Learn about Japanese culture on stroll through Tokyo by night
An evening stroll through one of Tokyo's most popular neighbourhoods - Shinjuku
An evening stroll through one of Tokyo's most popular neighbourhoods - Shinjuku
Duration : 60 mins Max Size : 100 Destination : Japan
Category : Global Cultures Recommended For : Schools
Subject :
One
of Tokyo’s most lively neighbourhoods, Shinjuku is part of nearly every
tourist’s visit to Tokyo. Home to the world’s busiest train station with nearly
3.5 million people crossing through, every day, Shinjuku is a business district
by day and an entertainment hub by night. Students will join us on this exciting tour as we
go through the busy streets and the narrow alleys of this neon town.
As
a military capital that replaced Kyoto nearly 400 years ago, Tokyo had five
main roads marked by several postal towns. These towns saw people gathering for
food, drinks, rest and to meet other travellers. Although the place has broadly
developed over time, it’s still known for all those very things – restaurants,
bars, pubs and hotels. If that’s not all, the earthquake of 1923 and the War in
1945 led to the uprising of black markets for scarce goods, eventually bringing
more and more people to the area.
Our
presenter begins at a noisy intersection right outside the East exit of the
Shinjuku station, one of nearly 200 exits. After taking in the light and sounds
of this area, a common meeting ground for friends, through an underground
tunnel, we cross the station that services 13 train lines, 3 subway lines and
50 platforms, to its Western side – the one that offers entertainment all night
long.
As we pass through the red archway leading into Kabukicho, the adult-entertainment area, we are welcomed by the many neon-lit signboards advertising all sorts of things like drinks, WiFi plans, hostess bars and massage parlours. We then walk on towards Golden Gai streets, as our lively host lets us peak into the many little bars, look at menus and learn about table or bottle prices. This little area filled with 2-storey buildings that barely have space for a person to walk between them has over a hundred bars, yet is rarely frequented by anyone other than the locals. Yet, the place is a haven for photographers, artists and musicians.
Meg YamaguteMeg is a Brazilian living in Japan since the last 14 years. She and her friends have been working on tours throughout Japan for the past few years meeting lots of interesting people from all over the world and having lots of fun! Now, they miss making friends. So, until it's safe to travel again, they are looking forward to meeting new people here and showing them their favourite spots around Tokyo and Japan.
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