On my first day in Tokyo I decided to go through 2 of the most touristy neighborhoods in this city and that they must be on the itinerary of anyone who visits it, especially Shinjuku.
What to visit in Harajuku
I recommend visiting Harajuku in the morning and leaving the Shinjuku neighborhood for the evening, which is when it takes on its essence.
The first thing you can visit is the Yoyogi Park and Meiji Shrine To do this, they will get off at the Harajuku station and from there they will be a few steps from the Park.
I didn’t visit much of the park but rather I dedicated more time to the Sanctuary, which is one of the most important in Tokyo. There are many parks in Tokyo and they are all really beautiful but depending on how much time you have, it is not essential to visit all the parks and there are some much more beautiful than others.
Of course, in my case I used them a lot since they were a way to escape the heat a little under a tree and rest at the same time.
Meiji Shrine in Tokyo
I entered the sanctuary from the opposite way that everyone enters. At this entrance I found a giant wooden Tori and a path covered by trees where I obviously took advantage of the fact that there were almost no people to take some photos. You will find these toris at all the entrances, the only difference is that the one I chose was quieter.
The path is not only incredible because of the surroundings but also because of the rigorous cleaning where you will see people gathering a few leaves, which is the only thing I saw on the ground.
Inside the Shinto sanctuary you will find everything that you can find in any other sanctuary, such as the fountain to wash your hands and purify yourself, souvenirs, throwing coins as an offering, making wishes, knowing our fortune, etc.
It opens very early, approximately 6 in the morning, so it is a good time for those who want to see it without people, although they will not know it at its best. It closes at approximately 5 p.m. depending on the season and admission is free.
To leave, take the direction towards the Harajuku station where everyone enters, previously passing through the famous row of sake barrels which were and are left as an offering to give luck in their production.
takeshita dori street
From the station I took the street takeshita dori , great place to appreciate chaos and Japanese culture. It is a street of about 200 meters with Japanese-style shops next to each other where we can find everything. Many locals come to walk here. Famous are the Crepes that we can try with all kinds of ingredients, long lines form to order one and I assure you that seeing the photos and everything you can put in it will force you to buy one. One of the busiest stores is Daiso, a place where we can find almost everything for 100 yen and on top of that very good things, I bought a lot and spent very little.
The attraction is not only the street but also the characters that we can find there. The Japanese love anime and dressing up, and Harajuku is one of the neighborhoods where we will see them the most.
Main streets that you have to see in Harajuku
Leaving takeshita and walking a few meters I arrived at the avenue omotesando. One of the most luxurious in Tokyo and I recommend walking through a few blocks to appreciate the architecture of the buildings. These are very striking and being covered with trees makes it one of the most picturesque streets in the city. For those who like fashion, here are the most important brands in the world as well as in Ginza.
I stopped by to say hello to some robots and washed my hands in giant sinks with balls of soap that dissolve with an incredible smell. Entering Japanese establishments is guaranteed fun, in addition to the good vibes with which their vendors serve you.
What to see in Shinjuku: The best nightlife district
In the afternoon I returned to the Harajuku station to take the Jr and make a few more stops to get off in the Shinjuku neighborhood. This is one of the neighborhoods next to Shibuya that I recommend for sleeping, the night is concentrated here and another plus is not depending on the train schedule to have to return.
In addition, the station has an excellent connection to go both to the airport and to other cities, in itself it is the busiest station in the world. Which also makes it one of the most expensive. This neighborhood is one of the most modern and cosmopolitan in Japan, where you will also find the best-known brands locally and worldwide.
My first intention was to know the Shinjuku Gyoen Park but I found that it had already closed at 4 p.m. The truth was that it wasn’t something that bothered me because I knew I was going to meet many more, but what I had walked to the entrance door and adding in the heat that it was did put me in a bit of a bad mood. If you go in spring, it is recommended that you visit it and keep in mind that in this case, you have to pay approximately 300 yen to enter.
Things that do or do have to do with Shinjuku
Closer to the station they have 2 attractions that I recommend visiting and that I did not go near this time since I had done it a few years ago with Sol. The first, less important one is the sculpture of the Love lyrics , similar to the one found in New York and other cities around the world. It’s nice to go take some photos and the fact that it’s just a few steps away makes it worth visiting.
The other point and I do recommend that you go because it is free, is the tower of the metropolitan government. It is located among all the skyscrapers that form the financial and neurological center of the city. It has a good height and the only drawback is that you never go outside, it is always closed. Obviously because it is free you forget about that issue and the views are very good. For those who carry a tripod, it is not allowed and the security control will make them leave them in order to climb.
Upstairs you can find a cafeteria and a souvenir shop. There are two observatories, north and south side and each one has different schedules. The one on the north side if I remember correctly extends until 23, the difference is obviously the orientation of the views.
Of course, if what you are looking for is to have a very glamorous coffee, you have to go to the renowned New York bar coffee located in the park hyatt hotel
Another neighborhood that is close to Shinjuku is the Korean one. Shin Okubo which also has its own Jr. station. I visited it on another day because it had already fallen into the night. More than anything it is to eat something different in a Korean specialty. Also for those interested in buying aesthetic products, the Koreans are the ones who have the lead in that. Afterwards I couldn’t find anything more striking.
What to see in Shinjuku at night
Having already gotten dark, I headed to what interested me most, the Kabukicho red light district At times, and bringing up the topic of Japanese letters, you feel like you are in Times Square because of the amount of neon lights and posters that are in this area. Not only this neighborhood lights up, but all of Shinjuku, so the ideal is to get lost in any street to discover different styles.
Although it is called the Red Light District, here we will not only find nightclubs but also all kinds of restaurants, bars, hotels, the classic karaoke bars, pachinko (the little machines that the Japanese love) and love hotels or telos like us. we know.
The most striking thing of all is that the offer is not hidden and the posters of the girls or boys with whom you can spend time become part of the neighborhood.
The neighborhood is super safe, you just have to be careful with the photos you take because the managers can get angry and have a bad time. Another fact to keep in mind is that public relations who are outside the premises drive you crazy!!
Imagine that they saw me alone with my camera taking photos, it was a constant attack.
Another of the striking things about this neighborhood is the Godzilla head that stands on the top of a hotel.
Outside the Kabukicho neighborhood
Near Kabukicho we can find some small alleys that cover the area called golden gai . There you find a bar next to the other, more with the style that we usually know as a bar. It is worth it even if it means having a beer and then continuing on your way.
With a similar style, but with grills instead of bars, we can find Omoide Yokocho. A very narrow alley where you can sit and eat some skewers called yakitori, whatever you want such as vegetables, pork, meat, etc.
The food is very crowded, the places have no air so the conditions are not the best but it is worth it as an experience. The only bad thing is that without notifying me when I went to pay, they charged me for table service!!!
Imagine my face when the service did not exist and they defended themselves by saying that it was because I occupied the seat. That made me quite angry and the experience did not end up being the best. However, I recommend that you stop by and make sure that we are charged for this service.