Shinjuku

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Script error: No such module "Nihongo"., officially called Shinjuku City, is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo.

Since the end of World War II, Shinjuku has become a major secondary center of Tokyo (fukutoshin), rivaling the original city center in Marunouchi. Today, it is a major commercial and administrative center, housing the busiest railway station in the world (Shinjuku Station) as well as the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, the administrative center of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

As of 2025, the ward has an estimated population of 355,981,[1] living in a total area of Script error: No such module "val"..[2]

Since 2014, its mayor is Kenichi Yoshizumi, who does not belong to the Liberal Democratic Party, but supports the values and policies of the ruling party, conservative and nationalist.

History

File:Buildings with colorful neon street signs at blue hour, Shinjuku, Tokyo.jpg
Shinjuku at night

In 1634, during the Edo period, as the outer moat of the Edo Castle 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, one of the major highways of that era. Naitō was the family name of a daimyō 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.[3]

In 1920, the town of Naitō-Shinjuku, which comprised large parts of present-day Shinjuku (the neighborhood, not the municipality), parts of Nishi-Shinjuku and Kabukichō were integrated into Tokyo City. Shinjuku began to develop into its current form after the Great Kantō Earthquake in 1923, since the seismically stable area largely escaped the devastation. Consequently, West Shinjuku is one of the few areas in Tokyo with many skyscrapers.

The Tokyo air raids from May to August 1945 destroyed almost 90% of the buildings in the area in and around Shinjuku Station.[4] 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.[5]

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 50 km walk and marathon course during the 1964 Summer Olympics.[6] In March 1965, the Yodobashi Water Purification Plant closed and was replaced by skyscrapers in the following years.[7]

The Sixties in Shinjuku

Shinjuku was the epicenter of new ideas and artistic avant-gardes in Tokyo in the 1960s, much like Greenwich Village in New York.

Cinema

The young directors of the Japanese New Wave used Shinjuku as the setting for several of their films,[8] such as Nagisa Oshima's Diary of a Shinjuku Thief (1969), Koji Wakamatsu's Shinjuku Mad (screenplay by Masao Adachi), and Funeral Parade of Roses by Toshio Matsumoto.

In 1967, the Art Theatre Guild opened the Scorpio Theatre (Sasori-za) in the basement of its Art Theatre Shinjuku Bunka cinema. The Scorpio Theatre quickly established itself as an influential underground venue[9] for angura theater, music, dance, and film. Its name, proposed by novelist Yukio Mishima, was inspired by Kenneth Anger's film Scorpio Rising (1963). It was at the Sasori-za that Mishima held the first screening of his film Patriotism (1966).

Theater

In 1967, the Modern Art Theater was opened in Shinjuku. Dubbed the "sensational cave," it offered nude shows, avant-garde and entertainment theater, film screenings, and performances. The theater laboratory "Ceiling Pier", which had Tadanori Yokoo as a founding member, also performed there. After the underground boom, the venue was used for striptease performances.

It was in Shinjuku, in the Hanazono shrine, that the first performances of the Red Tent (Jokyo Gekijo), the company founded by Juro Kara, took place.[10]

Tatsumi Hijikata and the buto dancers were also closely associated to Shinjuku.

Places

Cafe Fugetsudo, founded by actor Goro Yokoyama, was a rallying point for artists, intellectuals, and homosexuals in the 1960s.[11] Actor Takeshi Kitano, painter Taro Okamoto, transvestite actress Akihiro Miwa, poet Gozo Yoshimasu, and filmmaker Shuji Terayama frequented it.[12]

In the Golden Gai, a small block located east of Kabukicho, many bars have been haunts of artists and protesters.

Folk Guerilla Concerts

In 1969, anti-war group Beheiren organized folk concerts in Shinjuku station. A batch of Japanese anti-Vietnam War activists gathered and were termed "folk guerrillas".[13] In July, a fight with riot police led to the dispersal of the concerts and the arrests of musicians.

Demonstrations

On October 21, 1969, an anti-war demonstration was violently suppressed,[14] so much so that the daily newspaper Asahi ran the following day's headline: "Guerrilla Warfare in the Heart of Shinjuku."

In 1991, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government moved from the Marunouchi district of Chiyoda to the current building in Shinjuku (the Tokyo International Forum stands at the former site vacated by the government).

Geography

File:Shinjuku large-guard 2023.jpg
Shinjuku office buildings

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.[15]

Shinjuku is surrounded by Chiyoda to the east; Bunkyo and Toshima to the north; Nakano to the west, and Shibuya and Minato to the south.[16]

File:Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden and NTT DoCoMo Yoyogi Building, Tokyo, Japan.jpg
Shinjuku Gyo-en National Garden and NTT DoCoMo Yoyogi Building

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.

File:新宿区下落合 新目白通り 20250928.jpg
Ochiai area Shinmejiro St.（2025）

"Shinjuku" is often popularly understood to mean the entire area surrounding Shinjuku Station, but the Shinjuku Southern Terrace complex and the areas to the west of the station and south of Kōshū Kaidō are part of the Yoyogi and Sendagaya districts of the special ward of Shibuya.

Districts and neighborhoods

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Economy

Buildings with colorful neon street signs at blue hour, Shinjuku, Tokyo
Shinjuku's entertainment district

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, electronics giant Seiko Epson,[18] video game developer Square Enix,[19] fast food chains McDonald's Japan and Yoshinoya,[20] travel agency H.I.S.,[21] Subaru Corporation (Subaru),[22] railway operator Odakyu Electric Railway, construction giants Taisei Corporation[23] and Kumagai Gumi,[24] medical equipment manufacturer Nihon Kohden,[25] Enoki Films,[26] navigation software company Jorudan,[27] instant noodle giant Nissin Foods,[28] automotive components manufacturer Keihin Corporation,[29] and regional airline Airtransse.[30] The station area also hosts numerous major retailers such as Isetan, Takashimaya, Marui, Bic Camera, Yodobashi Camera and Yamada Denki.

Northeastern Shinjuku has an active publishing industry and is home to the publishers Shinchosha[31] and Futabasha.[32] The main store of the Books Kinokuniya bookstore chain is also located in Shinjuku.

Demographics

Resident nationalities[33]
Nationality Population (percentage) (2024)
Template:Flagu 305,943 (86.9%)
Template:Flagu 17,447 (5.0%)
Template:Flagu 9,089 (2.6%)
Template:Flagu 3,838 (1.1%)
Template:Flagu 2,642 (0.8%)
Template:Flagu 2,591 (0.7%)
Others 10,159 (2.9%)

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.[34]<templatestyles src="Module:Historical populations/styles.css"/>Script error: No such module "Historical populations".

Government and politics

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Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
File:Shinjuku City Office 2007-01.jpg
Shinjuku City Office
File:Shinjuku-Chūō-Kōen-flowerbed.jpg
Shinjuku Central Park
File:Shinjuku shopping street1.jpg
Shinjuku shopping street
File:Shinjuku shopping street.jpg
Shinjuku shopping area

Like the other special wards of Tokyo, Shinjuku has a status equivalent to that of a city. The current mayor is Kenichi Yoshizumi.

The Script error: No such module "Nihongo". consists of 38 elected members; the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeitō Party together currently hold a majority. The Democratic Party of Japan, Japanese Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party are also represented together with four independents. Shinjuku's Script error: No such module "Nihongo". is located on the southeastern edge of Kabukichō.

Shinjuku is also the location of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The governor's office, the metropolitan assembly chamber, and all administrative head offices are located in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.

Elections

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.[35]

Hospitals

There are several major hospitals located within the city limits:

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

Transportation

File:Shinjuku busker.jpg
A guitarist immediately south of the Shinjuku JR Station, a popular busking location

Script error: No such module "labelled list hatnote". Shinjuku is a major urban transit hub. Shinjuku Station 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.

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

Rail

File:Shinjuku Police Station intersection.jpg
Shinjuku Police Station intersection near Nishi-Shinjuku Station

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

Roads

File:ShinjukuStreet02.JPG
Traffic on Ōme-kaidō heading towards Kabukichō at night

Shuto Expressway:

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

National highways:

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

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Moved:

Schools

High schools

Public high schools are operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education.

Closed:

Private schools:

Elementary and junior high schools

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". 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

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Sister cities

Shinjuku has sister city agreements with several localities:[36]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ Shinjuku CityScript error: No such module "Unsubst".
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ History of Shinjuku Template:Webarchive
  5. ↑ Ichikawa, 2003
  6. ↑ 1964 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. Part 1. p. 74.
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Tokyo Special Wards Map
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ "Head Office & Japanese Facilities." Seiko Epson. Retrieved on January 13, 2009.
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ "Company Info." H.I.S. Retrieved on March 11, 2010.
  22. ↑ "[1] Template:Webarchive." Fuji Heavy Industries and Subaru.
  23. ↑ "Corporate Data Template:Webarchive." Taisei Corporation. Retrieved on February 20, 2012. "Head Office 1-25-1, Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 163-0606"
  24. ↑ "Corporate Profile Template:Webarchive." Kumagai Gumi. Retrieved on August 30, 2017. "Headquarters 2-1, Tsukudo-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8557"
  25. ↑ "Key Facts." Nihon Kohden. Retrieved on August 9, 2015.
  26. ↑ "Home." Enoki Films. Retrieved on March 23, 2014. "Enoki Bldg., No. 2, 1-30-10 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0022 Japan"
  27. ↑ "Headquarter." Jorudan. Retrieved on January 7, 2011. "ZIP 160-0022 2-1-9 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan" (map)
  28. ↑ "Company Profile." Nissin Foods. Retrieved on August 15, 2009.
  29. ↑ "Company Overview Template:Webarchive." Keihin Corporation. Retrieved on May 23, 2018.
  30. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  31. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  32. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". (GIF map of location) (PDF of location)
  33. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". (in Japanese)
  34. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  35. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  36. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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  • 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

Template:Shinjuku Script error: No such module "Navbox". Script error: No such module "Navbox". Template:Metropolitan cities of Japan Template:Most populous cities in Japan Template:1964 Summer Olympic venues Template:Olympic venues athletics Template:Subject bar Template:Authority control

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