UNIQLO is part of the community. This time, we’re highlighting our fifth location in the Shinjuku area, which opened as the neighborhood’s new flagship store in 2024. From morning to night, and into the next morning, Shinjuku has it all.
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Shinjuku might best be described as patchwork. Against a backdrop of continually evolving shopping complexes, you’ll find iconic backstreets like Omoide Yokocho, which literally fed Japan’s developing economy, and the lush climes of the historic Shinjuku Gyoen gardens. Sanchome boasts massive bookstores and record shops stocking tens of thousands of albums, as people in all different kinds of fashion walk the streets.
Here you can savor the flavors of beloved eateries specializing in dango, soba and curry, or break a sweat with some light exercise. Shinjuku offers a unique atmosphere blending the past and present, and it’s available any time of day. There’s nowhere like it in the world.
UNIQLO Shinjuku Honten
Opened in October 2024 at the former site of BICQLO on the east side of Shinjuku Station amongst a slew of flagship stores. The sizeable space, at nearly 4,000 m2, features a range of products for men, women, kids and babies, along with UT and special collections first sold only in Europe or the US that have been retooled for the Japanese market. True to its flagship status, the store offers the full menu of UNIQLO experiences, everything from UTme!, where you can print original T-shirts, and RE.UNIQLO STUDIO, for repairing clothes, to UNIQLO COFFEE, with a view of Shinjuku-dori, and the seasonal floral options at UNIQLO FLOWER.
1-3F, MI Shinjuku Bldg, 3-29-1, Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Column1Shinjuku, The Town of Main Store
Bustling city centers are a natural match for flagship stores. As a transit hub and cultural center, Shinjuku was the engine behind Japan’s economic growth. Taking a look around, you’ll find a number of establishments whose original Shinjuku locations spawned outposts all over Japan, like the Edomae tempura restaurant Tsunahachi, stationery and art supply store Sekaido, curry eatery Shinjuku Nakamura, which started as a bakery, and the iconic Shinjuku Takano. Founded in Shinjuku in the Meiji, Taisho, or Showa eras, a period spanning the 1860s to the 1980s, these historic businesses may have initially been motivated by different forces, but if you visit Shinjuku today, it’s easy to imagine what attracted them. Today, Shinjuku is home to the busiest train station in the world, serving an average of 2.7 million passengers per day. Lively as ever, this neighborhood is now home to the UNIQLO Shinjuku Flagship Store. Times may change, but Shinjuku is the place to be.
Sweet Dumpling, Oiwake Dango Honpo
Shinjuku started as a post town at a juncture (oiwake) along one of Edo’s historic highways. The local dango dumplings became popular among travelers. Upholding that tradition, Oiwake offers dango with a modern twist. Try the classic sweetness of koshian (¥216), a favorite through the ages, or the sugary and salty shoyu flavors of the mitarashi (¥216). The tearoom at the back offers a relaxed setting to enjoy these treats. Take a breather over a fragrant cup of green tea, and you’ll come away recharged with Edo-style energy.
3-1-22 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Kinokuniya Bookstore Shinjuku Main Store
The flagship of this national chain was designed in 1964 by architect Kunio Maekawa, who studied under Le Corbusier. A variety of genres, from business topics to art books and medical texts, can be found on the store’s eight floors. Rakugo performances and plays are staged at Kinokuniya Hall on the fourth floor, encapsulating the vital spirit that made this neighborhood a font of culture. The large sculpture on the wall of the theater is from Ryokichi Mukai, an artist who expanded the possibilities of abstract art in the twentieth century. Worth a look, even if you’re not seeing a show.
3-17-7 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku,Tokyo
Curry, Mon Snack
Curry stand opened in 1964 in the basement of Kinokuniya, renovated in 2024. With a name that means “my favorite place,” this shop’s signature dish is a silky curry that evokes the bouillon of yoshoku cuisine. The bountiful katsu curry (¥1,000) uses juicy pork cutlets whose chewy crust is balanced against the pleasant tang of the chutney and the curry roux. Mildly spicy, it’s great for kids, while the soupy texture is addictive. When you’re through, you’ll understand why parents bring their kids and grandkids out to eat here all the time.
B1F, Kinokuniya Bldg, 3-17-7 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Shinjuku Batting Center
Established 1978. Open until four in the morning and lit up with a neon sign, these batting cages are a Kabukicho landmark. One game of balls is ¥300. Choose a speed from beginner (80 kph) to pro batter (130 kph) and take a crack from any angle. If you hit the homerun zone on the back wall enough times, they’ll put your name up on a special board, where certain heavy hitters have been crowned “Homerun Queens.” Great for a quick stop after school or work and for dates and after-dinner entertainment. On any given day, you can find men and women of all ages whacking baseballs trying to rack up a high score. English instructions available!
2-21-13 Kabuki cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Soba, Soba Dokoro Kameya Shinjuku
Open 24/7, this soba stand is always ready to fill the stomachs of the office workers and tourists who visit Omoide Yokocho. At less than 12 m2, the compact kitchen has a special-order stove and noodle boiler that fit perfectly into the space, just like a puzzle. Most regulars go for the tentama soba (¥530). Served up by the experienced crew, each piping-hot bowl gives off the rich aroma of dashi, befitting the shop’s fine dining roots. The earthy sweetness of the onion and shungiku kakiage and the house special noodles are so satisfying that the price is unbelievable.
1-2-10 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Rice Ball, Onigiri Manma
Onigiri shop opened in 2023, diagonally across from UNIQLO Sanchome. The fist-size rice balls are the pride of the head chef, who trained at Onigiri Bongo in Otsuka. Choose from over 60 flavors, including quirky options like “Fried Chicken Mayo” (¥470). With combos like “Soy Sauce Egg + Meat Soboro” (¥680) and “Salted Salmon Roe + Salmon” (¥900), the flavor possibilities are endless. When you hear that the chef used to work at a sneaker shop, the eye-catching flavor showcase makes even more sense.
With eight floors of everything from Showa crooners and anime music to Latin, rock and punk, this CD and record shop is a music lover’s dream. In 2023, the chain opened the DISK UNION Heisei J-POP Store, which specializes in Japanese pop music from the 1990s through the 2010s. Inside, you’ll find a huge stock of mini CDs containing singles from back in the day. Pictured are the 1999 smash hit “Dango 3 Kyodai” (¥770) and Scha Dara Parr’s “Doobie-Doo What?” (¥1,078). Handwritten passionate endorsements from the staff harken back to a very Heisei way of selling music.
B1-7F, Yamada Bldg, 3-31-4 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
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Taking Shinjuku Home!
Visit the UNIQLO Shinjuku Flagship Store for special items repping Shinjuku’s classic businesses. Along with Oiwake Dango, store exclusives include Takano Fruit Parlor, who were kind enough to share a fruit sandwich recipe found on the next page, cup ramen giants Nissin Foods, sweets maker Kanro, castella bakers Bunmeido Tokyo, and traditional rakugo theater Suehirotei. There’s also items from the famous Nakamuraya Curry restaurant and stationery giants Sekaido, whose collabs can be purchased at the UNIQLO Shinjuku Flags store as well. T-shirts ¥1,990, tote bags ¥2,490, wide mini totes ¥1,990.
