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Shinjuku Nightlife and Secret Backstreets Walking Tour in Tokyo

Top rated
4.8
Activity provider: Japan Guide Stars
Shinjuku Nightlife and Secret Backstreets Walking Tour
Shinjuku Nightlife and Secret Backstreets Walking Tour 2
Shinjuku Nightlife and Secret Backstreets Walking Tour 3
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1.5-hour tour in Tokyo, taking in Shinjuku Station East Exit Police Box, Omoide Yokocho and Kabukicho. Run by Japan Guide Stars, booked direct rather than through a reseller.

Highlights

  • Shinjuku Station East Exit Police Box
  • Omoide Yokocho
  • Kabukicho
  • Tokyu Kabukicho Tower
  • Runs 1.5 hours
  • One vending machine drink recommended by the guide

Shinjuku Nightlife and Secret Backstreets Walking Tour: Key Facts

PriceFrom $32 per person
Duration1.5 hours
LanguagesEnglish
Tour typeGuided Tour
BookingDirect with the local operator — no OTA markup

Full description

This is a 1.5-hour experience from Tokyo, built around Shinjuku Station East Exit Police Box, Omoide Yokocho and Kabukicho. It is run by Japan Guide Stars, an operator we book with directly rather than through a reseller, which is why we can hold your place with them before we treat your booking as final.

Tokyo is the largest city on earth by metropolitan population and it is best seen as a set of neighbourhoods on the Yamanote loop line rather than one place. Asakusa has Senso-ji, the city's oldest temple, and Nakamise's shopping lane; Shibuya has the scramble crossing and Shinjuku the bars of Golden Gai and Omoide Yokocho; Harajuku is Takeshita Street and Meiji Shrine's forest; Akihabara is electronics and anime; Ginza is department stores and sushi counters. Everything runs on time and the last trains are around midnight. Cash still matters in small restaurants, an IC card covers every train and bus, and tipping is not done anywhere.

The price covers One vending machine drink recommended by the guide and Walking tour with Local guide. It does not cover Tips, so budget for those separately. Everything included is listed in full on this page; if something is not on that list, assume it is not in the price.

新宿警察署 新宿駅東口交番. We need at least one day's notice, and we confirm the date with Japan Guide Stars before treating your booking as final. If they cannot take your date we tell you and refund you rather than leave you waiting.

Tour Itinerary

Itineraries are customisable as per your request

The schedule below is a suggested plan and can be adjusted to suit your preferences.

Starting location

新宿警察署 新宿駅東口交番

Shinjuku Station East Exit Police Box

Guided tour (10 minutes)

Omoide Yokocho

Guided tour (10 minutes)

Kabukicho

Guided tour (10 minutes)

Tokyu Kabukicho Tower

Visit (30 minutes)

Golden Gai

Guided tour (10 minutes)

Hanazono Shrine

Guided tour (15 minutes)

On foot

(5 minutes)

Arrive back at

新宿警察署 新宿駅東口交番

Detailed Itinerary

Starting location: 新宿警察署 新宿駅東口交番

Shinjuku Station East Exit Police Box: Guided tour (10 minutes)

Omoide Yokocho: Guided tour (10 minutes)

Kabukicho: Guided tour (10 minutes)

Tokyu Kabukicho Tower: Visit (30 minutes)

Golden Gai: Guided tour (10 minutes)

Hanazono Shrine: Guided tour (15 minutes)

On foot: (5 minutes)

Includes

  • One vending machine drink recommended by the guide
  • Walking tour with Local guide

Excludes

  • Tips (optional)

Important information

Meeting point

新宿警察署 新宿駅東口交番

Know before you go

  • Free cancellation available up to 24 hours before the activity starts

About this activity

Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Secure payment
Complete your booking safely with Razorpay. Full refund if you cancel 24h prior. Read more
Duration 1.5 hours
Check availability to see starting times
Live tour guide
English
Wheelchair accessible

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Main Tour Price
Starting from $32
$32
Need a custom booking or have a larger group?Contact Support via WhatsApp
Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Secure payment
Complete your booking safely with Razorpay. Full refund if you cancel 24h prior. Read more

Traveler Reviews

4.8/5
based on 398 reviews
Guide
4.9/5
Value for money
4.8/5
Verified reviews from travelers on this operator’s experience
5
Y
Yolanda
August 19, 2026

I had a great time on my tour with Haruki. We had our tour during a typhoon but it didn’t not stop him from showing us around. Thank you so much Haruki for making my last night in Japan memorable!

Review photo 1
5
T
Tracey
July 1, 2026

This was an insightful tour learning about the history and current things to know about the area. Helpful, knowledgeable English speaking guide. Enjoyed the experience and learning's provided.

Review photo 1
5
A
Angelica
June 11, 2026

So good! It was extremely informative and well paced. The tour guy was also really wonderful. His name was Anthony. I highly recommend this toy.

Review photo 1Review photo 2Review photo 3
5
N
Noa
September 13, 2026

Koki was absolutely amazing! Very knowledgeable and kind. We had such a pleasure with him. Highly highly recommended!

5
A
Anke
August 24, 2026

Rahman was a great guide today and showed us where to eat turtles and horse genitalia☺️☺️!!

5
K
Kristi
August 20, 2026

Our guide Shuya(sp??) was perfect! Great intro to the culture, customs and town of Tokyo. Very happy with what we saw and then information we learned!

5
K
Kija
August 4, 2026

Our guide, Taro, was very informative and friendly. It was like having a friend show us around Shinjuku. The tour was excellent.

5
J
Jorge
July 26, 2026

A very nice and fun short tour to learn about Shinjuku...it was indeed useful and fun. Plus our guide Ya-yo was amazing. Thank you so much for the experience!!!

5
S
Simon
July 15, 2026

I couldn't have asked for a better tour! Koharu is super knowledgeable, chill, kind and funny. I would blindly do any your with her. Overall it was a great experience to see the highlights of Shinjuku and learn about it and its subtle details :) highly recommended.

5
G
Gabriella
June 30, 2026

this is the best way to explore Shinjuku. You will be able to take note of all the attractions and places you want to do shopping.

5
T
Tanvir
June 12, 2026

The Shinjuku tour was amazing. Our guide Anthony was very engaging, enthusiastic and had lots of very interesting things to share about this quirky city. Definitely one of my best and enjoyable visits in Japan and definitely recommend this guided tour!

5
m
monique
June 11, 2026

Rinna was a great tour guide, Very informative speak very well. Took us to heaps of places we would not have found.

Frequently Asked Questions

新宿警察署 新宿駅東口交番
The price does not cover tips (optional). Everything it does cover is listed in full on this page, so if something is not on that list, budget for it separately.
The listing gives the distance and the terrain; most walking tours are flat and paced for average fitness, and cycling tours use river paths and back streets with e-bikes available on request. Summer in the cities is hot and humid from July to September, so early starts and water matter more than fitness.
We confirm your booking with the operator before we treat it as final, and we need at least one day's notice. Once it is confirmed you get the meeting point, the time and a contact number for the day. If the operator cannot take your date we tell you and refund you rather than leave you waiting.
One vending machine drink recommended by the guide, Walking tour with Local guide
The duration of the Shinjuku Nightlife and Secret Backstreets Walking Tour is typically 1.5 hours. We recommend arriving 15 minutes before the scheduled start time for a smooth check-in. Your guide will meet you at the designated meeting point and ensure the experience runs on schedule while remaining flexible to your pace.
For most experiences, we highly recommend an early morning start. This allows you to avoid the midday heat, bypass the largest crowds, and capture the best lighting for photography. Your guide can advise on the optimal timing based on the season and specific attractions included.
Yes, once your booking is completed via our secure payment gateway, you will receive an instant confirmation email with your tour details, meeting point address, guide's name, and direct contact information. You can also view and manage your booking through your AsiaByLocals account dashboard.
Yes! All our private tours are fully customizable. Whether you want to add extra stops, skip certain locations, change the pace, or adjust the start time — simply let your guide know in advance or on the day. We aim to create a personalized experience tailored to your interests and energy level.
We offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before the scheduled start time for a full refund. Cancellations within 24 hours may be subject to a partial charge depending on the tour type. Weather-related cancellations for outdoor and boat tours are handled on a case-by-case basis, with full refunds or free rebooking offered when safety is a concern.
Most of our experiences are family-friendly and suitable for children of all ages. However, some tours involving extensive walking, water activities, or early morning starts may be better suited for children aged 5 and above. Please check the specific tour description for age recommendations, or contact us for personalized family itinerary advice.
After booking, you will receive detailed meeting point instructions via email. Most tours include complimentary hotel pickup within the central area. For tours without pickup, your confirmation email will include the exact address, Google Maps pin, and your guide's phone number for easy coordination. Guides typically arrive 10 minutes early and will message you on WhatsApp.
We accept all major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), PayPal, Apple Pay, and Razorpay for Indian cards. All payments are processed through a PCI-compliant secure gateway with 256-bit encryption. You can also pay in multiple currencies — the price is automatically converted to your local currency at checkout.
Yes, all AsiaByLocals guides are licensed professionals who have been rigorously vetted through background checks, skill assessments, and customer reviews. Many hold government-issued tourism licenses, university degrees in history or cultural studies, and have years of experience leading tours for international travelers. Every guide maintains a minimum 4.5-star rating to remain active on our platform.
Late March to early April for cherry blossom, or late October to early December for autumn colour and the clearest skies. Contrary to most advice, October is Tokyo's wettest month (234.8 mm), not the June rainy season. Full month-by-month figures are in our best time to visit Tokyo guide.
Get a Suica or Pasmo IC card and budget ¥1,000–¥1,400 a day. Do not buy a JR Pass for a Tokyo-only trip — it costs ¥50,000 and excludes Tokyo Metro and Toei entirely. Note JR East raised Tokyo fares on 14 March 2026, so Metro is now cheaper than JR on several routes. See getting around Tokyo.
Shibuya Sky releases tickets only 14 days ahead at 00:00 JST — it cannot be booked months in advance. teamLab Borderless tickets drop at 12:00 JST on the 1st of each month. Our 3-day Tokyo itinerary lists every booking deadline.
Yes — a Japanese licence or an International Driving Permit issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention. 1968 Vienna Convention permits are not valid in Japan. Licences from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco and Taiwan need an official JAF translation instead. Arrange it before you fly; see the Tokyo go-kart guide.
Yes — the highway bus from Busta Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko takes about 1h 45m for ¥2,200. But manage expectations: Fuji is visible on 84% of December mornings and only 23% of July mornings, and cloud builds through the day, so go early. Details in our Mount Fuji day trip guide.
Edomae sushi (the Tokyo Bay style, where curing began as a workaround for having no refrigeration), monjayaki — a runny griddle dish unique to Tokyo with 80+ specialists on Tsukishima's Monja Street — and soba. Also worth knowing: Tsukiji Outer Market never closed; only the wholesale auction moved to Toyosu. See the Tokyo food guide.
The crossing itself takes about ninety seconds. What makes it worth an evening is one street back — Nonbei Yokocho, a lantern-lit alley of tiny bars a minute away that almost nobody who photographs the scramble walks into. Note street drinking is banned in the area 18:00–05:00 year-round, though the ordinance carries no fine. See the Shibuya Crossing guide.
Yes, some. Japan's cashless ratio reached 58% in 2025, so over 40% of payments are still cash — and card refusal is most likely at small independent izakaya, ramen ticket machines and market stalls. Tipping is not expected anywhere.
Starting from$32