The Area

Shinjuku is the new Tokyo - filled with vitality and energy, constantly changing and challenging the more traditional pleasures of Central and Northern Tokyo. Modern landmarks dot the area from the Olympic Stadiums of Yoyogi Park to the magnificent twin-towered home for the city government in West Shinjuku.

In Shinjuku, Japanese haute couture abounds. Nightlife is also plentiful with Roppongi's cosmopolitan clubs, bars and music venues and the pachinko parlors of East Shinjuku.

Sightseeing Nearby

• Kabuki-Cho - An area of contrasts where hostess bars and pachinko parlors flourish alongside cafes and restaurants.
• Hanazono Shrine - This Shinto shrine, founded in the mid-17th century, is a calm and surprising oasis among the concrete towers. In the tree-filled compound are a reconstructed vermilion-and-white building and several Imari fox statues.
• Shinjuku National Garden - One of the city's largest parks, it is also one of the most beautifully landscaped with both Japanese- and Western-style gardens. Its 1,900 cherry trees make it a highly popular location for viewing blossoms blooming in April.
• Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office - Completed in 1991 and inspired by European cathedrals, this 797-foot building is a must-see. It has a number of restaurants in the basement, but on the panoramic top floor, there are two observatories.

Shopping and Entertainment

• Seibu Shinjuku PePe - This shopping mall adjacent to the hotel offers a wide range of fashions for women as well as stationery, books and food products.
• American Boulevard - This is an energetic shopper's paradise featuring an outstanding selection of American goods including jeans, sportswear and accessories.
• Shinjuku Avenue - From the basement supermarkets to the rooftop museums and restaurants with every conceivable consumer item crammed in between, these department stores are a tour de force of commercial Japan. You'll find all the major stores - Marui, Mitsukoshi, Isetan, Odakyu and more - along this bustling street.
• Nishi Shinjuku - Take the West exit at the Shinjuku Station to the scores of electronic shops where you'll find many discounted items, especially camera bargains.
• Kinokuniya Bookstore - One of Tokyo's best selections of foreign books.
• Big Box Takadanobaba - This full-featured Health Club features a swimming pool, bowling and sauna. (5 minutes from Seibu-Shinjuku Station.)
• Sunshine 60 Building - Part of the Sunshine City complex, most of the 60 stories are devoted to offices, but several contain restaurants, an aquarium and shopping malls. The Prince Hotel banquet hall and restaurant is on the 59th floor, and there is a breath-taking observatory on the very top.
• Movie Houses - This corner of Kabuki-Cho in East Shinjuku is dominated by cinemas, many showing the latest blockbusters.