Top Choice Cocktail Bar in Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
BenFiddich
BenFiddich is dark and tiny. Vials of infusions line the shelves, while herbs hang drying from the ceiling. The English-speaking barman, Kayama Hiroyasu, in a white suit, moves like a magician. There's no menu, but …
Top Choice Notable Building in Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
Top Choice Bar in Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
Zoetrope
A must-visit for whisky fans, Zoetrope has some 300 varieties of Japanese whisky behind its small counter – including hard-to-find bottles from cult favourite Chichibu Distillery. The owner speaks English and can he…
Top Choice Park in Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
Shinjuku-gyoen
Shinto Shrine in Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
Hanazono-jinja
During the day, merchants from nearby Kabukichō come to this Shintō shrine to pray for the solvency of their business ventures. (Founded in the 17th century, the shrine is dedicated to the god Inari, whose specialit…
Cabaret in Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
Robot Restaurant
This Kabukichō spectacle has hit it big with its vision of 'wacky Japan': bikini-clad women ride around on giant robots against a backdrop of animated screens and enough neon to light all of Shinjuku. Reservations a…
Bar in Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
New York Bar
Head to the Park Hyatt's 52nd floor to swoon over the sweeping nightscape from the floor-to-ceiling windows at this bar (of Lost in Translation fame). There’s a cover charge of ¥2700 if you visit or stay past 8pm (7…
Izakaya in Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
Donjaca
The platonic ideal of a Shōwa-era (1926–89) izakaya, Donjaca, in business since 1979, has red leather stools, paper-lantern lighting and hand-written menus on the wall. The food is equal parts classic (grilled fish …
Gardens in Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
Chinzan-sō
This strolling garden was once the estate of a Meiji-era statesman and is now the backyard of a luxury hotel, though it's open free to the public. The shaded pathways are strewn with antiquities transported from all…
Architecture in Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
Myōnichikan
Lucky are the girls who attended the Frank Lloyd Wright–designed 'School of the Free Spirit' (Jiyū Gakuen; 自由学園). Built in 1921, Myōnichikan functioned as the school's main structure until the 1970s. After restorati…