As Japan’s—and the world’s—busiest station, Shinjuku Station (新宿駅 Shinjuku-eki) needs little introduction. Millions of people pass through here each day, and even if you haven’t been to Tokyo (東京) before, you’ve most likely seen or heard of it.
To accommodate so many commuters, the station is of course one of the city’s largest, but with over a dozen train lines and plenty of exits, navigating through the Shinjuku Station complex is also notoriously confusing.
As if the numerous passageways that direct commuters from one train line to another isn’t enough, the Shinjuku Station we see actually sits atop a sprawling underground world that’s filled with its own surprises.
Choose your own adventure
To help you imagine just how vast this underground system is, picture this: you could quite literally get from one end of Shinjuku to the other and stop by some of the area’s biggest, most popular stores without ever having to go above ground.
So if getting a little lost in underground Shinjuku sounds like your idea of an adventure, then keep reading, because we’re going exploring!
1. Sightseeing
The best place to start our journey is from the basement of Shinjuku Station’s West Exit (西口 nishi-guchi), an area occupied by the Odakyu (小田急) and Keio (京王) Lines. The tunnels branch out in two directions, with one leading to west Shinjuku, an area dominated by hotels, cool buildings, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (東京都庁 Tōkyōto-chō).
Some of these destinations are accessible via—you guessed it—underground tunnels. To get there, follow signs that point towards Met. Government, and be rewarded by views of Tokyo’s skyline from the towers’ top floors, for free!
Shinjuku’s iconic cocoon building, Mode Gakuen (モード学園) is also accessible via tunnels, and has a large underground bookstore, Book 1st.
2. Shopping
The other branch of tunnels begin with the Metro Underpass—the shopaholic’s secret weapon to hitting all the best stores in the Shinjuku area, no matter rain or shine.
The fact is, most of Shinjuku’s largest department stores, however far apart, are interconnected via these underpass tunnels—like Lumine EST (ルミネエスト), BICQLO (ビックロ), Isetan (伊勢丹), and even Takashimaya (高島屋).
Finding your way may require a bit of map-reading, but on a rainy day, this truly is the best way to get around!
3. Eating
Part of what makes Japanese department stores so great is their food section, usually found in the basement, stocked full of fruit, cakes, confectionery, and tea.
That’s not all that is found in the underground tunnels of Shinjuku though, there’s a large collection of snack stalls and restaurants to browse while you’re there, like the famous Takano (高野) fruit parlour and Manna, a restaurant serving one of Japan’s earliest versions of curry (since 1927).
When it comes to department store food, Isetan is by far the fanciest, while Odakyu has a large selection of packaged omiyage (お土産) souvenir snacks.
4. Exploring
Another major section of Shinjuku’s underground system is Subnade, a collection of shops and restaurants that make a good way to kill time, but the coolest part of this section is the many exits that lead out to sections of Shinjuku that reach towards Kabukicho (歌舞伎町).
Even with maps, it can be a little hard to get a sense of exactly where you are underground over here, but part of the fun is just picking a random exit and seeing where you end up!
Navigating the tunnels like a pro
Even seasoned locals still find themselves lost under the streets of Shinjuku sometimes, so feeling a little disoriented is normal. If you’re planning a trip to the underground, here are a few tips to help you along the way!
- Maps are your friends. They’re usually found on the tunnel walls, especially near train lines. Head over for a quick check to get centred, or you can just wing it, if you’re really hoping for surprises.
- Identify the closest exits. If there’s a specific place you’d like to visit, check the maps and see if you can find an exit closest to it. Signs to exits are always clearly marked around the tunnels.
- No rushing. To get the most out of your underground exploration, consider devoting a good amount of time to walking around, allowing yourself to get lost once in a while. Whenever you get tired and want to go above ground again, an exit is always nearby.
Closing
As Tokyo’s most bustling area, endless experiences await travellers above ground in Shinjuku, but not before first-timers find a way to crawl out the belly of the beast that is Shinjuku Station. But you, my friend, are here to conquer the beast, so put your navigation apps away and your adventure hats on—a world of wonder awaits underneath the streets!
Header image credit: Winnie Tan
