Exploring Japan's SHINJUKU at Night | Not a Fan...
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- čas přidán 23. 03. 2024
- I've never liked the Shinjuku area of Tokyo. Tonight I'm aiming to change that as I wander the backstreets after last train. Stuck in Shinjuku until Morning... How will it play out.
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I really love you Tokyo Lens. You are a good guy
I wouldn't like a place with so many people either. 😂
I like Shinjuku and do not like Shibuya. Maybe I am doing Japan wrong.
With how unclean my city is Shinjuku definitely felt a bit homely for me 😅
Do you have 911 system for cops and fire? and do they speak english?
As a solo male here I had a couple scary experiences here.
Walking from my hotel (Gracery, the big Godzilla one) to the robot restaurant, I got harassed by the African bouncers of a nightclub, they grabbed my arm and tried to force me in their club and stood in front and blocked my way to the restaurant. I did a U turn and tried to head back to my hotel and they literally followed me down 2 streets. I had to duck into a shop and browse for 15 minutes until they left.
The next morning I left to travel to my next location and see a young, maybe early 20s American guy naked except for boxer shorts, sitting in the middle of the street crying. I asked if he needed help and he said he thinks we was drugged and had bouncers threaten to keep his passport until he paid them.
Japan is an amazing place but it has a real dodgy area where the police simply won't help you in these areas.
By contrast, Osaka and Kyoto were totally safe.
a reasonable sentiment~
honestly I had a few more unpleasant moments this night than made it to camera lol
@@TokyoLens It'd be great to see the 'darker' side of it, but I gather Japan isn't too fond of that sort of stuff making it into videos :(
Yeah I've got a torn hoodie from a similar situation. I didn't read up about the Nigerian presence in Shinjuku. The "handlers" I guess, trying to get you to go places. Only later did I read about how they drug you and force you to empty your bank account. I made the mistake of trying to joke with the 5th guy in 20 minutes to approach me. He said I called him a "criminal" though he clearly knew I hadn't, and grabbed me by the scruff and got in my face saying he wasn't a criminal and this was his livelihood. He was sort of looking me up and down and I believe he came to the realization he had come to a dead end this night in obtaining any financial gain from me. I kinda made the peace sign in his face until he let me go. To their credit, there were some worried onlookers. I had read up about how police in Japan don't really give a shit about foreigners so I'm not sure I could have handled this any differently. I felt like a victim but I had a Shinkansen to catch the next day.
Good thing about those nigerian bouncers is that they usually only have tourist visas and are working illegally so if they get too handsy with you roughing them up is fine since they are unlikely to go crying to police about it. Ofcourse this is only useful if you are a big guy or a good fighter or you have multiple males in your company when they start harassing you. And the ones I've been bumping into are usually cowards/don't want to make a scene so if you stand your ground they usually back off.
when my friends and I were searching for a decent karaoke place one night there, we were approached by a dude who said he would assist us. He got on his phone and spoke to someone for a minute and then proceeded to lead us a few blocks away into a building and up an elevator to a strange assortment of karaoke rooms. the walkway leading to the rooms was made of wooden slats that twisted and turned upward like a strange rollercoaster. My spidey sense were starting to rise and we sat down and a women posted tye bill on the wall for us before we even began. The bill was an outlandish price and everything seemed to come to a head so we booked it. Shortly after fully realizing it was most likely a sketchy place were they would have drugged us and probably stolen our momney and/or passports or something else. We were very lucky in hindsight.
Although Shinjuku has some negative images especially at night, Norm added lots of positive aspects such as the spectacular Hanazono shrine, findings of unique posters and Godzilla!😆Really enjoyed watching all the fascinating night shots! Thank you☺️
haha glad you enjoyed it!! Keep up the great work~
When I first came to Japan in 2003, Shinjuku was my "idea" of what Tokyo was supposed to be. The crush of people, the narrow back streets, the barrage of lights, signs, and noise - and the occasional hidden island of calm in there. It's definitely a concentrated experience - so I think that's one of the things it offers tourists. Nowhere is it more apparent that you aren't "home" and that you're exploring some completely foreign landscape than in Shinjuku.
I think it's a useful place to live NEAR, but not in (my house is a few stops away on the train). I could not imagine having Shinjuku station be something I need to traverse on a daily basis. I don't want to have to worry about my friends and guests being hassled by street touts or scouts in my neighborhood. It's an entertainment district, and serves that purpose - but these days, it's just as nice to get on a train and leave.
20 years ago when I was a young Airman, I was stuck downtown because I didn't know that the train stopped at midnight. I came from Fussa and was stuck in Shibuya. I wandered around until 7AM and a little after the train started running again. I didn't have a map and I wandererd for a while thru Shibuya, Shinjuku, Harajuku and the outskirts of Tokyo proper. I found a lot of cool places. Was harassed by a dude who thought I had weed, and played pachinko for longer than I thought I would. I also learned that Tokyo metropolitan is a crazy diverse place where you can find all kinds of cool stuff. Thank you for reminding me of me drunken experiences from 20 years ago.
Thank you for being here for it!
As a women who's eager to go to Japan,(but is a tad afraid of solo travel) I appreciate seeing Tokyo through your lens! :)
Japan is an incredibly safe place, but the Shinjuku area is really dodgy at night-time.
You can cheerfully avoid the entire area, it's really not anything to rave about.
Always happy to see a new Tokyo lens video :) Tokyo nightlife always seems to hit so different during the night especially with the hidden spots that aren’t always noticeable !!
always glad to have you here!~
Your videos make me want to go to Japan and never sleep because you make all the times of the day seem beautiful.
this is why I never sleep! haha
Same thing here
Though the pictures online show a lot more nature! Like as a big city, they will plant anything anywhere on rooftops and everything!
As a female Japanese person, I do put on a more unfriendly expression and posture when I’m marching thru the hordes of touts… but I do frequent the cinemas and adore Hanazono shrine at night.
I prefer Shinjuku to Shibuya! The small eateries towards Shinjuku 3-chome areas and Golden Gai can be really nice and once you get to know the ppl, they’re little oases among all the noise. Those spots in Shibuya are bulldozed over now and replaced by rowdy teens/tourists drinking on the street against regulations.
Shout out to the many good Turkish restaurants spanning from Shinjuku to Yoyogi!
Kudos to the Yakuza video game series for showcasing in such detail all these locations .
If I went to Shinjuku I would be a tour guide cause the kamurocho is Burned into my brain
Did a solo female trip and all my tours were with Magical Trips! One of my tours in Kyoto ended up only being me and the guide and it was such an awesome time! Highly recommend the Shinjuku and Shibuya bar/food tours too - as a solo female traveler it was the safest way and it built up my confidence!
Yay! A new Norm vid, perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon ❤
Yay, thank you!
I love shinjuku and the colorful lights and it gives me cyberpunk/bladerunner vibes
its.... ok lol
more like yakuza vibes
There’s actually a metal bar and cyberpunk bar in the Golden Gai area!
My weirdest time in Shinjuku was in 1994 - as my time in Tokyo working for Kodansha was ending. I had grabbed a suite at the Hyatt that got me a King sized bed (I was mostly at a apartment house with an extra long twin bed), and I tried to short cut my way there. I walked through a miniature park. As my eyes adapted to the night - I noticed there were silent couples in the bushes, hoping I wouldn’t notice them.
It was different.
I scooted out the park as fast as I could.
Life has wonders.
It feels like it’s been a while since we’ve been on a night walk. I love that even though it wasn’t a place you enjoy much, you still tried to point out positive attributes. I will say the area was giving me cyber, neo-noir vibes in a way. So much to see and discover
I did a similar night walk around Shinjuku on one of my trips to Tokyo, and I personally feel that Shinjuku can be a hit or miss. Shinjuku feels pretty diversed in its on way. On one side of Shinjuku, you will be swarmed with all the bouncers and people trying to drag you into their clubs, and another side of it will be filled with amazing izakayas and small spaces that are just such a beauty to explore. Even as solo travelling male, I do feel intimidated at some of the places around Shinjuku, but I do feel that it's still pretty safe. Nevertheless, if anyone has the opportunity, I do recommend doing night walks all over Tokyo to experience the peace and quiet of the city which is opposite of the Tokyo you see in the day.
Thanks for another amazing video and bringing us a different look into Japan beyond the usual sights.
just avoid kabukicho
@@j134679 personally I feel that Kabukicho is a very interesting spot to go to, be it night and day. And they have very different ‘personalities’ at the different time of the day (morning, evening, late night, dawn). It may be intimidating and scary, but it’s an interesting sight to explore. Definitely need to be street smart and avoid unnecessary ‘dangers’. It’s not even a dangerous place by itself, imo Japan in general is a safe place.
You are close to 1-MILLION subs! Gratz, Norm. You deserve it. Your content is always pro-level quality.
Shinjuku is an interesting place, but also sketchy at certain times. Be careful out there.
Thanks so much eh!!
My daughters and I stayed in the Prince Hotel in Ikebukuro. On top of the parking garage next door was a course for a driving school. I would watch the cars do the same driving moves over and over again.
I'm not drinker/partier, but shinjuku is definitely a spot to hit up a little for me. There are some record stores, trading card stores, lots of S tier ramen, and the area is aesthetic as heck. The niboshi ramen in golden gai is great to get during the day because it isn't as busy as night.
I just love to walk around with you. It's so real that you think you are right in the middle of it all. Thank you so much Norm 🤍
I just want to say that your videos are great! At the moment, I'm at a very low in my life and my lifelong dream is to visit Japan, which I don't think will happen in the foreseeable future for many reasons, but your videos, man... Just watching you walking around Tokyo at night, visiting shrines and thrift shops, it's just so compelling and soothing. Great content, man, keep up the good work!
Awesome video as always Norm. You always find and the most positive things about every place you take a night walk in even if that place doesn’t always have the best reputation.
As a woman who would likely travel to Japan solo, I really enjoy living vicariously through your videos! I'm enjoying all the places I definitely would not walk through alone, and certainly not late at night if I could help it! Your enthusiasm makes it such a good time, too. Thanks, Norm! ❤
Glad you like them!
It’s so interesting to get a glimpse of Shinjuku’s nightlife! Couldn’t help but think of Las Vegas seeing those particularly bright and rowdy areas, yet the shrine couldn’t have felt more peaceful. Thanks for sharing with us, Norm!
SO CLOSE TO 1M SUBS LETS GET OUR GUY NORM TO THAT EPIC MILESTONE PEOPLE
Spent months of my life walking around there, weird to see the little things I remember
hahaha hope you enjoy it!
@@TokyoLens I did, thanks.
🦛Hippopotamus LOL🦛 so random just like the city itself😂😂😂 I’ve been to Shinjuku many times, but it looks different somehow in this vid! Meaning you always show us the world through your ‘Lens’ so we can find a new face of the city, and you’re so good at doing it❤ Thank you for all your works, Norm🥰 MagicalTrip tour looks interesting too!! Definitely looking in to it~
The busy area of Shinjuku made me appreciate Sawara more since I was able to just chillax.
I love that you show or talk about even the scenes vloggers would normally cut out, it's a more authentic presentation of what viewers would see if they do a midnight Shinjuku walk themselves.
Keep up the content. Videos like this is why I want to go back and travel to Japan is higher than ever
Epic video as always ❤
I can't wait to visit so many of the places you show on your channel some day! Thank you so much for all your work covering this amazing place!
Thanks for the newsletter, Norm! That's awesome!
Also, thanks for talking about your sponsor! This will help immensely when we travel to Japan!
What a sunday!!! thank you so much for making it even better with you videos! ONE LOVE
Love these night exploration videos😮
I really do love how happy and full of joy you always look in these videos. Like I can just tell that your not doing it for content it's because you love sharing these special places and moments with us
Thank you
Also getting so close to the 1mil
Thanks so much ☺️
Congratulations on 1M subscribers! Very well deserved, been opening your channel every morning to see if you made it!
Always love your videos!! Thank you for another night walk!! 😊
You are so welcome!
Thanks Norm, another great video. I have been to Shinjuku 3 times now, mostly early evening, and have felt a slight apprehension, but no worse than any other city in another country. I guess that having been around for a few years now I might not seem such an easy mark, I’ve never felt too uncomfortable. Love Tokyo and love Japan I can’t wait to come back.
Thank you for the amazing video as always Norm! I just started my planning for September 2025 and MagicalTrip will be a big help with that!
love to watch your videos after work! keep going!
Thank you for posting. I look forward to all of your videos. ❤
+1 to the magical trips recommendation. My wife and I did a similar Fushimi Inari back trail hike. Our guide, Shiori, was fantastic. Very knowledgeable and we felt safe hiking in those back trails thanks to her.
I used to live near Shinjuku. This video brought back so many fun memories. Thanks!
Stayed in Shinjuku for my first week in Tokyo. I love the energy and fun that it brings. That being said, the predatory nature of some of the areas can sometimes take you out of the fun/vibe.
Still an insanely unique place (eith a great bar scene so im so glad you partnered eith Magical Trips)! Thanks for the dope video Norm
Ah this gives me memories. Stayed in Shinjuku last year and was amazing.
Awesome adventuring as always. 👍
Amazing night and early morning walks.
Really enjoy your videos. 📹
Keep up the great work. 😀
I loved Shinjuku while I was out there last year. It seemed like everyone was having a lot of fun and I found a little Izakaya where the bartender spoke english and he helped me make some friends that night. I spent a lot more time in Shinjuku than I had planned because there was always so much going on. I will be in Tokyo again later this year and these videos will always hype me up to go back.
I never knew how interesting Japan would actually be until I find Tokyo Lens. I don't know is it your way of telling stories, but I love watching your videos. My favorite ones are the tiny apartment videos along with the night trains and probably almost any accommodation situations. Kudos to you! Keep up the good work.
insanely kind of you!!
Night walk! ❤ A lifesaver during the pandemic, I just love them!
The quiet temple in the middle of Shinjuku surprised me. It's beautiful!
newsletter!!! *runs to look for it *
Just happened to stumble upon that shrine during my last trip to Japan in 2019. It was so beautiful to see. Another great video Norm, thanks & greetings from Aruba.
clean intro! love the vibes 🔥
Hi Norm! Thank you again for the wonderful night walk video in Tokyo! But I couldn’t help worrying about your safety when you walked in those back streets! May god bless you!
This video had some insane cinematic transitions! Really cool video man!!
i get bad panic attacks and anxiety. your videos help me come down. thanks
I love this video. I LOVE Tokyo nights. I used to hang out in Shinjuku at night often 15 years ago.. haven't been there since. It seems a bit different. I don't remember any trash.. that blows my mind. I'm jealous how easy it looked for you to find access to a rooftop! Side note, I saw you had a night shot of Asakusa from what appears to be an earlier walk. I once stayed in a hotel there because it was the most affordable, and was so shocked that past sunset the entire place becomes a ghost town. SO bustling during the day, freaky empty even in early night. No convenience stores, nothing. Just dark, quiet, empty.
I'll be going to Japan in April, and Tokyo is definitely one of my stops! One of the things I want to do in Tokyo is explore the streets and back alleys! It looks like so much fun!
Norm: Your videos are always, ALWAYS, a visual treat. And then I just can't help but be immersed with your narration. Thank you!
Wow, thank you!☺️
I cant belive I almost skipped this!
I have been really busy recently, but I am glad I kept this in the back of my mind to come back to. An enjoyable respite from a busy time.
What a treat on a Sunday morning in beautiful Vancouver! Thanks for an informative video to get my day started. You never let us down, Norm.
Glad you enjoyed it 😊
During Summer 2023, the area where you said was blocked off, it was crowded with people sleeping there and the toyoko kids were roaming as well, lots of security guards were on sentry too.
Never know what to expect with your videos but love them all ❤
Really enjoyed this night walk thanks Norm🌃🏮✨I’ll never get tired of seeing the hidden back alleys ❤️
living in a city where everything closes as 18h and restaurants closes at 23h, I find shinjuku fascinating. To have stores and restaurants opened so late, so many people and light at night, it's crazy.
Congratulations on the 1 million subscribers, Norm!!!!🎉🎉🎉
As always norm dropping that info thank you
Thank you for finding some positives for us in Shinjuku. Thete were two areas we visited that my daughter hated and couldnt get us to leave soin enough, and that was Shinjuku and Shibuya. Too loud and crowded, and both were dirty with rubbish. We felt safe everywhere else, but guarded there. So it's nice to see the peaceful spots and see the city from different angles we might otherwise miss. Shrines always brought me joy when we found them on our travels. 😊
Another insightful video 😊
Nice one Norm! I always want to come back to Japan after your videos. I need to sort that out ASAP!
Followed Magical Trip on my 2 socials and you may not love Shinjuku but it sure makes for some great content for your channel. LOVED this one. More soon kudasai.
We’re staying in shinjuku for a few nights in September, I’m so pleased to have spotted this video! Thank you Norm!
Yay! New vid. Thanks Norm.
These night walk videos make me miss the two weeks I spent in Japan earlier this year. We always had a full day and had to walk home very late and these make me wish I convinced myself and my companions to stay overnight someplace other than our AirBnB.
stop staying at Shinjuku some 15 years ago when I found there were more tourists than locals and the night life nearby was quite unsafe for a solo female tourist like myself and I wasn’t such a big time spender apart from sightseeing despite being a frequent visitor to Japan but yeah, Shinjuku is deffo my no go list unless I have to
Hippopotamus is a very fun word to say! Great video Norm! As usual!!!
I visited shinjuku in 2005. I came out of the subway, looked around for like 5 minutes and went right back to the subway. It's overwhelming, I think.
wtf, why? cant understand that.
Loved seeing Kabukicho! One of the spots I definitely want to visit at some point, as I'm a huge fan of the Yakuza / Like a Dragon games.
Every single second of the video I keep hearing the yakuza 4 for faith music raging through my head.
Japan is such an atmospheric place 🤩
Watching your videos makes me miss Japan so much. I hope to go again someday.
I can't wait to meet you walking around Tokyo ❤
This has reinforced the idea that I already had that I need to spend at least one more wandering through Shinjuku to see if I like it better than my initial visit.
Congratulation on 1million subs,Norm!!🎊🎊🎊👏👏 Your presentation is amazing..!It always looks like documentary!!☺️👏
Thanks so much lemi!!
Always so kind~ ☺️
I’m looking forward to doing some of these night walks!
Toronto night walks are one of my favourite summer activities. Making a note to do at least one when I’m in Tokyo.
Great video! You painted that part of Tokyo perfectly. Shinjuku definitely feels futuristic in many ways, but also very run down. I’ll be sure to not go there at night!!
Great vid love These
Always love these vids , will be travelling to Tokyo from Toronto with my two teenage sons in July . Your channel has given me a lot of great ideas already . I'm a Illustrator/Photographer , so I want to make sure to get the most out of our visit.
I was literally at that shrine just 3 days ago! It's cool to see a place I just randomly stumbled on during my trip to Japan be in a video!
7:28 that shrine area was the 1st thing that I stumpled into on my 1st day in Japan. Gets me emotional
That shot from above looks like it a maquette of the city. Looked unreal and impressive at the same time 😮
Glad someone finally mentioned the Hollywoodification of Tokyo in those new developments!
Especially in tourist traps like that new Kabukicho tower.
I always wonder how sustainable it is to tear down old authentic buildings to replace them with some kitsch pastiche that only appeals to people who aren't really into japan. lol
Like what are they gonna do when the casual tourists stay away because there's a new trending destination?
Then they killed off all the backalley mom and pop restaurants for some huge corporate tower nobody goes to anymore.
It’ll get worse before it gets better
Shinjuko had some nice shopping here and there but I was more than happy to head back to Ueno at the end of the evening. I didn't even waste my time going towards Kabukicho, so if you really want to see the Godzilla head I recommend head there before noon
nightwalks are amazing.
Love your vids, thank you so much for making them, I'll visit one day!
Love the additions after the ending
Love the editing in this!
What a great way to start my Sunday afternoon ❤❤
enjoy!
That was fun! The shrines are so beautiful! Can you do a video specifically about a traditional Japanes shrine and the rituals they do?
youre so close to a million subs. You of all youtubers, deserve it. Top quality content creator.
I love the Shinjuku area. Thanks for the safety tip. I’ve never felt in danger but I always wondered if that was due to my lack of awareness regarding Japanese street smarts. Great video as always!!! ❤
Another great video. I have been living in Tokyo since 2020 and honestly I rarely go to Shinjuku myself, only on special occasion. I rather enjoy other area's of Tokyo. I do really love the shrine and I have a friend who runs a bar there which is the only time I go to Shinjuku to visit him.