Google: Shinjuku station has over 200 exits
Us: we know Google, we found about 57 of them this evening….
We did also find two lots of delicious ramen, the harry potter cafe, the magical “lord cat” in 3D in Shinjuku, a very dodgy walking street that was more in line with what you expect in Thailand and vending machine hot chocolate.
During the day we went for a walk from our Akasaka accomodation to find the Harry Potter cafe. Super gimicky and expensive but really interesting if you’re a HP fan.
After this visit I had a 1 hour uni lecture from 5-6pm and then we headed off to Shinjuku to try and work out our day trip pick up point for the next day. After some wandering and 57 different exits we did eventually work it out!
In relation to the somewhat dodgy street, Sakura Dori, or Cherry Blossom Street, is a vibrant lane in Kabukicho, Shinjuku, known for its lively atmosphere, diverse establishments, and neon-lit scenery.
Once known as one of Kabukicho’s more ‘dangerous’ areas, it has transformed into a popular spot for tourists and locals alike…while still having an awful lot of 18+ signs and “girl bars”. We ended up here by accident after visiting the 3D “lord cat”. The giant 3D cat billboard in Tokyo, better known as the “Shinjuku Cat” or “lord cat” and is one of those fun little surprises Japan is known for. It sits on the Cross Shinjuku Building just outside the East Exit of JR Shinjuku Station, and the curved 4K screen makes the calico cat look properly three-dimensional. It stretches, yawns, meows, and peers down at people below, with different routines running across the day, and it pops up every 15 mins between ads.
After we found the cat, we realised it was the opposite side of Shinjuku station to the famous skewer alley and I was not up for another trek back through that Shinjuku labyrinth. Instead we went down cherry blossom street and had dinner at “Kamakura” known for its ramen in a clear, French style broth.
Steps: 10733
Japanese food: 2 x ramen, 1 x gyoza, vending machine snaaaacks!!
Mel's Travel Blog 