101 things to do in Shinjuku

26. Hang out like a hipster...

This roomy basement café imitates a New York hipster hangout, with open plan seating, brick walls, a library of art books, and a burger-and-pancake menu. The beer on tap, naturally, is Brooklyn Lager. Brooklyn Parlor map and opening hours

27. Shop for subculture...

Kaiho-ku (meaning 'liberated zone'), the department store known for innovation, has been reborn in the Isetan Honkan building with an unshackled mix of fashion and art that's set to be a new sanctuary of Japanese subculture. Tokyo Kaihoku Isetan Main Building map and opening hours

28. Grab a Miyazaki snack...

Experience the local cuisine of Miyazaki Prefecture at this showroom that combines a shop selling specialties, such as 'hiya-jiru' (cold soup), and a snack corner. It's cheap, tasty and fast. Shinjuku Miyazaki Kan Konne map and opening hours

29. Spot the shrine among the skyscrapers...

Since being built in the Edo period, this shrine has seen many modern buildings spring up around it, making it a popular place for pause. Visit in November to take part in the annual 'Tori no Ichi (Otori-sai)' fairs.
Hanazono Shrine map and opening hours

30. Pair shellfish with saké...

Speciality restaurant 'Hamaguri' in Shinjuku-sanchome boasts a long list of shellfish dishes. The 'Baked Clam on Kelp' is packed with powerful ocean flavours and is well-suited to pairing with saké.
Hamaguri map and opening hours

31. Listen to some comic storytelling...

There are only a few places in Tokyo to watch rakugo (comic storytelling), and this venerable Shinjuku theatre is one of them. First-timers should try the Saturday night performances, which cost just ¥500.
Suehiro-tei map and opening hours

32. Choose natural beauty...

At this natural and organic cosmetic store inside Shinjuku's Isetan there are more than 100 brands including supplements, health foods, Chinese medicines and beauty products. Head to the spa corner for a pick-me-up treatment. Beauty Apothecary Isetan Main Building map and opening hours

33. Do some surreal late-night shopping...

Pile ’em high, sell ’em cheap gets taken to the extreme at the Shinjuku branch of Don Quijote. It's cluttered, disorganised and disorientating, but you’ll find everything from snacks to washing machines, 24 hours a day.
Don Quijote map and opening hours

34. Act like an Italian...

Enjoy Venetian cuisine and wine at the standing bar ('banco'), where you can order grilled vegetables, marinated sardines and prosciutto for around ¥100 each. There's a lunch menu too and extra portions are free. Il Bacaro map and opening hours

35. Chat into the night...

Ideal for a late-night rendezvous, this café and restaurant is a popular LGBT hangout that gets points for its 18 different kinds of tea, Vietnamese coffee and homemade fruit cake that changes monthly.
Cocolo Cafe map and opening hours

36. Get a room with a view...

This city hotel is super convenient as it’s just a three-minute walk from Shinjuku Station. Catch the lift to the 19th floor for an uninterrupted view of the city.
Century Southern Tower map and opening hours

37. Snack on 50 kinds of skewers...

Shinjuku’s Golden Gai area has plenty of bars but few places to eat, so this restaurant is a good find with its 50-plus different kinds of skewers starting at ¥100 each.
Dongaragasshan map and opening hours

38. Gaze at a range of art...

The focus at this gallery is on modern and contemporary art, and in addition to exhibitions by international and Japanese artists, it hosts special features four times a year showing architecture, design, fashion and more.
Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery map and opening hours

39. Have fun with pizza...

It’s like a playground for grown-ups at this creative cosmopolitan Italian restaurant featuring 45 different kinds of stone oven-baked Neapolitan pizzas. Doop Tokyo map and opening hours

40. Have a royal coffee...

Sip siphon coffee 24 hours a day at the ostentatiously decorated Coffee Kizoku (literally, 'aristocratic coffee') Edinburgh. The prices might make your eyes water (up to ¥3 000) but the pots are big – and there's free Wi-Fi.
Edinburgh map and opening hours

41. Be a cult art fan...

The gallery's uniquely curated Japanese art (do the terms 'treasure house', 'bondage' and 'ball-jointed dolls' catch your attention?) has already garnered a cult-like fanbase, even though it only opened in 2012. Shinjuku-za map and opening hours

42. Go underground for whisky and cocktails...

At the bottom of a long staircase lies this chandelier-lit bar that's been delighting patrons with its fresh fruit cocktails and whisky for 32 years. An abundance of Japanese, Western and Chinese dishes complement the spirits.
Suntory Lounge Eagle map and opening hours

43. Pretend you're on a pilgrimage...

This historic shrine from the Muromachi era has its roots in the Kumano Sanzan, the set of three grand shrines famed as a destination on the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes.
Junisha Kumano Jinja map and opening hours

44. Visit Barneys in Japan...

The name speaks for itself. Barneys New York is renowned for its original aesthetic sense and its high-end, quality clothing from around the world as well as dining ware, stationery and home furnishings.
Barneys New York map and opening hours

45. Meet Ms Roboto...

Bikini-clad women battle it out using enormous female automatons at this glitzy, gaudy and utterly bonkers tourist attraction, a neon-decked wonderland with a ¥10 billion price tag. Robot Restaurant map and opening hours

46. Watch first-class jazz...

All chairs here face the stage, in reverence to the most respected jazz groups in town. The music is always first class, and a regular 2.30pm slot offers the stage to emerging bands. Shinjuku Pit Inn map and opening hours

47. Chomp on giblet skewers...

A small roast giblet restaurant in a corner of the Omoide Yokocho (side street of memories) where fresh giblets are served as roasted skewers or sashimi. Popular choices include chire (spleen) and hatsu (heart).
Motsu Yaki Utchan map and opening hours

48. Guess the song title...

Named after a famous ’70s song by Maki Asakawa, this dimly lit bar plays a variety of tunes, from idiosyncratic rock and jazz to pop, all chosen personally by the owner.
Uramado map and opening hours

49. Grab a Chinese crab...

Open till 4am, this Shanghainese restaurant is loved for its Chinese mitten crab dishes. Reserve your spot the day before to ensure you get a seat, and book the private 12-seater table for special occasions.
Shuei map and opening hours

50. Sing karaoke with a live band...

Serving karaoke with a twist, the owners of this Kabukicho 'snack' bar accompany customers on electric guitar and saxophone. If you go really late you might find yourself drinking (and warbling) with staff from neighbouring bars.
Studio Himawari map and opening hours