strolling shinjuku in the dark

shinjuku is one of the cities or rather special wards of the tokyo metropolis. i don't know how to explain it but tokyo is not a city but a special prefecture (special in the sense that it is the capital of japan, i think). within tokyo there are 23 special wards (these were the original area of the long abolished tokyo city) and more than 30 other normal towns and cities. you would be amazed at how far reaching tokyo is. i once visited a japanese island in the pacific ocean hundreds of kilometers away from the mainland, and i was surprised to know that it was under tokyo. anyways before i drift too far, shinjuku is one of the major hubs of tokyo known for business, shopping and most specially entertainment. it is the skyscraper district, shall we say.

i was out having dinner with friends and happened to take some pictures while strolling around.

this area is supposedly filled with people on normal days but is currently closed off. it snowed the other day and ground is still wet and can become very slippery, prone to accidents. that view of a building with a clock face surely reminds me of "big ben". probably not close but it is the only other famous clock tower that i know of. that shinjuku display surely captured how vibrant and colorful shinjuku is.

this is still taken in the same place as the previous one. i was very curious what caused this illuminated wall to light up like that. as i could not come close, i have no clue. to be a reflection of the clock tower above is quite a stretch.

one of shinjuku's entertainment district, kabukicho! this area has all sorts of entertainment, from food and alcohol, to karaoke, to games, and even red light sorts of fun. full of cabaret clubs and host clubs, and even some peep hole action (if my memory and reading comprehension skills were correct), it is a bright red district just like how bright red this entrance gate is.

kabukicho is vibrant, always full of people to the brim. neon lights everywhere, the perfect place to get lost and give in to your desires. the perfect place to forget all your work's worries and difficulties. to perfect place to laugh and have fun. and probably the perfect place to have some sexy time. just be careful not to overspend; it is so easy to forget how much you have spent when faced with all these fun around.

shinjuku has it all, from the stoic business facade to the extravagance and ever changing crowd. it attracts all sorts of people. no wonder it attracts all tourists as well. daytime is another story, shinjuku is also home to one of the biggest gardens in japan. so after unleashing your inner demons at night, you can always meditate in the gardens by morning. perfect balance!

as always, stay safe and take care.
AMPING!