From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Shinjuku (新宿区; -ku) is the capital special ward located in western Tokyo, Japan and is a major commercial and administrative centre as well as the location of one of Tokyo's largest public transport interchange, Shinjuku Station. Shinjuku is home to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office, Tokyo's tallest building, where political and public administration of the city takes place.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, Shinjuku
Not only is Shinjuku convenient, but it is also often considered to be a great place to hang out: there are many shopping malls, restaurants, and movie theaters packed into the small city of Shinjuku.
The city of Shinjuku developed into its current form after the Great Kanto earthquake (Kanto-daishinsai) in 1923, since the seismically stable area largely escaped the devastation. Consequently, West Shinjuku is one of the few areas in Tokyo with many skyscrapers.
As of 2003, the ward has an estimated population of 297,135 and the density of 16,299.23 persons per km². The total area is 18.23 km².
Major areas of the ward include Ichigaya, Kabukicho, Okubo, Shinanomachi, Shinjuku ni-chome and Takadanobaba. Shinjuku Ward is home to Waseda University, the Yakult Swallows baseball team, and a barracks of the Self-Defense Forces.
