Tokyo/Shinbashi
Shinbashi (also Romanized as Shimbashi) (新橋) is a district of central Tokyo which is a significant business center and commercial area, although not quite as busy as Shinjuku or Shibuya to the west.
Shinbashi is directly adjacent to Shiodome, and within a slightly longer walking distance of Ginza and Tsukiji.
Get in
By train
Shimbashi Station is on the JR Yamanote, Keihin-Tōhoku, Yokosuka, and Tokaido Lines. It is also a connection point to the Toei Asakusa subway line for Haneda Airport (Keikyu through trains, ¥610, 30 min.), plus the Ginza subway line and the Yurikamome line to Odaiba. The multitude of lines makes it easy to reach from Narita Airport via the Keisei Skyliner and Yamanote lines (Yamanote line, change at Nippori, ¥2,080, 75 min.), Keisei limited express and Asakusa lines (Toei Asakusa line, change at Aoto, ¥1,100, 90 min.) or Narita Express and Yokosuka lines (change at Tokyo, ¥2,910, 75 min.).
Nearby Hamamatsucho station connects directly to Haneda Airport (¥470) via the Tokyo Monorail.
See
- 1 Shinbashi Steam Locomotive, 2-7 Shinbashi (Outside Shinbashi station Hibiya exit). Daily 24hrs. Historic steam locomotive displayed in the middle of the square. A popular meeting point. During the year end holiday season, the train is lit up with colorful lights with light and sound shows throughout the day. Free.
- 2 Karasumori Shrine (烏森神社), 2-15-5 Shinbashi (1 minute west walking from Shinbashi station Hibiya exit). Small Shinto shrine tucked between the commercial buildings surrounding Shinbashi station. Built during the Heian period to commemorate a victory by Fujiwara no Hidesato. Free.
- 3 Shiogama Shrine, 5-19-7 Shinbashi (7 minute walk south of Shinbashi station). Small Shinto shrine with a surrounding park in the middle of a quiet residential neighbourhood. It is a remnant of a Date samurai clan household. Free.
Do
Buy
- 1 New Shinbashi Building (NEW しんばしビル), 2−16−1 Shinbashi (Directly south of Shinbashi station Hibiya exit). Building filled with shops catering to the salarymen that work in the offices nearby. There are restaurants, menswear stores, massage parlors, and discount ticket stores (kinken shops) inside.
Eat
The area around Shinbashi and Yurakucho is, thanks to its hordes of office workers, full of lunchtime bargains. You can easily get a filling teishoku lunch for under ¥700.
Budget
- The Shinbashi area has outlets of most major fast food chains:
- Tenya (てんや). Shinbashi 2-15-12 (JR Shimbashi, Karasumori exit). An outlet of everybody's favorite fast-food tempura chain, with tempura bowls starting from ¥500.
- Yoshinoya, the Japanese fast-food chain has several (at least two) restaurants close to the station, and Matsuya also has two restaurants near Shinbashi; get a bowl of rice and meat for ¥300-500. Very crowded at lunch-time (around 1pm).
- The New Shinbashi Building, the triangular (and certainly not new-looking) building on the west side of JR Shimbashi station, has a multitude of dark, smoky, cramped izakayas in its basement levels. Not recommended if you don't like the smell of broiled fish.
Mid-range
- 1 Shabu-raku-tei (しゃぶ楽亭) (Shinbashi 3-5-11, 4 min from JR station). In the evening it's a medium-priced shabu-shabu joint, but you can get a huge lunch for only ¥1000 -- knocked down to a ridiculously low ¥800 on Mondays.
- 2 Don Blanco, Shimbashi 3-18-7, 3F (2 min southwest of JR station), ☏ +81 3-5401-2066. Tucked away among Korean hostess bars, a cozy joint with some of the most authentic Mexican food you're likely to find in Japan -- the owner makes regular trips to Mexico. Excellent selection of tequilas, home-made tortillas, and lucha libre wrestling masks for guests.
Splurge
- 3 Daigo (醍醐), 2-3-1 Atago (nearest station Onarimon), ☏ +81 3-3431-0811. Daily 11:30-14:00, 17:00-20:00. The name means "essence of milk", a reference to the Buddha's highest teachings, and this restaurant aims for the highest standards of shōjin-ryori (精進料理), the purely vegetarian version of Japan's refined kaiseki cuisine. Located within the grounds of the Seishōji temple, all meals here are elaborate, ten-course affairs served in private rooms with a view of the lovely temple garden. With dinner courses priced at ¥15,000-19,000 per person (plus drinks, tax and service), the experience doesn't come cheap, but it just might be worth it for an unforgettable occasion — and this is still only a third of what Ginza's kaiseki joints charge. Reservations obligatory. Lunch ¥12000 Dinner ¥15000+.
Drink
A large number of drinking establishments, some distinctly dodged, can be found around JR Shinbashi station.
- 1 Kagaya, Hanasada Building B1F, 2-15-12 Shinbashi, ☏ +81 3-3591-2347. 6pm-late. Famously loopy bar run by performance artist Mark Kagaya. Expect no menu, staff in frog costumes and the unexpected.
Sleep
Mid-range
- 1 Check In Shinbashi, 2-15-17 Shinbashi (3 min from JR Shimbashi Karasumori exit), ☏ +81 3-3501-5100. Cramped but quite tolerable and fully-equipped rooms. Free LAN in every room. Singles from ¥7500, doubles from ¥10000 (weekend rates, weekdays are slightly higher).
- 2 Tokyu Stay Shinbashi, 4-23-1 Shinbashi, ☏ +81 3-54011109, fax: +81 3-5401-1107. Part of the Tokyu Stay chain, these hotels are popular with business travelers. The small kitchenettes, washer/dryers, and free LAN access in all rooms makes these good value. Singles start at ¥9,450, doubles at ¥17,850 per night. Slight discounts are offered for extended stays.
- 3 Shiba Park Hotel, 1-5-10 Shiba-koen (8 min from JR Hamamatsucho Station, 4 min from Daimon Station, 2 min from Onarimon Station), ☏ +81 3-3433-4141.
- 4 Shinbashi Atagoyama Tokyu Inn, 1-6-6, Atago (7 min from Toranomon station, 7 min from Kamiyacho station, 7 min from Onarimon station), ☏ +81 3-3431-0109.
Splurge
- 5 Hotel 1899 Tokyo, 6-4-1 Shinbashi (10 minute walk south of Shinbashi Station), ☏ +81 3-3432-1899, info.hotel1899tokyo@ryumeikan.co.jp. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Boutique hotel that also has a cafe on the first floor. Conceptually, it is based around Japanese tea culture with tea ware inspired decor and tea based toiletries. Cafe food likewise builds upon the tea concept with matcha green tea baked goods, ice cream and beer. Free tea is served daily for guests in the afternoon. Doubles ¥17000+.
Go next
Shinbashi is right next to the Shiodome high-rise area, and a short taxi ride (or moderate walk) away from Tsukiji, where you can enjoy some of the best sushi in Tokyo.
| Routes through Shinbashi |
| Yokohama ← Shinagawa ← | W  E |
→ Tokyo Station → END |
| Ueno ← Tokyo ← | N  S |
→ Oimachi → Kamata → Kawasaki |