In my Hood: Out and About in Shinjuku, Tokyo

Welcome to neon light Tokyo. I love the colorful chaos in the streets of Shinjuku. Three million people (!) get on and off trains every day at Japan’s largest train station. Neon signs flash on the high-rise facades, people party late into the night in the clubs and karaoke bars, and when it comes to fashion, anything goes! The district is constantly on the move and the energy level is extremely high.

At Coffee Seibu, just a five-minute walk from the station, I still always have the feeling that time has stood still. The famous kissa – as cafés are called in Japan – has been around since 1964 and still has the same colorful glass ceiling as it did over 60 years ago. I like to sit here on one of the red velvet benches, eat a sandwich, and look out at the streams of people outside the window. Or I start the day with freshly squeezed lime lemonade with homemade ginger syrup at the Hatake Cafe a few streets away. The place is all about health and beauty – and I feel a little more attractive every time I eat a vegetable soup or salad here.

Although I live in Shinjuku, I always discover something new there. Whether it’s galleries, stores, or bars – the choice is simply huge. There are over 200 bars hidden in the maze of alleyways in Golden Gai alone. Many of them are no larger than 13 square meters. The Isetan department store, which dates back to 1933, looks huge in comparison, offering not only fashion but also every imaginable Japanese delicacy. My favorite is the homemade lemon syrup. A great souvenir for visitors from abroad. The Daiichi Engei plant store is also magically beautiful, and it’s where I like to buy special flowers such as rainbow roses.

Surprisingly, Shinjuku also has a lot to offer in terms of nature: Shinjuku Gyoen, with its Japanese, French, and English landscape gardens, is one of the largest and most beautiful parks in the city. This is especially the case during cherry blossom season, when over 1,500 cherry trees are in bloom here. I find peace and quiet here, as well as in the warm spring water of the Thermae-Yu hot spring baths in the center of Shinjuku.

In the evening, you’ll find me at the Don-Don restaurant, which serves the world’s best cold Korean noodles – or at Tatsuyoshi with a large selection of curries and udon dishes. One place with cult status is the Shinjuku Batting Center, which has served as the backdrop for numerous video games. It’s great fun to hit a few balls there in the evening with friends. One of the many special experiences that Shinjuku has to offer.

About:

Ayaka Sekiguchi comes from Ibaraki, north of Tokyo. She works as the producer for the animation series “Pokémon” and “Mashin Hero Wataru” at TV Tokyo. She loves the city because everyone here can be who they want to be. As a child, she often went to Tokyo with her parents and has since described the Shinjuku district, where she now lives, as her playground. Her current project is the movie “Me & Roboco.”