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Kabukicho 歌舞伎町

Checked October 2026 · next check January 2027 · 1 post since 2010

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Visiting Kabukicho today

  • What it is: Shinjuku's nightlife district of bars, restaurants, cinemas and neon-lit streets, just north-east of Shinjuku Station.
  • Getting there: About 9 minutes' walk from the Central East Exit of Shinjuku Station, or 3 minutes from Seibu-Shinjuku Station.
  • What to see: The life-size Godzilla head on the 8th-floor terrace of the Shinjuku Toho Building, and Tokyu Kabukicho Tower (opened 2023) with cinemas, theatres, a food hall and hotels.
  • Best time: From sunset onwards, when the signs light up.
  • Tip: Ignore street touts and choose bars yourself; police regularly warn about visitors being overcharged after following touts.
Best timeGood any time of yearBusy all year; best in the evening

Checked against: Explore around Shinjuku | GO TOKYO · Godzilla Head | GO TOKYO · Tokyu Kabukicho Tower | GO TOKYO. Check opening times and prices before you go.

Kabukicho on Shibuya246

Photos and stories from our visits, as they were written at the time.

Photos

Kabukicho, Shinjuku

I took a walk around Kabukicho, Shinjuku in the evening. Shinjuku Station is always packed with people coming and going, and the kabukicho area picks up a lot of traffic from people going to restaurants, clubs, love hotels and more.