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58-499: Within close walking distance from three train stations (Shinjuku San-chōme Station, Shinjuku Gyoenmae Station, and Japan's busiest train station, Shinjuku Station ), the Shinjuku Ni-chōme neighborhood provides a specialized blend of bars, restaurants, cafes, saunas , love hotels , gay pride boutiques, cruising boxes ( hattenba ), host clubs , nightclubs , massage parlors , parks, and gay book and video stores. In fact within

116-456: A sentō at an onsen , all guests are expected to wash and rinse themselves thoroughly before entering the hot water. Bathing stations are equipped with stools, faucets, wooden buckets, and toiletries such as soap and shampoo; nearly all onsen also provide removable shower heads for bathing convenience. Entering the onsen while still dirty or with traces of soap on the body is socially unacceptable. Guests are not allowed to wear swimsuits in

174-686: A depth of at least 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi), and contain specified amounts of minerals such as sulphur, sodium, iron, or magnesium. When onsen water contains distinctive minerals or chemicals, establishments often display what type of water it is, in part because the specific minerals found in the water have been thought to provide health benefits. Types include sulfur onsen ( 硫黄泉 , iō-sen ) , sodium chloride onsen ( ナトリウム泉 , natoriumu-sen ) , hydrogen carbonate onsen ( 炭酸泉 , tansan-sen ) , and iron onsen ( 鉄泉 , tetsu-sen ) . Exactly when humans first began bathing in onsen in Japan

232-419: A dozen customers, who preferably represent a club's specialized subset of the gay subculture. In a society where traditionally most of the population was expected to marry, many LGBT Japanese choose to privately express their sexuality within the anonymity of specialty clubs in areas like Ni-chōme. To achieve this specialization, clubs are typically segregated by "scene". There are bars that cater specifically to

290-653: A large public square on the west side completed in 1941. Kondo's plan also called for extending the Tokyu Toyoko Line to a new underground terminal on the west side of the station and constructing an east–west underground line that would be served by the Seibu Railway and the Tokyo Kosoku Railway (forerunner of Tokyo Metro ), while the Keio and Odakyu lines would use above-ground terminals to

348-537: A stop on Japan Railway's Akabane-Shinagawa line (now part of the Yamanote Line ). Shinjuku was still a quiet community at the time and the station was not heavily trafficked at first. The opening of the Chūō Line (1889), Keiō Line (1915) and Odakyū Line (1923) led to increased traffic through the station. Japanese government urban planner Kensaburo Kondo designed a major revamp of the station in 1933, which included

406-430: A swimming suit in their mixed baths. Onsen guests generally bring a small towel with them to use as a wash cloth. The towel can also provide a modicum of modesty when walking between the washing area and the baths. Some onsen allow one to wear the towel into the baths, while others have posted signs prohibiting this, saying that it makes it harder to clean the bath. It is against the rules to immerse or dip towels in

464-696: Is a major commuter route stretching southwest through the suburbs and out towards the coastal city of Odawara and the mountains of Hakone . The ten platforms are built on two levels beneath the Odakyu department store; three express service tracks (six platforms) on the ground level and two tracks (four platforms) on the level below. Each track has platforms on both sides in order to completely separate boarding and alighting passengers . Chest-high platform screen doors were added to platforms 4 and 5 in September 2012. Keio operates two sections of Shinjuku Station,

522-630: Is a major railway station in Tokyo , Japan, that serves as the main connecting hub for rail traffic between central/eastern Tokyo (the special wards ) and Western Tokyo on the inter-city rail , commuter rail , and subway lines. The station straddles the boundary between the Shinjuku and Shibuya special wards. In Shinjuku, it is in the Nishi-Shinjuku and Shinjuku districts; in Shibuya, it

580-480: Is a popular form of domestic tourism in Japan. During the bubble economy of the 1980s, there was a " onsen boom." Although the number of overnight guests at hot spring resorts has decreased slightly since the boom, travel to such onsen towns as a relaxing getaway is still popular among Japanese people. Traditionally, men and women bathed together at both onsen and sentō communal bathhouses, but gender separation has been enforced at most institutions since

638-432: Is believed to have unique benefits. Carbonated springs, for example, are believed to lead to smooth skin. Onsen facilities often advertise various health and beauty benefits they claim their water to provide. Water at some onsen facilities is drinkable. Onsen water should only be consumed if it is confirmed to be safe to drink by the prefecture. The water should be obtained from a designated drinking source that

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696-667: Is connected by underground passageways and shopping malls to Nearby non-connected stations (within 500 meters of an underground passageway or station) include There is a bus terminal at the west exit servicing both local and long-distance buses and a JR Highway Bus terminal at the New South Gates. On April 4, 2016, the new bus terminal and commercial facilities nearby the south exit, named Busta Shinjuku  [ ja ] ( Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal ), opened for service. Considerable numbers of coaches and airport buses depart from this new terminal. The figures below are

754-801: Is in the Yoyogi and Sendagaya districts. The station was used by an average of 3.59 million people per day in 2018, making it the world's busiest railway station by far (and registered as such with Guinness World Records ). The main East Japan Railway Company (JR East) station and the directly adjacent private railways have a total of 35 platforms, an underground arcade, above-ground arcade and numerous hallways with another 17 platforms (53 total) that can be accessed through hallways to five directly connected stations without surfacing outside. The entire above/underground complex has well over 200 exits. Shinjuku Station opened in 1885 as

812-620: Is mention of a gay Shinjuku tea shop, and by the 1950s gay bars publicly emerged both in name and form in Ni-chōme. Before 1957, Tokyo's red-light districts had flourished as legally-licensed centers for sex workers but, armed with a new constitution and an Equal Rights amendment, post-occupation Japanese women's Christian groups and the like successfully lobbied the Diet to pass the Prostitution Prevention Law in 1956. For

870-1212: Is separate from the water which is bathed in. The often mineral-rich onsen water is believed to have benefits such as treating iron-deficiency anemia or constipation . Article 18, paragraph 1 of the Japanese Hot Springs Act publishes guidance on contraindications and cautions for bathing in hot springs, and drinking their respective waters. Although millions of Japanese bathe in onsen every year with few noticeable side effects, there are still potential side effects to onsen usage, such as aggravating high blood pressure or heart disease. Legionella bacteria have been found in some onsen with poor sanitation. For example, 295 people were infected with Legionella and seven died at an onsen in Miyazaki Prefecture in 2002. Revelations of poor sanitary practices at some onsen have led to improved regulation by hot-spring communities to maintain their reputation. There have been reports of infectious disease found in hot bodies of water worldwide, such as various Naegleria species. While studies have found

928-428: Is served by the following railway systems: The station is centered around facilities servicing the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) lines. These consist of eight ground-level island platforms (16 tracks) on a north–south axis, connected by two overhead and two underground concourses. Most JR services here are urban and suburban mass transit lines, although many limited express services to Kōfu and Matsumoto on

986-461: Is unknown, but historical records show it has a history of at least about 1,300 years. Many of the earliest records of onsen bathing document Japanese Emperors or members of the imperial family staying at onsen for long periods of time. At the time, onsen were thought to be sacred and to have healing properties. It is now believed those who traveled to onsen in these early records were seeking cures to disease or other ailments by bathing in

1044-522: The Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult attempted a chemical terrorist attack by setting off a cyanide gas device in a toilet in the underground concourse, barely a month after the gas attack on the Tokyo subway which killed 13, left 6,252 people with non-fatal injuries, severely injured 50 people, and caused 984 cases of temporary vision problems. This time the attack was thwarted by staff who extinguished

1102-573: The Chūō Main Line and to Nikkō and Kinugawa Onsen via joint operations with the private Tōbu Railway also begin and end at this station, including Narita Express services to and from Narita International Airport . The JR section alone handles an average of 1.5 million passengers a day. The terminus for the private Odakyu Odawara Line is parallel to the JR platforms on the west side and handles an average of 490,000 passengers daily. This

1160-863: The Keiō New Line . Keiō Line trains bypass these stations. Hōnanchō Branch Line 35°41′22″N 139°42′02″E  /  35.68944°N 139.70056°E  / 35.68944; 139.70056 Onsen In Japan, onsen ( 温泉 ) are hot springs and the bathing facilities and traditional inns around them. There are approximately 25,000 hot spring sources throughout Japan, and approximately 3,000 onsen establishments use naturally hot water from these geothermally heated springs. Onsen may be either outdoor baths ( 露天風呂 or 野天風呂 , roten-buro / noten-buro ) or indoor baths ( 内湯 , uchiyu ) . Traditionally, onsen were located outdoors, although many inns have now built indoor bathing facilities as well. Nowadays, as most households have their baths,

1218-628: The Shinkansen network, and the 1973 Shinkansen Basic Plan, still in force, specifies that the station should be the southern terminus of the Jōetsu Shinkansen line to Niigata . While construction of the Ōmiya -Shinjuku link never started and the Jōetsu line presently terminates in Tokyo Station , the right of way, including an area underneath the station, remains reserved. On 5 May 1995,

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1276-602: The Toei Shinjuku subway line and the Keiō New Line are distinctively called Keiō New Line Shinjuku Station ( 新線新宿駅 , Shinsen Shinjuku-eki ) and consist of two platforms stretching east–west five floors beneath the Kōshū Kaidō avenue to the southwest of the JR section. The concourse is managed by Keio Corporation but is in a separate location from the main Keio platforms. Further south (and deeper underground) are

1334-557: The Vietnam War . The station was a major site for student protests in 1968 and 1969 , the height of civil unrest in postwar Japan. On 21 October 1968, 290,000 marchers participated in International Anti-War Day, taking over Shinjuku station and forcing trains to stop. In May and June 1969, members of the antiwar group Beheiren carrying guitars and calling themselves "folk guerrillas" led weekly singalongs in

1392-410: The bear community , BDSM , muscular men, young men, butch and femme lesbians, etc. While most bar owners do accommodate new and non-Japanese customers, the scene is primarily geared toward regular customers who are Japanese. Some venues discourage or prohibit non-Japanese from entering, regardless of Japanese language ability. At most bars in Shinjuku Ni-chōme, patrons sit at a counter and chat with

1450-533: The onsen bath water, since this can be considered unclean. People normally set their towels off to the side of the water when enjoying the baths, or place their folded towels on top of their heads. By 2015, around half (56%) of onsen operators had banned bathers with tattoos from using their facilities. The original reason for the tattoo ban was to keep out yakuza and members of other crime gangs who traditionally have elaborate full-body decoration. However, tattoo-friendly onsen do exist. A 2015 study by

1508-728: The onsen water. This ancient practice of bathing in onsen to cure illnesses, often for long periods such as a week, is referred to as tōji ( 湯治 ). Some of the oldest onsen in Japan are considered to be Dogo Onsen in Ehime Prefecture , Shirahama Onsen in Wakayama Prefecture , and Arima Onsen in Hyogo Prefecture . Until around the Edo period , onsen had close religious ties to Buddhism with temples often being built near onsen sources. During

1566-456: The Edo period, however, onsen began to gain popularity among the general population thanks in part to depictions of the hot springs in ukiyo-e . It is also during this period that the use of onsen shifted from being primarily for religious and healing reasons to being used for bathing for cleanliness and socializing. In modern times, traveling to hot spring resort towns ( 温泉街 , onsen-gai )

1624-734: The JR East station (2001–present) The station and other parts of the Toei Ōedo Line are referenced in the Digimon Adventure franchise. Contemporary British painter Carl Randall (who spent ten years living in Tokyo as an artist) depicted the station area in his large oil painting Shinjuku , exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in London in 2013. Note : Stations in italics (Hatsudai and Hatagaya) are on

1682-601: The Japan National Tourism Organisation found that more than 30% of onsen operators at hotels and inns across the country will not turn someone with a tattoo away; another 13% said they would grant access to a tattooed guest under certain conditions, such as having the tattoo covered up. Some towns have many tattoo-friendly onsen that do not require guests to cover them up. Two such towns are Kinosaki Onsen in Hyōgo and Beppu Onsen in Ōita. With

1740-570: The Keio department store. It consists of three platforms stretching north to south. An additional thin platform between Platforms 2 and 3 is used for alighting only. This suburban commuter line links Shinjuku to the city of Hachiōji to the west. Chest-high platform edge doors were introduced on the Keio Line platforms in March 2014. The doors are different colours for each platform; the doors on Platform 2 are green. The shared facilities for

1798-621: The Metro Promenade underground mall. Many department stores and shopping malls are built directly into the station. These include In addition to the above, the Metro Promenade, which is an underground mall owned by Tokyo Metro, extends eastwards from the station beneath Shinjuku-dori avenue, all the way to the adjacent Shinjuku-sanchōme station with 60 exits along the way. The Metro Promenade in turn connects to Shinjuku Subnade, another underground shopping mall, which leads onto Seibu Railway 's Seibu-Shinjuku station. Shinjuku Station

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1856-469: The area, and the rise of the Internet. In 2012, the dancing ban in night clubs began to be enforced in a number of popular clubs in Ni-chōme, including Arty Farty, Annex, Arch, and Aisotope. The ban was lifted in 2014 and now clubs like Dragon Men, Aisotope, and Arty Farty permit dancing. The lifeblood of the gay neighborhood, the majority of Nichōme's hundreds of night clubs typically seat fewer than

1914-503: The bartender. Karaoke is popular, and gay magazines are often available. Most bars offer a “ bottle keep ” (ボトルキープ) system, so many regular customers choose to keep their own bottles of liquor at their favorite bars. This loyalty is then repaid by bar-organized outings to onsen , hanami parties, picnics, and gay sporting events. Bars maintain large commemorative photo albums of these outings. Although few gay clubs in Ni-chōme can hold more than 100 customers, large gay events held throughout

1972-417: The baths and must be completely nude. However, there are some onsen that allow both men and women to enter together but require swimsuits. Many of these mixed onsen resemble more of a pool or waterpark than the traditional idea of an onsen . In 2016, The Japan Times reported that guests were not normally allowed to wear swimsuits in the baths. However, some modern onsen required their guests to wear

2030-907: The baths daily. These precautions as well as proper onsen usage (i.e. not placing the head underwater, washing thoroughly before entering the bath) greatly reduce any overall risk to bathers. Voyeurism is reported at some onsen . In 2016, The Japan Times reported that this was mitigated in some prefectures of Japan where nude mixed bathing is not permitted, and that visitors must wear swimsuits . In 2021, several people were arrested in connection with an organized group accused of taking photos of women in open-air baths. In addition to typical large public baths ( 大浴場 , daiyokujō ) and outdoor baths ( 露天風呂 , roten-buro ), there are various other methods of experiencing onsen that can be found at various facilities throughout Japan. Examples include: Saunas are also sometimes located at onsen bathing facilities. A relatively cold bath called mizu-buro (水風呂)

2088-684: The burning device. The station facilities on the Marunouchi Line were inherited by Tokyo Metro after the privatization of the Teito Rapid Transit Authority (TRTA) in 2004. Station numbering was introduced to the Odakyu terminal in 2014 with Shinjuku being assigned station number OH01. A major expansion of the JR terminal was completed in April 2016, adding a 32-story office tower, bus terminal, taxi terminal, and numerous shops and restaurants. Station numbering

2146-538: The first time, prostitution in Japan became illegal. As the traditional sex industry left Ni-chōme, a gay subculture began to fill its place. By the late 1950s Ni-chōme was known for its popularity in the gay subculture, and a club scene began to emerge. More recent years have seen the establishment of a counseling room for young gay men in 1976, the first AIDS candlelight vigil in 1986, the 1992 inauguration of Tokyo's annual International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, Japan's first lesbian and gay pride parade in 1994, and

2204-646: The five blocks centering on street Naka-Dōri between the BYGS building at the Shinjuku San-chōme Station and the small Shinjuku park three blocks to the east, an estimated 300 gay bars and nightclubs provide entertainment. The history of Ni-chōme as a gay neighborhood generally begins around the time of the American Occupation of Japan (1945–1952) and ties strongly to the fall of its red-light districts ( akasen ). As early as 1948, there

2262-570: The founding of its first gay community center, AKTA . Today Shinjuku Ni-chōme continues to provide a home base for many milestones in the history of Japan's LGBT community. The Japan Times reported in February 2010 that the area was in decline, with the number of gay-oriented clubs and bars having declined by one-third. The decline was attributed to the construction of the nearby Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line , which has pushed up property values in

2320-520: The ground level, on the west side of Shinjuku Station. Keiō Shinjuku Station and Shōsen Shinjuku Ekimae Station were closed. This was because the trains faced difficulty in climbing up the slopes of the bridge over the governmental railway after one of the nearby transformer substations was destroyed by an air raid . The site of Keiō Shinjuku Station near Shinjuku-Sanchōme subway station is now occupied by two buildings owned by Keiō: Keiō Shinjuku Sanchōme Building and Keiō Shinjuku Oiwake Building. Shinjuku

2378-440: The increase in foreign customers due to growing tourism, some onsen that previously banned tattoos are loosening their rules to allow guests with small tattoos to enter, provided they cover their tattoos with a patch or sticking plaster. There are various health benefits attributed to bathing in onsen . Onsen are particularly renowned for their relaxing and therapeutic effects . These effects are due to properties such as

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2436-409: The number of traditional public baths has decreased, but the number and popularity of hot spring resort towns ( 温泉街 , onsen-gai ) have increased since the end of Second World War . Baths may be either publicly run by a municipality or privately, often connecting to a lodging establishment such as a hotel, ryokan , or minshuku . The presence of an onsen is often indicated on signs and maps by

2494-418: The official number of passengers entering and exiting (except for JR East) each day released by each train operator. The figure for JR East only includes entering passengers. Average number of passengers per day by fiscal year for the JR East station (1913–1935) Average number of passengers per day by fiscal year for the JR East station (1953–2000) Average number of passengers per day by fiscal year for

2552-622: The opening of Japan to the West during the Meiji Restoration . Mixed bathing ( 混浴 , kon'yoku ) is currently banned in Japanese public baths. Depending on the prefecture and local ordinances, children seven years old and younger may be exempt from this ban. Private onsen called "family baths" ( 家族風呂 , kazokuburo ) can be found in many locations throughout Japan. These can be reserved and used for mixed bathing. As at

2610-677: The presence of Naegleria in hot spring waters, Naegleria fowleri , responsible for numerous fatal cases of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis around the world, has not been found to be present in the water at onsen . Nevertheless, fewer than five cases have been seen historically in Japan, although not conclusively linked to onsen exposure. Many onsen display notices reminding anyone with open cuts, sores, or lesions not to bathe. Additionally, in recent years onsen are increasingly adding chlorine to their waters to prevent infection, although many onsen purists seek natural, unchlorinated onsen that do not recycle their water but instead clean

2668-516: The second floor). In the late 1980s, Seibu planned to build an underground terminal on the east side of Shinjuku but indefinitely postponed the plan in 1995 due to costs and declining passenger growth. On 8 August 1967, a freight train carrying jet fuel bound for the U.S. air bases at Tachikawa and Yokota collided with another freight train and caught fire on the Chūō Rapid tracks. The incident stoked ongoing political controversy in Japan regarding

2726-573: The symbol ♨, the kanji 湯 ( yu , meaning "hot water"), or the simpler phonetic hiragana character ゆ ( yu ). According to the Japanese Hot Springs Act ( 温泉法 , Onsen Hō ) , onsen is defined as "hot water, mineral water, and water vapor or other gas (excluding natural gas of which the principal component is hydrocarbon ) gushing from underground". The law states that mineralized hot spring water that feeds an onsen must be at least 25 °C (77 °F) originating at

2784-845: The temperature, pressure, and mineral composition of the water. A 2014 study conducted in Beppu , a city famous for its onsen , found that regular bathing in onsen has various health benefits such as lowering blood pressure , improving circulation and cardiovascular health, reducing chronic pain and fatigue, and lowering the rate of depression . A survey conducted in Atami , another city famous for its onsen , found that individuals with onsen in their homes were less likely to take blood pressure medication than those without onsen . There are various types of onsen including carbonated springs, iron -containing springs, acidic springs, strong-smelling sulfur springs, among others. Each type of onsen

2842-588: The terminal were on the Kōshū Kaidō highway, which crosses the Yamanote Line and the Chūō Line in front of the south entrance of Shinjuku Station by a bridge. The Keiō Line had a station for access to Shinjuku Station, named Teishajō-mae Station ( 停車場前駅 ) and renamed in 1937 Shōsen Shinjuku Ekimae Station ( 省線新宿駅前駅 ) . In July 1945, the terminal of the Keiō Line was relocated to the present location, though on

2900-538: The traditional Keio Line stub terminal and a separate through station connecting the Keio New Line with the Toei Shinjuku Line. In 2019, 788,567 passengers used the Keio complex daily (Keio and Keio New Lines), which makes it among the busiest among the non- JR Group railways of Japan. The Keio Line concourse is located to the west of the Odakyu line concourse, two floors below ground level under

2958-498: The two north-to-south Toei Ōedo subway line platforms. Toei Ōedo Line 's two underground platforms stretch north–south to the south of the Toei Shinjuku Line and Keio New Line facilities. This is on the 7th basement floor of Tokyo prefectural road 414(Yotsuya-Tsunohazu Ave.). Tokyo Metro 's two Marunouchi Line underground platforms stretch east–west to the north of the JR and Odakyu facilities, directly below

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3016-471: The underground plaza outside the west exit of the station, attracting crowds of thousands. Participants described it as a "liberated zone" and a "community of encounter." In July, riot police cleared the plaza with tear gas and changed signs in the station to read "West Exit Concourse" instead of "West Exit Plaza." The incident represented a significant defeat for public activism in Tokyo. There have been plans at various points in history to connect Shinjuku to

3074-414: The west of the JR station. These plans were suspended upon the onset of World War II but influenced the current layout of the station area. Subway service ultimately began in 1959. The Seibu Shinjuku Line was extended from Takadanobaba Station to Seibu Shinjuku Station in 1952. Seibu Shinjuku was built as a temporary station pending a planned redevelopment of the east side of Shinjuku Station, which

3132-830: The year attract up to several thousand people to the area: The Shinjuku City (the Shinjuku Ward) Board of Education (新宿区教育委員会) operates public elementary and junior high schools. Shinjuku 2-chome is zoned to Hanazono Elementary School ( 花園小学校 ) in Shinjuku 1-chōme and Yotsuya Junior High School ( 四谷中学校 ). Most area public high schools are operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education . 35°41′24″N 139°42′24″E  /  35.69000°N 139.70667°E  / 35.69000; 139.70667 Shinjuku Station Shinjuku Station ( 新宿駅 , Shinjuku-eki )

3190-696: Was introduced to the JR East platforms in 2016 with Shinjuku being assigned station numbers JB10 for the Chūō-Sobu line, JS20 for the Shonan-Shinjuku line, JA11 for the Saikyō line, JC05 for the Chuo line rapid, and JY17 for the Yamanote line. At the same time, JR East assigned the station a 3-letter code to its major transfer stations; Shinjuku was assigned the code "SJK". In 2020, the east–west free passageway

3248-564: Was located several blocks east of the government railway (presently JR) station. The terminal was first named Shinjuku-Oiwake Station ( 新宿追分駅 ) and was on the street near the Isetan department store. In 1927, the station was moved from the street to a newly built terminal adjacent to the original station. The station building housed a department store. The station name was changed to Yotsuya-Shinjuku Station ( 四谷新宿駅 ) in 1930 and again to Keiō Shinjuku Station ( 京王新宿駅 ) in 1937. The tracks from

3306-487: Was opened, shortening the time required for pedestrians to pass between the east and west exits by 10 minutes. A major redevelopment of the station and the surrounding area began in July 2021 with the aim of improving pedestrian flow and making it easier and faster to cut through the east and west sides of the station. Construction is expected to continue until 2047. When the Keio Line extended to Shinjuku in 1915, its terminal

3364-459: Was to feature a large station building that would house a new Seibu terminal on its second floor. Seibu abandoned its plan to use the building due to a lack of space for trains longer than six cars; the building is now known as Lumine Est and retains some design features originally intended to accommodate the Seibu terminal (in particular, a very high ceiling on the first floor and a very low ceiling on

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