, officially called Shinjuku City, is a special ward of

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

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

Shinjuku Station is a major railway station in Tokyo, Japan, that serves as the main connecting hub for rail traffic between central/eastern Tokyo (the Special wards of Tokyo, special wards) and Western Tokyo on the inter-city rail, commuter rail, and rapid tr ...

) as well as 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 ...

, the administrative center of the

Tokyo Metropolitan Government The is the government of the Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis. One of the 47 Prefectures of Japan, prefectures of Japan, the government consists of a popularly elected governor and assembly. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, headquarters build ...

. , the ward has an estimated

population Population is a set of humans or other organisms in a given region or area. Governments conduct a census to quantify the resident population size within a given jurisdiction. The term is also applied to non-human animals, microorganisms, and pl ...

of 346,235 and a

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

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

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

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

Marunouchi Marunouchi () is an area in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan, located between Tokyo Station and the Kokyo, Imperial Palace. The name, meaning "inside the circle", derives from its location within the palace's outer moat. Marunouchi is the core ...

. "Shinjuku" is also commonly used to refer to

. The southern half of this area and majority of the station are in fact located in the neighboring

Shibuya is a Special wards of Tokyo, special ward in Tokyo, Japan. A major commercial center, Shibuya houses one of the busiest railway stations in the world, Shibuya Station. As of January 1, 2024, Shibuya Ward has an estimated population of 230,60 ...

ward.

History

In 1634, during the

Edo period The , also known as the , is the period between 1600 or 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when the country was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and some 300 regional ''daimyo'', or feudal lords. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengok ...

, 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 th ...

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

Kōshū Kaidō The was one of the five routes or major highways 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 Shi ...

, one of the major

highways A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It includes not just major roads, but also other public roads and rights of way. In the United States, it is also used as an equivalent term to controlled-access highway, or ...

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 no ...

'' 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 neighborhood, not the municipality), parts of

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

and

Kabukichō is an entertainment district in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. Kabukichō is considered a red-light district with a high concentration of host and hostess clubs, love hotels, shops, restaurants, and nightclubs, and is often called the . Shinjuku Golde ...

were integrated into

Tokyo City was a Cities of Japan, municipality in Japan and capital of Tokyo Prefecture (1868–1943), Tokyo Prefecture (or ''Tokyo-fu'') which existed from 1 May 1889 until the establishment of Tokyo Metropolis on 1 July 1943. The historical boundari ...

. 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 (bo ...

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. Most modern sources define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition, other than being very tall high-rise bui ...

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 was retained after the war because the roads and rails, damaged as they were, remained, and these formed the heart of 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), competitio ...

50 km walk and marathon course during the

1964 Summer Olympics The , officially the and commonly known as Tokyo 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 honor was subseq ...

. In March 1965, the Yodobashi Water Purification Plant closed and was replaced by skyscrapers in the following years. 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, 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. Toky ...

stands at the former site vacated by the government).

Geography

Shinjuku is surrounded by Chiyoda to the east; Bunkyo and

Toshima is a special ward in the Tokyo Metropolis in 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 N ...

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 ): The area east of

between Higashi-Shinjuku Station and 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 Jakarta, Jinan, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Shanghai, Singapore, Surabaya and Tianjin, ...

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

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

Seibu-Shinjuku Station is a railway station in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, operated by the private railway operator Seibu Railway. It is the terminus of the 47.5 km (30 mile) Seibu Shinjuku Line, which extends to in Saitama Prefecture. The station is located appr ...

. ** Golden Gai: 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 plastered with film posters. **

Shinjuku Gyo-en or Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden is a large public garden in Shinjuku and Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. It was originally a residence of the Naitō family in the Edo period The , also known as the , is the period between 1600 or 1603 and 1868 in t ...

: 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 noisi ...

: 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 ...

district. *

: 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. Most modern sources define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition, other than being very tall high-rise bui ...

. 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 doe ...

, 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' walk ...

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

. * 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 ...

and

Waseda University Waseda University (Japanese: ), abbreviated as or , is a private university, private research university in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as the Tōkyō Professional School by Ōkuma Shigenobu, the fifth Prime Minister of Japan, prime ministe ...

, today commonly referred to as Nishi-Waseda. The

Takadanobaba 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, younger Tokyoites and residents who have come from outside ...

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

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

: 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 and Toyama Park. *

Ushigome is a neighborhood in Shinjuku, Tokyo, and a former ward (牛込区 ''Ushigome-ku'') in the now-defunct Tokyo City. The name Ushigome refers to a former cattle ranch in the area that was next to a horse ranch, Komagome . In 1947, when the 35 wards ...

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

Ichigaya is an area in the eastern portion of Shinjuku, Tokyo, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. Places in Ichigaya *Hosei University Ichigaya Campus *Chuo University Graduate School *Ministry of Defense (Japan), Ministry of Defense headquarters: Formerly Headqua ...

: A commercial area in eastern Shinjuku, site of the

Ministry of Defense A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divided ...

. **

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 today ...

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 wh ...

'' or ''

geisha {{Culture of Japan, Traditions, Geisha {{nihongo, Geisha{{efn, {{IPAc-en, lang, ˈ, ɡ, eɪ, ., ʃ, ə, {{IPA, ja, ɡei.ɕa, ɡeː-, lang{{cite book, script-title=ja:NHK日本語発音アクセント新辞典, publisher=NHK Publishing, editor= ...

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

Yotsuya is an area in Shinjuku, Tokyo, that previously was a 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 Yodobashi ...

: 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

are part of the

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 Japan National Route ...

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 Send ...

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 * Ichigayadaimachi * 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 is a district located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. Geography Kikuichō is bordered by eight other districts of Shinjuku: (clockwise, from the north) Babashitachō, Waseda-tsurumakichō, Waseda-minamichō, Bentenchō, Haramac ...

* 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 * Aizumichō * Arakimachi * Daikyōmachi * Funamachi * Kabukichō^* * Kasumigaokachō * Katamachi * Minamimotomachi * Naitōchō * Samonmachi *

Shinanomachi is a district of Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of ...

* Shinjuku^* * Sugamachi * Wakaba * Yotsuya * Yotsuyahonshiochō * Yotsuyasakamachi * Yotsuyasaneichō

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, headquartered in Hachioji, Tokyo. Olympus was established in 1919, initially specializing in microscopes and thermometers, and later in imaging. Olympus holds roughly a 70 percent sh ...

, electronics giant

Seiko Epson Seiko Epson Corporation, commonly known as Epson, is a Japanese multinational electronics company and one of the world's largest manufacturers of printers and information- and imaging-related equipment. Headquartered in Suwa, Nagano, Japan, t ...

, video game developer

Square Enix is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, video game publisher and entertainment conglomerate. It releases role-playing video game, role-playing game franchises, such as ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', and '' ...

, fast food chains

McDonald's Japan Den Fujita (藤田田, ''Fujita Den'', March 3, 1926 – April 21, 2004) was a Japanese businessman. He was the founder of McDonald's Japan. Background Fujita was born in Osaka, Japan to a Christian mother and father who worked in a foreign ...

and

Yoshinoya is a Japanese multinational company, 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 log ...

, travel agency H.I.S.,

Subaru Corporation , formerly , 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 nam ...

(

Subaru 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 largest aut ...

), 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 Company f ...

, 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. ...

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, be ...

, 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, Invasive and Non-Invasive Ventilators, Defibrillators, AEDs and clinical i ...

Enoki Films is a Japanese studio based in the Enoki Building in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Shinjuku, Tokyo.Company Profile
...

, 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 is a Japanese food company. Founded in 1948 by Momofuku Ando in Izumiōtsu, Osaka, it owns Nissin Food Products, Nissin Chilled Foods, Nissin Frozen Foods, and Myojo Foods. It is known for development of the world's first marketed brand of i ...

, automotive components manufacturer

Keihin Corporation Keihin is a Japanese automotive and motorcycle parts brand of Hitachi Astemo. At the past times, Keihin was a major supplier to Honda, who owned nearly half of Keihin's shares, but also supplies other motorcycle manufacturers, among them Triu ...

, 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 selling a wide array of products, ranging from wedding dresses and other apparel to electronics and flatware. It has more than 12 branches in Japan located in 2 region ...

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 45 stores in 17 prefectures. Bic Camera has a 50% ownership of former rival store Kojima with 143 stores and full ownership of computer store chain Sofmap with 24 stores. A ...

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 K's Holdin ...

and

Yamada Denki is one of the largest consumer electronics retailer chains in Japan. Overview The company was founded in 1973 as a privately owned store. Yamada Denki Co., Ltd. was established in 1983. The current corporation was created on May 21, 1987, by ...

. 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 , 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'' (1985), '' Ute ...

and

Futabasha is a Japanese publishing company headquartered in , Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. Futabasha is known for its manga works, and its 1967 magazine Manga Action first conceived of the manga category, decades before the other major companies tested th ...

. 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 ...

bookstore chain is also located in Shinjuku.

Demographics

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 The of Tokyo are a special form of Municipalities of Japan, municipalities in Japan under the 1947 Local Autonomy Act, Local Autonomy Law. They are city-level wards: primary subdivisions of a prefecture with municipal autonomy largely comparabl ...

, Shinjuku has a status equivalent to that of a

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

. The current mayor is Kenichi Yoshizumi. The consists of 38 elected members; the

Liberal Democratic Party Several political parties from around the world have been called the Liberal Democratic Party, Democratic Liberal Party or Liberal Democrats. These parties have usually followed liberalism as ideology, although they can vary widely from very progr ...

and New Komeitō Party together currently hold a majority. The

Democratic Party of Japan The was a Centrism, centristThe Democratic Party of Japan was widely described as centrist: * * * * * * * to Centre-left politics, centre-left, Liberalism, liberal or Social liberalism, social-liberal List of political parties in Japan, ...

Japanese Communist Party The is a communist party in Japan. Founded in 1922, it is the oldest political party in the country. It has 250,000 members as of January 2024, making it one of the largest non-governing communist parties in the world. The party is chaired ...

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 Form ...

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

. 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-capitals ...

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

, the area of today's 23 special wards 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

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: * Center Hospital of the National Center for Global Health and Medicine *

Keio University Hospital Keio University Hospital (慶應義塾大学病院, ''Keio Gijuku Daigaku Byouin'') is an academic health science centre and tertiary referral hospital located in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. The hospital is part of the Keio University. Overview Ke ...

* * * *

Tokyo Women's Medical University , TWMU, is a private university in Tokyo, Japan. The University also operates the Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital within the campus, as well as a separate hospital in Yachiyo, Chiba file:京成バラ園.jpg, 270px, Keisei Rose Gard ...

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 stati ...

* * Meiji Yasuda Life Hall

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 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 in ...

Yamanote Line The Yamanote Line () is a railway Circle route, 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 centres ...

: , , 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. Some services continue to Otsuki. Basic data *Operator: East Japan Railway Co ...

Chūō-Sōbu Line The is a railway line that runs through Tokyo and Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Part of the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) network, the line operates on separate tracks along the right-of-way of the Chūō Main Line ( Chūō Line (Rapid)) and ...

: , , Shinjuku, **

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

, Shōnan-Shinjuku Line: Shinjuku *

Tokyo Metro The Tokyo Metro () is a major rapid transit system in Tokyo, Japan, operated by the #Organization, Tokyo Metro Co. With an average daily ridership of 6.52 million passengers (as of 2023), the Tokyo Metro is the larger of the Tokyo subway, two s ...

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

: Yotsuya, , , , Shinjuku, **

Yūrakuchō Line Yūrakuchō Line may refer to: * Tokyo Metro Yūrakuchō Line * Seibu Yūrakuchō Line * Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line The , formally the , is a subway line operated by Tokyo Metro in west-central Tokyo and Wako, Saitama, Japan. The newest line i ...

: 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 carried 362,654 ...

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

Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation The , also known as Toei Transportation, Toei Transport, or simply , 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 wh ...

Toei Shinjuku Line The is a rapid transit line in Tokyo and Chiba Prefecture, Japan, operated by the municipal Toei Subway. The line runs between in Ichikawa, Chiba in the east and in the west. At Shinjuku, most trains continue as through services to on the ...

: , Shinjuku-sanchōme, Shinjuku **

Toei Ōedo Line The is a rapid transit railway line of the municipal Toei Subway network in Tokyo, Japan. It commenced full operations on December 12, 2000; using the Japanese calendar this reads "12/12/12" as the year 2000 equals Heisei 12. The line is comple ...

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

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

: 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, retailer, retail, real estate and other industries. The Keio railway network connects western suburbs of Tokyo (Chōfu, Tokyo, Chōfu, Fuc ...

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 The is a network of Toll road, tolled expressways in the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is operated and maintained by the . Most routes are Grade separation, grade separated and have many sharp curves and multi-lane merges that require cauti ...

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

National highways National Highways (NH), formerly Highways England and before that the Highways Agency, is a State-owned enterprise, government-owned company charged with operating, maintaining and improving Roads in England, motorways and major A roads in Eng ...

: * 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 research university in Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan. The university finds its roots in a school called Igirisu Hōritsu Gakkō (English Law School), which was founded in 1885, and became a university in 1 ...

graduate school * Gakushuin Women's College *

Keio University , abbreviated as or , is a private university, private research university located in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It was originally established as a school for Rangaku, Western studies in 1858 in Edo. It was granted university status in 1920, becomi ...

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 founde ...

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 expanded into a four-year university in 1994. The institution also has facilities in Saitama, Saitama, Saitama, Sait ...

Sophia University Sophia University (Japanese language, Japanese: 上智大学, ''Jōchi Daigaku''; Latin: ''Universitas Sedis Sapientiae'') is a private List of Jesuit educational institutions, Jesuit research university in Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. Founded in 1913 by ...

Mejiro Seibo Campus * Tokyo Fuji University *

Tokyo Medical University is a Private university, private Medical school, medical 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 the nation's policy for med ...

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 graduate ...

Moved: * Lakeland University Japan (Sumida-ku)

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 most of the Public school (government funded), public secondary schoo ...

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

Gakushuin University is a private university in Mejiro, Toshima, Tokyo. The Gakushūin (or "Peers School") was established during the Meiji period to educate the children of the Japanese nobility, but back then the institution had only the primary and secondary ...

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

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 (新宿区教育委員会).

Notable people from Shinjuku-ku

Shinzo Abe Shinzo Abe (21 September 1954 – 8 July 2022) was a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (Liberal Democratic Party (Japan), LDP) from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2020. ...

, Prime Minister of Japan *

Sugita Genpaku was a Japanese physician and scholar known for his translation of '' Kaitai Shinsho'' (New Book of Anatomy) and a founder of ''Rangaku'' (Western learning) and ''Ranpō'' (Dutch style medicine) in Japan. He was one of the first Japanese scholar ...

, physician and scholar *

Ichirō Hatoyama was a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan, prime minister of Japan from 1954 to 1956. During his tenure he oversaw the formation of the Liberal Democratic Party (Japan), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and restored official ...

, Prime Minister of Japan *

Shinji Higuchi is a Japanese filmmaker. Known for his ''tokusatsu'' blockbusters, Higuchi is considered one of Japan's leading filmmakers of the 21st century. Higuchi became known for his work on '' Gamera: Guardian of the Universe'', for which he won the Spe ...

, filmmaker and storyboard artist *

Wakaba Higuchi is a Japanese figure skater. She is a Figure skating at the 2022 Winter Olympics – Team event, 2022 Olympic team event silver medalist, the 2018 World Figure Skating Championships, 2018 World silver medalist, the 2024 Skate America champion, ...

, figure skater *

Minoru Kiuchi is a Japanese politician and former Ministry of Foreign Affairs official who has served as Minister of State for Economic Security since 2024. Currently a member of the Liberal Democratic Party, he was an independent for much of his political car ...

, politician *

Yoshiko Kuga was a Japanese actress. She starred in '' The Woman in the Rumor'' (1954), ''Equinox Flower'' (1958), and '' An Inlet of Muddy Water'' (1953). She won a Mainichi Film Award in 1954, and a Blue Ribbon Award in 1956. She was the wife of actor ...

, actress *

Tamiyo Kusakari is a Japanese actress and former ballet dancer. In 1997 her portrayal of Mai Kishikawa in '' Shall We Dance?'' won a Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role. Biography From Toshima, Tokyo, Kusakari starte ...

, actress and ballet dancer *

Yuichiro Nagai is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a forward. He made four appearances for the Japan national team scoring once. Club career Nagai played his youth football at Mitsubishi Yowa Club. After graduating from high school i ...

, professional footballer *

Sanae Nakahara was a Japanese actress from Tokyo. She starred in over 80 films and television shows, the most prominent being her role in the films '' Lady Snowblood'' (1973), ''Shogun's Samurai'' (1978), and ''Day of Resurrection'' (1980). Her husband was fam ...

, actress *

Ken Ogata , better known by his stage name , was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more than 50 movies and 25 television series. For his merits and contribution to arts in 2000 received Japan's Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon. Among many movie awards an ...

, actor *

Maya Okamoto is a Japanese actress, voice actress, and singer from Tokyo, Japan. Filmography Television animation *''Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam'' (1985), Emma Sheen * ''Touch'' (1985), Natsuko *''Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ'' (1986), Leina Ashta *'' The Bush Baby' ...

, actress, voice actress and singer * Mineho Ozaki, paralympic athlete * Kōichi Satō, actor *

Takuma Sato is a Japanese racing driver, who competes part-time in the IndyCar Series for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Sato competed in Formula One from to . In American open-wheel racing, Sato is a two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 in 2017 a ...

, professional racing driver * Shunsuke Shima, actor and voice actor *

Kaoru Sugita , better known by her stage name , is a Japanese actress and singer. Biography She attended Myōjō Academy in Mitaka, later transferring to and graduating from NHK Gakuen (NHK Academy). At age 7, she made her debut in the NTV television series ...

, actress and singer *

Jun Togawa is a Japanese singer, musician and actress. She is one of the greatest influences on Japanese avant-garde music and media, and her career spans over 35 years. Her close friends over the years include Susumu Hirasawa. She was mainly active from ...

, singer, musician and actress *

Kōsuke Toyohara is a Japanese actor and singer who has appeared in more than 80 films since 1982. He serves as head representative of Headrock Inc. Career Toyohara graduated from Nakano High School (part-time). He began appearing on television in his teenage y ...

, actor and singer *

Kyousei Tsukui is a retired Japanese voice actor who worked for 81 Produce. On October 1, 2019, Tsukui revealed that he has been diagnosed with ALS and has been using a cane and wheelchair to help with his mobility. On February 17, 2023, Tsukui revealed that ...

, voice actor *

Takashi Ukaji is a Japanese actor. Early life Born in Tokyo, but raised in Hiroshima Prefecture, Ukaji was the leader of one of Japan's largest bosozoku groups before becoming an actor. His mother is Shizue Ukaji, a prominent Ainu poet and artist. Career ...

, actor *

Atsuro Watabe is a Japanese actor. Career Born in Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Watabe debuted as an actor on television in 1991 with the drama ''Seishun no mon''. He won awards of excellence in the best actor and new face categories at the 19th Japan Academy Prize i ...

, actor * Koji Yamamoto, actor and singer * Tatsuhiko Yamamoto, singer-songwriter and composer * Takeshi Yoshioka, actor *

Kenichi Yoshizumi is a Japanese politician serving as the current mayor of Shinjuku, one of the special wards of Tokyo, since 2014. Biography Yoshizumi grew up in Shinjuku, attending Okubo Elementary School, Toyama Junior High School, and Hiroo Senior High Sc ...

, politician and mayor of Shinjuku

Sister cities

Shinjuku has sister city agreements with several localities: *

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

, 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-Kreuz ...

, Berlin, Germany *

Dongcheng District, Beijing Dongcheng () is a district of the city of Beijing. It covers the eastern half of Beijing's urban core region, including all of the eastern half of the Old City inside of the 2nd Ring Road (Beijing), 2nd Ring Road with the northernmost extent cros ...

, China *

Ina, Nagano is a 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 Takatō, now pa ...

, 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

The Shinjuku Historical Museum: a nicely arranged museum with interesting exhibits of Tokyo's past

More about Shinjuku
. {{Authority control Olympic athletics venues Venues of the 1964 Summer Olympics Wards of Tokyo