新宿(Shinjuku)

新宿(Shinjuku)素有東京副都心之稱，隨著東京都廳（政府）的遷入，日益繁榮，今已成為東京的重要商業和辦公中心。位於新宿中心的新宿車站，是匯集了JR（舊國鐵）電車、地鐵（營團）、私鐵共十數條電車的日本最大的樞紐站，每天乘客多達80萬人次，站內進出口極多，與地上商業設施結為一體，猶如一座巨大的迷宮。

以JR山手線為界，新宿一分為二。山手線以西，以東京都廳為首的十幾座現代化摩天大樓直聳入雲，是日本最大的商務辦公區和高級飯店集中的地區。山手線以東，新宿車站附近雲集了日本各大著名百貨商店及其它商業設施，商都氣息濃厚。在靖國大道一側，著名歡樂街歌舞伎町則是成年人夜生活的去處。新宿是一座具有多種面孔，充滿刺激的城市。 新宿每年吸引大批日本國內和世界各國旅遊者的前來觀光。

Shinjuku, is a ward or if you would like a mini city inside Tokyo. Durring the Edo period, Shinjuku was major area for shrine’s. Since the Tokugawa shogunate was building the Edo castle many shrines in the castle area were move on the out skirts of Shinjuku. A daimyo named Naito Shinjuku had a mansion or small castle in this area where now stands the Shinjuku Gyoen.
Japan was struck by a major earthquake in 1923 also known as the Great Kanto earthquake. The shear devastation caused by this quake motivated the construction of the current Shinjuku we know.
In May to August 1945 Tokyo and Shinjuku alike were destroyed again by the U.S. air force raids, to yet again rise up for the ashes.

As for today Shinjuku is a major commercial and administrative center. You can find the busiest train station in the world used by an average of 3.5 million people per day. Shinjuku also has the highest numbers of registered foreign nationals of any community in Tokyo.

Shinjuku is also known for its famous district called Kabukichō 歌舞伎町 This district is an entertainment and probably the biggest red-light district in Japan. Tourist love to go explore this district of Shinjuku, but I must say it’s not one of the most beautiful place in Tokyo. You can find many hostess bars, host bars, love hotels, shops, restaurants, and nightclubs in the Kabukicho. Most Japanese often call it the “Sleepless Town”. The district’s name comes from late-1940s plans to build a kabuki theater: although the theater was never built, the name stuck.

Shinjuku is a place to visit if you’re in the Tokyo area. It should be visited at anytime but I would recommend going there at night.