Exploring Japan's SHINJUKU at Night | Not a Fan...

[Music] it is nearly 1:00 in the morning in Shinjuku and that was the last train meaning I am stuck here for the night I might get cancelled for this I don't like Shinjuku but I'm hoping the city will change my mind tonight it's been over a year maybe two three it's been a long time since I've been out to Shinjuku but judging from the garbage the area doesn't really change that much more than anything I'm stocked at how many people are still here after last train [Music] though this is the quietest space I've managed to find so far and it's because the entire thing is gated off years ago I actually worked in Shinjuku likely part of the reason that I'm not a huge fan of the area and if you walk through here in the morning weirdly it wasn't uncommon to find several pairs of high heels just laying around my question was always what happened to the people like did they [Music] explode never been in here but you know what it reminds me of have you ever seen that John Wick movie where they came to Japan and it looks nothing like Japan even at this time this is a lot it's almost overwhelming I've seen a lot more of this Hollywood ification of Japan in the past 5 years or so is that a word Japan trying to match what it thinks the movie image of the country is for non-japanese guests and it's way more prevalent like in areas of shinuk and don't get me wrong I love how it looks it's got a beautiful aesthetic but it's far from being real Japan we need to find a much more authentic area of shin you tonight actually more impressive than anything is that it's open at 1:30 in the morning so if you need to grab a quick [Music] bite you ever seen these rental Cycles they're insanely convenient also the Robot Restaurant is a thing again it's so energetic what's up guys nothing but distractions and bright lights and colors and one of my friends works there as a performer having gone out to visited her for years though but I'm trying to find even just one quiet space to get a good vantage point of Shinjuku at night this is how I get to know different areas of Tokyo or other cities a little better I'll spend a night or 10 going through the narrow back streets trying to find an area that I can kind of call my own it never really is my own but you you get what I mean I've just never done that with Shinjuku though though and sometimes you kind of need to take a step back to gain some perspect it gives me an idea [Music] though so I just had a group of guys come up and ask me if my camera was expensive and if so how much Shinjuku is a lovely place the search [Music] continues I managed to find a nice quiet rooftop with a gorgeous vantage point of Shinjuku just sprawled out in front of me this is what it's all about being able to find the quiet peaceful moments even in amongst crazy Shinjuku at 2 a.m. also most people would be really surprised to find out just how much life actually happens on Tokyo's rooftops everything from tiny little Homes and Apartments to daycares golf driving ranges shrines Gardens the list goes on and on Shinu hasn't quite won me over yet but it's but it's definitely working on [Music] it this also looks like a slightly quieter space to walk I started this Tokyo nightwalk series during the pandemic as a way to escape the crowds and still enjoy Tokyo and I often get ask if it would be safe for a solo female to do the same thing and walk around the city at night and and especially in an area like Shinjuku as somebody who has a lot of sisters I'd be hard pressed to say yes well you'll likely be fine Japan also has a history of not being the safest place for solo females and that makes me feel really grateful for being able to walk around and record these and not have to worry about things and I know that there is a certain amount of privilege in there but it enables me to bring these moments to you guys through these videos and and there's a [Music] cat okay I've made my way out to the Shinjuku golden guy area and if you've never been here this place is an absolute treat is like visual candy let me show you yeah yeah I haven't been out here and I don't know how long I always get DMS and messages from you guys saying that you want me to be your guide in Tokyo and while I appreciate the heck out of that I can't which is why I'm always introducing friends like Lucas and Emmy to show you around people that I learn stuff from for most people your best bet is going to be to get an actual local guide who knows and can safely show you around the area like my friends at magical trip I'd reach out to them and said that I might mention them in this video and they offered to sponsor I would have talked about them either way but full disclosure I will toss that up there they basically set you up with a local guide who knows exactly what's going on for example last year they took me up the back entrance of Fushimi nutti Shrine through the mountains with a very knowledgeable guide who most importantly knew what was safe and what wasn't right way right way good good death death and that's incredibly important if you're going to do something for example like the Shinjuku bar hopping tour cuz then you know you're going to get a great experience meet amazing people and not fall into some weird Shinjuku scam because they do exist I'll link their website cuz it is full of incredible ideas that even if you do not book a tour or a guide you might find something for your trip that you're like o I want to try that while I'm in Japan I've gone back and done that Kyoto walk I have no idea how many times I will take the sponsor thing off the screen now huge thank you to magical trip and I think there's a shrine up here wow this is hanono Shrine I've never been here at night and it is absolutely spectacular it's just gorgeous and it's unbelievable that you're going to find something like this right in the middle of super crowded Shinjuku like even on this side there's a a big toy gate over there in the entrance okay with this there may be a small chance that Shinjuku may be starting to win me over especially with this row of toy Gates leading up to the inti [Music] shrine it's just such a peaceful and quiet little Shrine area I only have a 10 Yen coin usually they use 5 Yen because 5 yen is go in which also means good luck but [Music] being able to find a peaceful and quiet Shrine like this is one of the things that I love the most about living in Tokyo it's kind of that little thing that you always dream about as a kid for those of you who want to live in Japan you imagine exactly this being able to walk around a shrine at night with nobody around and you get that in Tokyo and Tokyo also gives you the ju toos that allows you to really appreciate the Japanese Countryside the nature and every other space in Japan so as much as I love the countryside it's why I stay here in the city of Tokyo it gives me that little bit of extra gratitude every time I'm able to get out and explore one of the more open or traditional areas and while I always feel that appreciation on these night walks I feel just a little bit more when I'm in the middle of a crazy night in the area of Shinjuku found one more person here she came up rang the bell had a little chat and was peacefully and quietly on her I also always really enjoy reading the messages on these like for example this one here says that they're hoping to get tickets for a 2024 Mr Children concert really popular band in [Music] Japan and if you've never been out to the area the shrine is right here and golden guy that we were walking through is just right there just the gap between those two spaces it's just amazing and there's a Japanese police box right here Coban and they kept staring out the window at me I think I'm freaking them out so we'll keep moving on and see Shinjuku is such a lovely Place signs like this are by no means unique to Shinjuku they're all over Tokyo I've just never quite seen one this size now I will give Shinjuku bonus points for variety some of the other areas that we've hit at night are completely empty no people all night and although it's just a random Thursday and we haven't hit the west side of Shinjuku yet the business district which I'm guessing is probably completely empty I guess judging a book by its cover and all of that most of my initial experiences with Shinjuku were far from being positive even still to this day you get the noise the constant propositioning by people on the streets or the bodies passed out on the ground as the sun comes up okay admittedly that one's always been kind of humorous but every now and then you just got to get out and do something a little bit different Shinjuku at least at night may have won me over a little bit what do you think I just saw this sign in gold guy that says currently the use of marijuana is prohibited in Japan Yep looks like there's been talks of Redevelopment you can pause that and check that out I had no idea obviously I knew that marijuana was illegal in Japan but there's there's some craziness going on down [Music] here okay never mind that was there was a topless white guy in that bar just going crazy the rer did not seem happy do not be that guy this is just a publicly accessible stairwell by the way I'm not even on the rooftop I also have a meeting in 5 hours I've got to stop scheduling meetings on the same day I have night walks crazy white guys upsetting propri aside I think I'm kind of falling in love with the golden guy area also yes that is light the sun is coming up soon and there's always all these things I want to add after the video is published and you can't really do that so I think I'm going to start a newsletter with like tips tricks little Maps extras and whatnot that'll be linked down below maybe in the pin comment if you want to check that out thank you guys so much for hanging out today and I will see you again real soon yeah the west side was a lot quieter

Channel: Tokyo Lens

Views: 214,999

Keywords: Japan, Tokyo, Vlog, Tokyo Lens, Tokyo Vlog, Japan Vlog, Norm Nakamura, Norm Tokyo Lens, Japanese, tokyo night, shinjuku, tokyo lens, shinjuku tokyo, tokyo shinjuku, shinjuku night walk, tokyo shinjuku night, shinjuku at night, tokyo night walk, tokyo lens night walk, is shinjuku bad, things to do in tokyo, where to go in tokyo, kabukicho, tokyo shinjuku kabukicho, kabukicho night, kabukicho walk, exploring shinjuku, exploring japan, japan shinjuku, shinjuku japan

Id: EcA53K57diw

Length: 12min 26sec (746 seconds)

Published: Sun Mar 24 2024