Talk:Tokyo/Wikibooks/Shinjuku

Shinjuku

Available Railway

Directions from Tokyo station

• JR Chuo Line(rapid service bound for Takao) 15 minuets

Directions from Narita Airport

• JR Narita Express (bound for Ikebukuro or Shinjuku) 80 minuets
• Airport Limousine 2 hours

Directions from Haneda Airport

• Tokyo Monorail -> Yamanote Line (bound for Shibuya and Shinjuku) 1 hour
• Airport Limousine 75 minuets

JR

• Chuo Line (Rapid service)
• Chuo (Local service) / Sobu Line
• Saikyo Line
• Shonan Shinjuku Line
• Yamanote Line

Private Railway

• Keio Line
• Keio New Line
• Odakyu Line

Subway

• Oedo Subway Line
• Shinjuku Subway Line
• Marunouchi Subway Line

History

The name “Shinjuku” came from “Naito Shinjuku”. “Naito” is a family name of Kiyonari who was given a large land from Ieyasu Tokugawa (the first Shogun in Edo period).

In 1600, the large road called “Koshu” was built between Nagano prefecture and Edo/Nihonbashi (in Tokyo). It was 208.5km long but in Edo period (around 1603-1867), people had only a horse or their feet to transport. Therefore, beside that road, 44 Shukuba were established. “Shukuba” was the place which had many facilities where people could rest and stay during their trips. However, the distance between Edo/ Nihonbashi and Takaido was too far, so the new Shukuba was established on February 1699. This was a part of Mr. Naito's land, thus the place was named “Naito Shinjuku”. “Shinjuku” means “the new Shukuba” in Japanese. (“Shin” means “new” and “juku” means “the place to rest or stay”). This is the history of name “Shinjuku”.

Naito Shinjuku had flourished and became the biggest pleasure city in Edo. At the same time when Edo period was over, the barriers of Naito Shinjuku fell into disuse. Though the role of Naito Shinjuku as a pleasure city was not changed and kept developing. When it became to the Meiji Era, Edo changed its name to Tokyo and in 1885, the Shinagawa Line of Japan Railways (JR) was opened and Shinjuku station was built at a crossroad of Koshu road and Ome road.

Tourist Attractions

Shinjuku Koma Theater

100 thousands of people visit Shinjuku Koma Theater every year and 40 millions of people since it opened in 1956. The outstanding characteristic of this theater is three circular stages which rotate like a top. Top is a kind of toy that spins, and it is called “Koma” in Japanese. This is the origin of the theater’s name. The idea of rotary stage is coming from Greek theater and this style attracts many visitors.

Access:

• 8 minutes walk from East exit of JR.
• 5 minutes walk from Marunouchi Subway Line.
• 3 minutes walk from Seibu Shinjuku Line.
• 10 minutes walk from Odakyu Line.
• 10 minutes walk from Keio Line.
• 5 minutes walk from Oedo Subway Line.

Tel:

• general reservation:03-3200-2213.
• group reservation (more than 15 people):03-3202-5400.

Shinjuku Gyoen

This is the garden of the Imperial House which used to be the Edo Premise of Mr. Naito who was the leader of the Shinanotakato Clan. It opened to the ordinary people in May 1949. There are not only traditional Japanese gardens but also the French and English style gardens so you will be able to enjoy nature. There is the lawn where you can have a rest so if you have a leisure sheet, it might be helpful.

Access:

• 10 minutes walk from JR Shinjuku station.
• 5 minutes walk from the subway “Shinjuku Gyoen-mae” / “Shinjuku San-chome” stations.
• 5 minutes walk from JR “Sendagaya” station.

Open:

• 9:00-16:30 (enter by 16:00) but every Monday is closed. (If Monday is a national holiday, it opens, but instead, the next day will be closed).

Fee:

• 200yen for adults.
• 50yen for children (under twelve).

Address:

• 11 Naitocho, Shinjuku, Tokyo 160-0014.

Tokyo Metropolitan Government

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is headed by a publicly elected governor and metropolitan assembly. Its administrative structure is similar to that of Japan's other prefectures. The headquarters building is in the ward of Shinjuku. They govern all of Tokyo prefecture, including lakes, rivers, dams, farms, remote islands, and national parks in addition to its famous neon jungle, skyscrapers and crowded subways. Under Japanese law, Tokyo is designated as a to (都), translated as metropolis.[1] Within Tokyo lie dozens of smaller entities, most of them conventionally[citation needed] referred to as cities. It includes twenty-three special wards (特別区 -ku) which until 1943 comprised the city of Tokyo but are now separate, self-governing municipalities, each with a mayor and a council, and having the status of a city. In addition to these 23 municipalities, Tokyo also encompasses 26 cities (市 -shi), five towns (町 -chō or machi), and eight villages (村 -son or -mura), each of which has a local government.

Observation Deck

There are tow Observation Deck at Tokyo Metropolitan Government. One is north part of that and the other is south part of that. The height is 202m. We can look The Diet Building, Tokyo Tower and Mount Fuji from there.

Access:

• 10 minutes walk from JR Shinjuku station west exit
• Oedo subway line "Totyomae station"

Open time of Obserbation Deck:

• North 9:30~23:00 (close is second and forth Monday)
• South 9:30~17:30 (close is first and third Tuesday)

Tokyo Metropolitan Government HP

http://www.yokoso.metro.tokyo.jp/index.htm

Tokyo Opera City

There are tow main halls. The big one called "Concert hall" and the small one called "Recital hall"

*Concert hall

The hall debuted on September 10, 1997, with a performance of J. S. Bach's Saint Mathew's Passion performed by the Saito Kinen Festival Orchestra under the direction of Seiji Ozawa. Acoustically, the hall is designed in the so-called shoebox style with a vaulting pyramidal with the interior completely mantled in oak. The most innovative advances of modern technology have been brought into play to create ideal acoustic conditions and the wooden interior with upper lightning furthermore stimulates a sense of tranquil composure. The late Toru Takemitsu (1930-1996), an artistic director of the Tokyo Opera City Cultural Foundation had acted as adviser in the formulation of the basic concept of the hall and also supervised the opening series of concerts. The hall is dedicated to his memory due to his untimely death prior to its inauguration.

*Recital hall

This hall, which is also in the shoe-box style, features outstanding acoustic characterestics and is suitable for solo recitals and chamber music performances.

*Art gallery

Opened in Tokyo Opera City on September 9, 1999, "Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery" holds special exhibitions about four times a year, introducing various and unique activities of art. Along with the special exhibitions, the Gallery also holds a solo exhibition series called "project N", which aims at focusing on emerging Japanese artists, in accordance with the wishes of the late NAMBATA Tastuoki (1905-97) one of the main painters in our collection. Works by the artists who are selected by the selection committee are shown in the corridor on the 4th floor in principle. The role of the gallery is to aim for the creation of a new culture in the metropolis.

Access:

• Keio Shinsen "Hatsudai station"
• 14 minutes walk from Odakyu line "Sangubashi station"
• 17 minutes walk from Oedo Subway line "Nishi shinjuku gotyome station"

Concert Schedule http://www.operacity.jp/en/concert/calendar/index.php

Tokyo Opera City HP http://www.operacity.jp/en/

New National THeater

There are three theaters that are "Opera House", "Playhouse" and "The pit"

*Opera House

The Opera House's proscenium style stage consists of four areas: the main stage, a rear stage, and left and right wings. This structure, standard in European theatre architecture, has been built to suit grand opera. Within the Opera House, the walls and ceilings of the seating area are covered in thick panels of wood, to provide the ideal acoustics for the singers. In fact, the theatre itself acts as a musical instrument. The orchestra pit seats a full 120-person orchestra. The audience seating is in continuous 20-seat rows - the first use of this arrangement in Japan - to enhance the audience's focus on the stage.

*Playhouse

The Playhouse can be configured in proscenium style and open-apron style, and even the seating can be changed, giving the audience the impression of a new theatre at each production. In the proscenium style configuration, a sliding stage permits swift scene changes. The riser at the front of the stage can also serve as the orchestra pit.

*The pit

The open plan adopted in the Pit features a movable floor that can be used for both stage and seating. Raising or lowering that floor creates precisely the right performance space to suit a particular staging plan. The space can be configured into an end stage, and the seating adjusted from 340 to 468 seats. There are two balconies, the lower of which can either be an independent seating area or the highest level in graduated seating. The upper balcony can serve as a performance space, accommodate the technicians' lighting and sound equipment.

Access:

• Keio Shinsen "Hatsudai station"

Concert Schedule

http://www.nntt.jac.go.jp/cgi-bin/cms/e_kouen_list04.cgi#season1

New National Theater HP

http://www.nntt.jac.go.jp/english/index.html

Personal Recommendation BEST3

★BEST 1★

Tokyo Metropolitan Government

The building was designed by the architect Kenzo Tange. The observatories open to the public on the 45th floor command a view of Tokyo from a height of 202 meters. The Tokyo Tourist Information Center located on the 1st floor of the Main Building No.1 provides some metropolitan tourist information about many cities in Tokyo other than Shinjuku.

Access:

• 10-minute walk from West exit of JR.
• Short walk from Tochomae Subway Station(E-28) on Oedo Line Exit A4

Open:

• Tokyo Tourist Information Center: 9:30-18:30.
• Observatory : 9:30-23:30.

★BEST 2★

Shinjuku Southern Terrace / Takashimaya Times Square

Times Square

At Shinjuku Southern Terrace restaurants, coffeeshops, and unique satellite shops are lines along the 350 meter promenade. Lights illumination along the road are available during every winter.

Ever since it opened in October 1996, the Takashimaya Times Square is considered as a shopping/amusement zone representing the southern area of Shinjuku. It is a complex with Shijuku Takashimaya (department store) and Tokyu Hands in its main building and the annex housing Books Kinokuniya.

This building was constructed by redeveloping the grounds near the JR Yamanote Freight Line which previously was used as a freight station of Shinjuku. Two modernly-designed wings stand next to each other with the Kinokuniya Southern Theater (theater) and Theatre Times Square (movie theater).

Access:

• 1 minute walk from New South exit of JR.

Open:

• Everyday(including Holidays):10:00-22:00.

★BEST 3★

East Shopping Area

The area has many restaurants and long-established department stores and Kabuki-cho ( the biggest bustling town in Japan). It is very easy to find the large book stores and culture and art buildings such as theater, galleries, and live houses.

Kabukicho is right next to shopping area and it is the major entertainment town in Shinjuku. There are many restaurants, theaters, movie theaters, and game arcades.

Access:

• 3 minutes walk from Seibu Shinjuku Line.
• 1 minute walk from East exit of JR.

Open:

• Business hour varies depending on each store.

Place to Stay

Hilton Hotel

Access:

• 10-minute walk from West exit of JR.
• Complimentary Bus Shuttle from Shinjuku Station (from Bus stop #21 in front of Keio Department Store)
• Limousine Bus from Haneda and Narita Airport

WEB: http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/TYOHITW-Hilton-Tokyo-hotel/index.do

Prince Hotel

Access:

• 5-minute walk from East exit of JR.

WEB: http://www.princehotels.com/en/shinjuku/

Hyatt Regency Tokyo

Access:

• 9-minute walk from the West Exit of Shinjuku Station on the JR, Odakyu Line, Keio Line and Marunouchi Line.
• Complimentary Bus Shuttle from Shinjuku Station (from Bus stop #35 in front of Odakyu Halc)
• Limousine Bus from Haneda and Narita Airport

WEB: http://tokyo.regency.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp