Best Tours and Activities in Shinjuku

Shinjuku is one of the most popular areas for tourists visiting Tokyo. It is renowned for its gorgeous nightlife and dazzling neon lights. There are numerous tours and activities available in the Shinjuku area, offered by various tourist agencies.

From unique themed restaurants to izakaya hopping, explore the best things to do, tours, and activities in Shinjuku, Tokyo!

*Please note that this article contains affiliate links.

1. Bar Hopping

Shinjuku area is considered as the best area to explore Tokyo’s nightlife. The district become lively and bright after dark, and there are hundreds of bars and Izakaya in this area. To experience the authentic drinking culture in Shinjuku, it’s highly recommended to join a bar hopping tour! Visit hidden Izakaya bars and enjoy drinking with delicious bar snacks just like local! Check out the link below for the top-selling bar hopping tour in Shinjuku, and booking with special discount is available!!

2. Samurai Restaurant Time

Since its inception, when it was known as Robot Restaurant, Samurai Restaurant Time has been a top tourist attraction in Tokyo over the past years. The extravagant show features robots, laser lights, colourful decor, and Kawaii dancers, and represents the ultra-modern Japanese culture within one show. It’s absolutely unique, crazy and highly entertaining that you would never see anywhere else.

Review ▶︎Samurai Restaurant

Although the original Robot Restaurant show was closed due to technical issues, with no comeback date announced yet, since October 2023, the show “Samurai Restaurant Time” has continued to be an absolute hit, featuring an action-packed entertainment show with dancers, music, and neon lights. If you were hoping to see the legendary Robot Restaurant, Samurai Restaurant Time will not be a letdown for sure!

<< 8% OFF! Book your Samurai Restaurant Time tickets here! >>

3. Hunt for Shinjuku’s Great Photo Spots

Shinjuku is one of the coolest neighbourhoods in Tokyo to photograph. It’s best known for the glaring neon lights at night, but there are several more cool and unique things and buildings that you might not want to miss, including nostalgic drinking alleys and modern skyscrapers. Check the following article to find out the best photo spots in the Shinjuku area!

Related Article: 10 Instagram Worthy Spots in Shinjuku

4. Izakaya Style Japanese Cooking

One of the best cooking classes in Tokyo, Izakaya Style Japanese Cooking Class is hosted by COMBURGER, winner of a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence! The cooking class introduces the best way to enjoy authentic Japanese home-cooked dishes. Along with the cooking class, you can also take a guided tour around the Shinjuku neighbourhood on request! The Shinjuku-based teacher/guide can show you around cool and hidden spots in this area.

Review ▶ Delicious Japanese Home Cooking Class in Shinjuku Tokyo!

5. Release Your Stress at Reeast Room

One of the most trending spots in Tokyo today, Reeast Room is a new type of entertainment offering a unique way to release stress and unleash the rage by breaking things. Inside the room, you will be provided with protective equipment so you can safely destroy various objects using baseball bats, bars, and hammers.

▶ Stress Relieving Experience at Reeast Room in Nishi Shinjuku

6. Dance the Night Away at Shinjuku’s Popular Nightclub

Looking for a place to party all night long? WARP SHINJUKU is one of Tokyo’s leading nightclubs, featuring regular and guest DJs as well as special events throughout the year.

▶ WARP SHINJUKU admission ticket (Tokyo)

7. Meet a Fortune Teller

Have the most curious and mysterious experience in Shinjuku! If you are worried about your general life, health, job, love life, etc, take a chance to talk to the famous fortune teller who reads your past, current and future by either palm reading, runestones, tarot cards or from angel cards, and uses white magic to guide you through your life!

8. Bar Hopping Night Tour

Experience Tokyo’s nightlife like a local with this guided bar hopping tour through Shinjuku’s hidden alleys. Over three hours, you’ll visit three traditional izakayas in areas like Omoide Yokocho and Kabukicho, enjoying dishes such as yakitori and gyoza, paired with local drinks including sake and beer. The tour is all-inclusive, so you can come empty-handed and leave with a full belly and new friends. It’s a great way to immerse yourself in Japan’s drinking culture and discover spots you might not find on your own.

▶Tokyo Bar Hopping Night Tour in Shinjuku

9. Shinjuku Ninja Live Show

Experience a high-energy, non-verbal performance that blends traditional Japanese arts with modern technology. The show features ninja acrobatics, oiran dances, and taiko drumming, all enhanced by dynamic lighting and visual effects. Held at WARP Shinjuku, each 90-minute performance includes a pre-show DJ set and concludes with an interactive session and photo opportunities with the cast. Reserve your ticket at least seven days in advance to enjoy a complimentary Wagyu beef bento and drink.

▶Book Ninja+Kabuki Tokyo tickets

10. Samurai Museum <Temporarily Closed>

If you are into Japanese history or traditional culture, the Samurai Museum in Shinjuku is a must-visit place. The museum showcases a great collection of Samurai artefacts such as armors, real Japanese swords, and war helmets. It’s a great place to learn Japanese history and the ancient Japanese Samurai culture. You can also try on the armor and hold a katana (Samurai sword) with an additional charge.

Hope you enjoyed my list of the best things to do in the Shinjuku area, Tokyo! Don’t miss the coolest experience in Tokyo 🙂

For more unique and trendy things to do in Tokyo, check out these articles listed below!