers are very tall high-ris ...

. Several of the tallest buildings in Tokyo are located in this area, including the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, KDDI Building and Park Tower. * Ochiai: The northwestern corner of Shinjuku, extending to the area around Ochiai-minami-nagasaki Station and the south side of

Mejiro Station is a railway station on the Yamanote Line in Toshima, Tokyo, Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). Lines Mejiro Station is served by the circular Yamanote Line. It is one of only two stations on the Yamanote Line that do ...

, is largely residential with a small business district around

Nakai Station is the name of two railway stations in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, served by the Seibu Shinjuku Line (station number SS04) and the Toei Ōedo Line (station number E-32) respectively. The two stations are separated by approximately two minutes' wal ...

. * Ōkubo: The area surrounding Okubo Station, Shin-Okubo Station and Higashi-Shinjuku Station is best known as Tokyo's historic ethnic Korean neighborhood after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. * Totsuka: The northern portion of Shinjuku surrounding

Takadanobaba Station is a railway station in the Takadanobaba area of Tokyo's Shinjuku ward, situated between the commercial districts of Ikebukuro and Shinjuku. The station is a major commuting hub, linking the Seibu Shinjuku Line, Tokyo Metro Tōzai Line and Yama ...

and

Waseda University , abbreviated as , is a private university, private research university in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as the ''Tōkyō Senmon Gakkō'' by Ōkuma Shigenobu, the school was formally renamed Waseda University in 1902. The university has numerou ...

, today commonly referred to as Nishi-Waseda. The

Takadanobaba Takadanobaba (Japanese: 高田馬場 ''Takada-no-baba'') is a neighborhood in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. History Originally, the area's name was read ''Takatanobaba'' and many Tokyo residents in their 50s or older pronounce it as such. However, you ...

area is a major residential and nightlife area for students, as well as a commuter hub. *

Toyama Toyama may refer to: Places and organizations * Toyama Prefecture, a prefecture of Japan located in the Hokuriku region on the main Honshu island * Toyama, Toyama, the capital city of Toyama Prefecture * Toyama Station, the main station of Toyama, ...

: A largely residential and school area, in the east of Ōkubo and south of

, extending to the area around Nishi-Waseda Station,

Gakushuin Women's College is a private women's college in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan; part of the Gakushūin School Corporation (学習院). The predecessor of the school was founded in 1847 by Emperor Kōmei. It was chartered as a junior college in 1949 and became a four ...

and Toyama Park. *

Ushigome is the name of a neighborhood in Shinjuku, Tokyo, and a former ward (牛込区 ''Ushigome-ku'') in the now-defunct Tokyo City. In 1947, when the 35 wards of Tokyo were reorganized into 23, it was merged with Yotsuya ward of Tokyo City and Yodoba ...

: A largely residential area in the eastern portion of the city. **

Ichigaya is an area in the eastern portion of Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. Places in Ichigaya *Hosei University Ichigaya Campus *Chuo University Graduate School *Ministry of Defense headquarters: Formerly GHQ of the Imperial Japanese Army; following World W ...

: A commercial area in eastern Shinjuku, site of the

Ministry of Defense {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...

. **

Kagurazaka is a neighbourhood in Tokyo, northwest of Iidabashi Station. It has a shopping street at its center, lined by numerous cafés and restaurants. It is served by Tokyo Metro Tozai Line and Toei Oedo Line. History The main road of Kagurazaka was ...

: A hill descending to the

Iidabashi Station is a major interchange railway station which straddles Tokyo's Chiyoda, Shinjuku and Bunkyō wards. It was originally built as Iidamachi Station (albeit in a slightly different location), terminus of the then Kōbu Railway, precursor to toda ...

area, once one of Tokyo's last remaining ''

hanamachi A is a district where geisha live and work in Japan. Each typically has its own name, crest, and distinct geisha population, with geisha not typically working outside of their own district. usually contain (geisha houses) and (teahouses whe ...

'' or ''

geisha {{Culture of Japan, Traditions, Geisha {{nihongo, Geisha, 芸者 ({{IPAc-en, ˈ, ɡ, eɪ, ʃ, ə; {{IPA-ja, ɡeːɕa, lang), also known as {{nihongo, , 芸子, geiko (in Kyoto and Kanazawa) or {{nihongo, , 芸妓, geigi, are a class of female ...

'' districts, and currently known for hosting a sizable French community. *

Yotsuya is a neighborhood in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. It is a former ward (四谷区 ''Yotsuya-ku'') in the now-defunct Tokyo City. In 1947, when the 35 wards of Tokyo were reorganized into 23, it was merged with Ushigome ward of Tokyo City and Yodo ...

: An upscale residential and commercial district in the southeast corner of Shinjuku. The Arakichō area is well known for its many small restaurants, bars, and ''izakaya''. "Shinjuku" is often popularly understood to mean the entire area surrounding

, but the Shinjuku Southern Terrace complex and the areas to the west of the station and south of

Kōshū Kaidō The was one of the five routes of the Edo period. It was built to connect Edo (modern-day Tokyo) with Kai Province in modern-day Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. The route continues from there to connect with the Nakasendō's Shimosuwa-shuku in Na ...

are part of the

and

districts of the special ward of

. Naturally, most of Shinjuku is occupied by the Yodobashi Plateau, the most elevated portion of which extends through most of the Shinjuku Station area. The Kanda River runs through the Ochiai and Totsuka areas near sea level, but the Toshima Plateau also builds elevation in the northern extremities of Totsuka and Ochiai. The highest point in Shinjuku is Hakone-san in Toyama Park, 44.6 m above sea level.

Districts and neighborhoods

;Ushigome Area * Ageba-chō * Akagishitamachi * Akagimotomachi * Babashitamachi * Bentenchō * Enokimachi * Fukuromachi * Haraikata-chō * Haramachi * Higashienokichō * Higashigoken-chō * Ichigayachōenjimachi * Ichigayadai-chō * Ichigayafunagawaramachi * Ichigayahachiman-chō * Ichigayahonmura-chō * Ichigayakaga-chō * Ichigayakōrachō * Ichigayanakano-chō * Ichigayasadohara-chō * Ichigayasanai-chō * Ichigayata-chō * Ichigayatakajōmachi * Ichigayayakuouji-chō * Ichigayayamabushichō * Ichigayayanagi-chō * Iwato-chō * Kaguragashi * Kagurazaka * Kaitaichō * Kikuichō * Kitamachi * Kitayamabushichō * Kōdachō * Minamienokichō * Minamimachi * Minamiyamabushi-chō * Nakamachi * Nakazatochō * Nandochō * Nijūkimachi * Nishigoken-chō * Nishiwaseda^* * Saikuchō * Shimomiyabi-chō * Shinogawamachi * Shiroganechō * Suidōmachi * Sumiyoshi-chō * Tansumachi * Tenjinmachi * Tomihisa-chō * Toyama^* * Tsukiji-chō * Tsukudo-chō * Tsukudohachimanchō * Wakamatsumachi * Wakamiyachō * Waseda-chō * Wasedaminamimachi * Wasedatsurumaki-chō * Wasedamachi * Yamabuki-chō * Yaraimachi * Yochō-machi^* * Yokoteramachi ;Yodobashi Area * Kamiochiai * Kitashinjuku * Nakai * Nakaochiai * Ōkubo * Shimoochiai * Takadanobaba * Totsuka-chō * Nishiochiai * Nishishinjuku * Hyakuninmachi * Kabukichō^* * Shinjuku^* * Toyama^* * Nishiwaseda^* * Yochō-chō^* ;Yotsuya Area * Aisumichō * Arakimachi * Daikyōmachi * Funamachi * Kabukichō^* * Kasumigaokachō * Katamachi * Minamimotomachi * Naitōchō * Samonmachi * Shinanomachi * Shinjuku^* * Sugamachi * Wakaba * Yotsuya * Yotsuyahonshiochō * Yotsuyasakamachi * Yotsuyasaneichō

History

In 1634, during the

Edo period The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...

, as the outer moat of the

Edo Castle is a flatland castle that was built in 1457 by Ōta Dōkan in Edo, Toshima District, Musashi Province. In modern times it is part of the Tokyo Imperial Palace in Chiyoda, Tokyo and is therefore also known as . Tokugawa Ieyasu established the ...

was built, a number of temples and shrines moved to the Yotsuya area on the western edge of Shinjuku. In 1698, Naitō-Shinjuku had developed as a new (shin) station ( shuku or juku) on the

, one of the major

highways A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It is used for major roads, but also includes other public roads and public tracks. In some areas of the United States, it is used as an equivalent term to controlled-access ...

of that era. Naitō was the family name of a ''

daimyō were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji era, Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and n ...

'' whose mansion stood in the area; his land is now a public park, the Shinjuku Gyoen. In 1898, the Yodobashi Water Purification Plant, the city's first modern water treatment facility, was built in the area that is now between the park and the train station. In 1920, the town of Naitō-Shinjuku, which comprised large parts of present-day Shinjuku (the neighbourhood, not the municipality), parts of

and

was integrated into

Tokyo City was a Cities of Japan, municipality in Japan and part of Tokyo Prefecture (1868–1943), Tokyo-fu which existed from 1 May 1889 until its merger with its prefecture on 1 July 1943. The historical boundaries of Tokyo City are now occupied by ...

. Shinjuku began to develop into its current form after the

Great Kantō Earthquake Great may refer to: Descriptions or measurements * Great, a relative measurement in physical space, see Size * Greatness, being divine, majestic, superior, majestic, or transcendent People * List of people known as "the Great" *Artel Great (born ...

in 1923, since the seismically stable area largely escaped the devastation. Consequently, West Shinjuku is one of the few areas in Tokyo with many

skyscraper A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable building having multiple floors. Modern sources currently define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition. Skyscrapers are very tall high-ris ...

s. The Tokyo air raids from May to August 1945 destroyed almost 90% of the buildings in the area in and around Shinjuku Station. The pre-war form of Shinjuku, and the rest of Tokyo, for that matter, was retained after the war because the roads and rails, damaged as they were, remained, and these formed the heart of the Shinjuku in the post-war construction. Only in Kabuki-cho was a grand reconstruction plan put into action. The present ward was established on March 15, 1947 with the merger of the former wards of Yotsuya, Ushigome, and Yodobashi. It served as part of the

athletics Athletics may refer to: Sports * Sport of athletics, a collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking ** Track and field, a sub-category of the above sport * Athletics (physical culture), competi ...

50 km walk and marathon course during the

1964 Summer Olympics The , officially the and commonly known as Tokyo 1964 ( ja, 東京1964), were an international multi-sport event held from 10 to 24 October 1964 in Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo had been awarded the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this ho ...

. In the 1970s, the Yodobashi Water Purification Plant closed and was replaced by skyscrapers. In 1991, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government moved from the

district of Chiyoda to the current building in Shinjuku. (The

Tokyo International Forum The is a multi-purpose exhibition center in Tokyo, Japan. The complex is generally considered to be in the Yūrakuchō business district, being adjacent to Yūrakuchō Station, but it is administratively in the Marunouchi district. Tokyo Int ...

stands on the former site vacated by the government.)

Economy

The area surrounding Shinjuku Station is a major economic hub of Tokyo. Many companies have their headquarters or Tokyo offices in this area, including regional telephone operator NTT East, global camera and medical device manufacturer

Olympus Corporation is a Japanese manufacturer of optics and reprography products. Olympus was established on 12 October 1919, initially specializing in microscopes and thermometers. Olympus holds roughly a 70-percent share of the global endoscope market, estimated ...

, electronics giant

Seiko Epson Seiko Epson Corporation, or simply known as Epson, is a Japanese multinational electronics company and one of the world's largest manufacturers of computer printers and information- and imaging-related equipment. Headquartered in Suwa, Nagano, ...

, video game developer

Square Enix is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, production enterprise and entertainment conglomerate, best known for its ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', ''Star Ocean'' and ''Kingdom Hearts'' role-playing video game ...

, fast food chains

McDonald's Japan This is a list of countries with McDonald's restaurants. McDonald's is the largest chain of fast food restaurants in the world, with more than 36,000 outlets worldwide. The majority of McDonald's outlets outside of the United States are franchise ...

and

Yoshinoya is a Japanese multinational fast food chain, and the second-largest chain of '' gyūdon'' (beef bowl) restaurants. The chain was established in Japan in 1899. Its motto is "Tasty, low-priced, and quick". Etymology and logo The kanji 吉 (''yo ...

, travel agency H.I.S.,

Subaru Corporation is a Japanese multinational corporation and conglomerate primarily involved in both terrestrial and aerospace transportation manufacturing. It is best known for its line of Subaru automobiles. Founded in 1953, the company was formerly named ( ...

(

Subaru ( or ; ) is the automaker, automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate (company), conglomerate Subaru Corporation (formerly known as Fuji Heavy Industries), the Automotive industry#By manufacturer, twenty-first ...

), railway operator

Odakyu Electric Railway , commonly known as Odakyū, is a major railway company based in Tokyo, Japan, best known for its '' Romancecar'' series of limited express trains from Tokyo to Odawara, Enoshima, Tama New Town, and Hakone. The Odakyu Electric Railway Compa ...

, construction giants

Taisei Corporation is a Japanese corporation founded in 1873. Its main areas of business are building construction, civil engineering, and real estate development. Taisei's headquarters are located at Shinjuku Center Building in Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo. Ta ...

and

Kumagai Gumi is a Japanese construction company founded in Fukui, Fukui Prefecture, Japan. The company still has registered headquarters in Fukui, but the actual head office is located in Shinjuku, Tokyo. History Santaro Kumagai, the company's founder, beg ...

, medical equipment manufacturer

Nihon Kohden is a Tokyo-based leading manufacturer, developer and distributor of medical electronic equipment, which include EEGs, EMG measuring systems, ECGs, patient monitors and clinical information systems, with subsidiaries in the U.S., Europe and A ...

, Enoki Films, navigation software company

Jorudan is a Japanese company headquartered in Shinjuku, Tokyo. It has been involved in the publishing and developing of video games since 1991, and is currently primarily known for operating jorudan.co.jp, a public transport route navigation website.

, instant noodle giant

Nissin Foods Nissin Food Products Co., Ltd. is a Japanese food company that specializes in the production and sale of convenience food and instant noodles. History Founding and early years The company was established in Japan on September 1, 1948, by ...

, automotive components manufacturer

Keihin Corporation The is a Japanese automotive and motorcycle parts company headquartered in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. The company is a major supplier to Honda, who owns nearly half of Keihin's shares, but also supplies other motorcycle manufacturers, among t ...

, and regional airline

Airtransse was an airline headquartered in the Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.会社概要
" ''Airtransse''. Retrieved on May 20, 2009.

. The station area also hosts numerous major retailers such as

Takashimaya is a Japanese multinational corporation operating a department store chain carrying a wide array of products, ranging from wedding dresses and other apparel to electronics and flatware. It has more than 12 branches strategically located in 2 ...

Marui is a Japanese multinational retail company which operates a chain of department stores in Tokyo as well in other major Japanese cities. They are best known for their women's fashion and accessories, which are aimed at the 25–35 age range. ...

Bic Camera is a consumer electronics retailer chain in Japan. Currently, it has 41 stores in Japan. Bic Camera has a 50% ownership of former rival store Kojima and full ownership of computer store chain Sofmap. As of 2018, Bic Camera is the third larges ...

Yodobashi Camera is a major Japanese retail chain specializing in electronics, PCs, cameras and photographic equipment. Yodobashi Camera's sales rank fourth among consumer electronics mass retailers in Japan, after Yamada Denki, Bic Camera and the EDION Gro ...

and

Yamada Denki is one of the largest consumer electronics retailer chains in Japan. Some of its stores also sell other products, such as books. Overview The company was founded in 1973 as a privately owned store. Yamada Denki Co., Ltd. was established in 1 ...

. Northeastern Shinjuku has an active publishing industry and is home to the publishers

Shinchosha is a publisher founded in 1896 in Japan and headquartered in Yaraichō, Shinjuku, Tokyo. Shinchosha is one of the sponsors of the Japan Fantasy Novel Award. Books * Haruki Murakami: '' Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World'' (19 ...

and

Futabasha is a Japanese publishing company headquartered in Higashigokenchō, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.会社概要
" Futabasha. R ...

. The main store of the

Books Kinokuniya is a Japanese bookstore chain operated by , founded in 1927, with its first store located in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. Its name translates to "Bookstore of Kii Province". The company has its headquarters in Meguro, Tokyo. One of the company's g ...

bookstore chain is also located in Shinjuku.

Demographics

As of December 2017 Shinjuku had the highest concentration of non-Japanese citizens in Japan, and by 2012 people of Chinese citizenship became the most numerous foreign citizens in Shinjuku. Previously the most common citizenship was collectively those of North and South Korea.

Government and politics

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Oka1

Like the other

special wards of Tokyo are a special form of municipalities in Japan under the 1947 Local Autonomy Law. They are city-level wards: primary subdivisions of a prefecture with municipal autonomy largely comparable to other forms of municipalities. Although the autono ...

, Shinjuku has a status equivalent to that of a

city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

. The current mayor is Kenichi Yoshizumi. The consists of 38 elected members; the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeitō Party together currently hold a majority. The

Democratic Party of Japan The was a centristThe Democratic Party of Japan was widely described as centrist: * * * * * * * to centre-left liberal or social-liberal political party in Japan from 1998 to 2016. The party's origins lie in the previous Democratic Part ...

Japanese Communist Party The is a left-wing to far-left political party in Japan. With approximately 270,000 members belonging to 18,000 branches, it is one of the largest non-governing communist parties in the world. The party advocates the establishment of a democr ...

and the

Social Democratic Party The name Social Democratic Party or Social Democrats has been used by many political parties in various countries around the world. Such parties are most commonly aligned to social democracy as their political ideology. Active parties Fo ...

are also represented together with four independents. Shinjuku's is located on the southeastern edge of Kabukichō. Shinjuku is also the location of the

Tokyo Metropolitan Government The is the government of the Tokyo Metropolis. One of the 56 prefectures of Japan, the government consists of a popularly elected governor and assembly. The headquarters building is located in the ward of Shinjuku. The metropolitan government ...

. The governor's office, the metropolitan assembly chamber, and all administrative head offices are located in the

. Technically, Shinjuku is therefore the

prefectural capital A prefectural capital is a city where a prefectural government and assembly is located. Japan In Japan, a prefectural capital is officially called , but the term is also used (). List of Japanese prefectural capitals Notes: ¹ Non-capital ...

; but according to a statement by the governor's office, Tokyo (the – as administrative unit: former –

, the area of today's 23

special wards are a special form of municipalities in Japan under the 1947 Local Autonomy Law. They are city-level wards: primary subdivisions of a prefecture with municipal autonomy largely comparable to other forms of municipalities. Although the autono ...

collectively) can usually be considered the capital of Tokyo (prefecture/"Metropolis") for geographical purposes. The Geographical Survey Institute (Kokudo Chiriin) names Tōkyō (the city) as capital of Tōkyō-to (the prefecture/"Metropolis").

Elections

* 2004 Shinjuku local election * 2006 Shinjuku mayoral election * 2007 Shinjuku local election

Transportation

Shinjuku is a major urban transit hub.

sees an estimated 3.64 million passengers pass through each day, making it the busiest station in the world. It houses interchanges to three subway lines and three privately owned commuter lines, as well as several JR lines.

Rail

A list of railway lines passing through and stations located within Shinjuku includes: *

JR East The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and is the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are ...

Yamanote Line The Yamanote Line ( ja, 山手線, Yamanote-sen) is a loop service in Tokyo, Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It is one of Tokyo's busiest and most important lines, connecting most of Tokyo's major stations and urban ...

: , , Shinjuku **

Chūō Line (Rapid) The is the name given to rapid services on the eastern section of the Chūō Main Line operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) between and stations. The official map shows services travel as far as Otsuki. Basic data *Operat ...

, Chūō-Sōbu Line: , , Shinjuku, **

Saikyō Line The Saikyō Line ( ja, 埼京線, ) is a Japanese railway line operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects Ōsaki Station in Shinagawa, Tokyo, and Ōmiya Station in Saitama Prefecture. The line's name is an abbreviation of ...

, Shōnan-Shinjuku Line: Shinjuku *

Tokyo Metro The is a major rapid transit system in Tokyo, Japan, operated by the Tokyo Metro Co. With an average daily ridership of 6.84 million passengers, the Tokyo Metro is the larger of the two subway operators in the city; the other being the Toe ...

Marunouchi Line The is a subway line in Tokyo, Japan, operated by Tokyo Metro. The line runs in a U-shape between Ogikubo Station in Suginami and Ikebukuro Station in Toshima, with a branch line between Nakano-Sakaue Station and Hōnanchō Station. The offic ...

: Yotsuya, , , , Shinjuku, ** Yūrakuchō Line: Ichigaya, ** Tōzai Line: , , Takadanobaba, **

Fukutoshin Line The , formally the , is a subway line operated by Tokyo Metro in west-central Tokyo and Wako, Saitama, Japan. The newest line in the Tokyo subway network, it opened in stages between 1994 and 2008. On average, the Fukutoshin line carries 362,654 ...

: , , Shinjuku-sanchōme ** Namboku Line: Iidabashi, Ichigaya, Yotsuya *

Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation The , also known as , is a bureau of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government which operates public transport services in Tokyo. Among its services, the Toei Subway is one of two rapid transit systems which make up the Tokyo subway system, the other b ...

Toei Shinjuku Line The is a rapid transit line in Tokyo and Chiba Prefecture, Japan, operated by Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation (Toei). The line runs between Motoyawata Station in Ichikawa, Chiba in the east and Shinjuku Station in the west. At Shin ...

: , Shinjuku-sanchōme, Shinjuku **

Toei Ōedo Line The is a subway line in Tokyo, Japan, operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation (Toei). It commenced full operations on December 12, 2000; using the Japanese calendar this reads "12/12/12" as the year 2000 equals Heisei 12. T ...

: , , , , , , , , Higashi-Shinjuku, **

Toden Arakawa Line The , branded as the , is a hybrid light rail/tram line in Tokyo, Japan, operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation (Toei). The Arakawa Line is the sole survivor of Tokyo's once-extensive Tokyo Toden streetcar system. It is one ...

: Omokagebashi, Waseda *

Odawara Line: Shinjuku *

Keio Corporation () is a private railway operator in Tokyo, Japan, and the central firm of the that is involved in transport, retail, real estate and other industries. The name is derived from taking one character each from the places through which the railw ...

Keio Line, Keio New Line: Shinjuku *

Seibu Railway is a conglomerate based in Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan, with principal business areas in railways, tourism, and real estate. Seibu Railway's operations are concentrated in northwest Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture; the name "Seibu" is an abbrevi ...

Seibu Shinjuku Line The is a Japanese railway line owned by the private railway operator Seibu Railway, connecting Seibu Shinjuku Station in Shinjuku, Tokyo with Hon-Kawagoe Station in Kawagoe, Saitama. The Shinjuku Line is one of two main lines of the Seibu Ra ...

: , Takadanobaba, , Nakai

Roads

Shuto Expressway is a network of toll expressways in the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is operated and maintained by the . Most routes are grade-separated (elevated roads or tunnels) and central routes have many sharp curves and multi-lane merges that requi ...

: * No.4 Shinjuku Route (Miyakezaka JCT - Takaido) * No.5 Ikebukuro Route (Takebashi JCT - Bijogi JCT)

National highways National Highways, formerly the Highways Agency and later Highways England, is a State-owned enterprise, government-owned company charged with operating, maintaining and improving Roads in England, motorways and major A roads in England. It al ...

: * National Route 20 (Shinjuku-dōri, Kōshū-kaidō) Other major routes: * Tokyo Metropolitan Route 8 (Mejiro-dōri, Shin-Mejiro-dōri) * Tokyo Metropolitan Route 302 (Yasukuni-dōri, Ōme-kaidō) * Tokyo Metropolitan Route 305 (Meiji-dōri)

Education

Colleges and universities

Chuo University , commonly referred to as or , is a private flagship research university in Tokyo, Japan. Founded in 1885 as Igirisu Hōritsu Gakkō (the English Law School), Chuo is one of the oldest and most prestigious institutions in the country. The univer ...

graduate school *

Keio University , mottoeng = The pen is mightier than the sword , type = Private research coeducational higher education institution , established = 1858 , founder = Yukichi Fukuzawa , endowmen ...

Medical College *

Kogakuin University is a private university in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. Its predecessor was named "Koshu Gakko" (工手学校) and was one of the oldest private engineering schools in Japan. History Koshu Gakko (工手学校, lit. technicians school) was founded ...

Lakeland College Japan and VWU Global is a two-year liberal arts college located in the Shinjuku ward of Tokyo, Japan and is a branch campus of Lakeland University in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, U.S. and Virginia Wesleyan University in Virginia Beach, Virginia, U.S. LUJ/VW ...

Mejiro University is a private university in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. Established in 1923, it was chartered as a women's junior college in 1963, and opened as a four-year university in 1994. The school also has facilities in Saitama, Saitama Prefecture, including ...

Sophia University Sophia University (Japanese: 上智大学, ''Jōchi Daigaku''; Latin: ''Universitas Sedis Sapientiae'') is a private research university in Japan. Sophia is one of the three ''Sōkeijōchi'' (早慶上智) private universities, a group of the to ...

Mejiro Seibo Campus *

Tokyo Fuji University is a private university in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1943. It was chartered as a junior college in 1951 and became a four-year college in 2002. In 2008 the Department of Psychology was established. Exte ...

Tokyo Medical University image:Tokyo Medical University 02.JPG, Tokyo Medical University is a Japanese private university located in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Established in 1916, it is one of the medical schools established in Japan before World War II. In accordance with ...

Tokyo University of Science , formerly "Science University of Tokyo" or TUS, informally or simply is a private research university located in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. History Tokyo University of Science was founded in 1881 as The Tokyo Academy of Physics by 21 graduates ...

Tokyo Women's Medical University , TWMU, is a private university in Tokyo, Japan. The University olso operates the Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital within the campus, as well as a separate hospital in Yachiyo, Chiba. History TWMU originated from , which was founded b ...

Schools

High schools

Public high schools are operated by the

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education (東京都教育委員会 ''Tōkyō-to Kyōiku Iinkai'') is the board of education in Tokyo, Japan. The board directly manages all of the public high schools in all 23 special wards, the Wester ...

. * * Shinjuku Yamabuki High School * Closed: * Private schools: *, private girls' school, affiliated with

Gakushuin University is a private university in Mejiro, Toshima Ward, Tokyo. It was re-established after World War II as an affiliate of the Gakushūin School Corporation. The privatized successor to the original Gakushūin University (or "Peers School") was estab ...

and Gakushuin Women's College *, private boys' school *, private boys' school *, private girls' school *, private boys' school *, private boys' school, affiliated with Waseda University *

Meijiro Kenshin Junior and Senior High School is a private junior and senior high school in Shinjuku, Tokyo. was established in 1923 and became in 1948. It adopted its current name and form in 2009. References External links Mejiro Kenshin Junior and Senior High School** Mejiro Kenshin ...

Elementary and junior high schools

Public elementary and junior high schools in Shinjuku are operated by the Shinjuku City (the Shinjuku Ward) Board of Education.

Public institutions

Libraries

Shinjuku operates several public libraries, including the Central Library (with the Children's Library), the Yotsuya Library, the Tsurumaki Library, Tsunohazu Library, the Nishi-Ochiai Library, the Toyama Library, the Kita-Shinjuku Library, the Okubo Library, and the Nakamachi Library. In addition there is a branch library, Branch Library of Central Library in the City Office, located in the city office.

Hospitals

There are several major hospitals located within the city limits. * Keio University Hospital * Center Hospital of the National Center for Global Health and Medicine * Tokyo Yamate Medical Center * Tokyo Medical University Hospital *

Hospital * Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Medical Treatment Corporation Ohkubo Hospital

Cultural centers

Museums

* National Printing Bureau Banknote and Postage Stamp Museum * National Museum of Nature and Science, Shinjuku Branch * Shinjuku Historical Museum * Tokyo Fire Department Museum * Tokyo Toy Museum

Halls

Tokyo Opera City is a skyscraper located in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. Completed in 1996, it stands 234 metres (768 feet) high and has 54 floors. The tower is the third-tallest building in Shinjuku, Tokyo and seventh-tallest in Tokyo. The closest train stat ...

* Shinjuku Bunka Center * Meiji Yasuda Life Hall

Sister cities

Shinjuku has sister city agreements with several localities:Friendship cities
*

Lefkada Lefkada ( el, Λευκάδα, ''Lefkáda'', ), also known as Lefkas or Leukas (Ancient Greek and Katharevousa: Λευκάς, ''Leukás'', modern pronunciation ''Lefkás'') and Leucadia, is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea on the west coast of Gr ...

, Greece *

Mitte Mitte () is the first and most central borough of Berlin. The borough consists of six sub-entities: Mitte proper, Gesundbrunnen, Hansaviertel, Moabit, Tiergarten and Wedding. It is one of the two boroughs (the other being Friedrichshain-Kreuzb ...

, Berlin, Germany *

Dongcheng District, Beijing The Dongcheng District (; literally "east city district") of Beijing covers the eastern half of Beijing's urban core, including all of the eastern half of the Old City inside of the 2nd Ring Road with the northernmost extent crossing into the are ...

, China *

Ina, Nagano is a Cities of Japan, city located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 68,177 in 27587 households, and a population density of 100 persons per km². The total area of the city is . In 2016, the former town of ...

, Japan

References

Shinjuku Ward Office, History of Shinjuku
* Hiroo Ichikawa "Reconstructing Tokyo: The Attempt to Transform a Metropolis" in C. Hein, J.M. Diefendorf, and I. Yorifusa (Eds.) (2003). ''Building Urban Japan after 1945.'' New York: Palgrave.

External links

*
Shinjuku City Official website

The Shinjuku Historical Museum: a nicely arranged museum with interesting exhibits of Tokyo's past
{{Authority control Olympic athletics venues Venues of the 1964 Summer Olympics Wards of Tokyo