Is Kabukicho a Safe Place to Stay in Tokyo?

Shinjuku is one of the most popular areas for tourists, and it’s easy to see why. It’s the Tokyo of your Bladerunner dreams, full of neon lights and talking screens, plus, it’s jam-packed with bars and restaurants, and having nighttime options on your doorstep is handy when you’ve already walked 15km sightseeing that day!

However, there is one part of the Shinjuku area causing some concern among travelers booking to stay in this buzzy part of Tokyo, and that’s Kabukicho – one of Tokyo’s red-light districts. And the question they’re asking is ‘is Kabukicho safe?’ Safe to walk round, safe to stay in, and safe for your family to visit.

Where is Kabukicho?

Kabukicho is located on the northeast side of Shinjuku station.

On Google Maps, it’s officially bounded by Seibu Shinjuku Station Dori to the west, Meiji Dori to the northeast, and Golden Gai to the southeast. To the north, the boundary is the main road that you’ll see the Toei Odeo line run down, while to the south, it’s the very wide road that contains the Shinjuku Piccadilly Theatre. It’s a pretty big area.

Big sights inside Kabukicho include the giant Godzilla head that roars at night, the 48-storey Kabukicho tower, the Golden Gai bar district, and, the Thermae Yu spa resort that’s perfect for soaking away any sightseeing-induced aches. Plus a few other things we mention in our longer guide to Shinjuku.

Hotels in this area include the immensely popular Hotel Gracery – which the aforementioned Godzilla is perched upon (that’s them above), the new Hotel Groove Shinjuku and very upscale Bellustar in the Kabukicho Tower, and the Citadines Central Shinjuku.

All of these are very popular with tourists, some of whom get a bit of a shock when they find out that Kabukicho doesn’t have the best reputation in Japan.

So, if you’re reading this post because you’ve considered booking one of those hotels, or, have booked one and maybe read something that means you’re now getting worried about what you’re going to find, I’m going to prefix this with a very big – DON’T PANIC.

My Past Experience in Kabukicho

Personally, I’ve never felt concerned in Kabukicho, even on the trips I’ve traveled there as a solo female.

Admittedly, I’m pretty broad-minded and spent much of my teenage nightlife years in London’s Soho, so I’m not easily shocked, but even I had heard some stories recently that made me think maybe Kabukicho had changed since my last trip pre-2020.

Now I’ve been back I stand by my feelings. If you offered me a solo trip to Japan tomorrow and said ‘oh, by the way, you’re staying in Kabukicho,’ I’d be on that plane with no concerns – especially if they’d booked me in one of the hotels above.

However, what I find offensive or concerning might not be the same as you, particularly if you’re traveling as a family. So on this trip, I wanted to explore the area with fresh eyes – thinking that, if I had kids, would I feel safe staying here? And this is what I found.

I’m going to try and explain what you might expect to find in Kabukicho as honestly as possible. And with as many pictures of the area as I can to give you a good idea.

If any of the pictures below make you feel that’s not somewhere you want to be with kids, then, you might want to rethink where to stay.

Why Does Kabukicho Have a ‘Reputation’?

Kabukicho is one of Tokyo’s biggest red light districts – and, once they hear this, many people wonder if it’s a safe place to stay, especially if you’re traveling with children.

On top of this, crime happens more frequently in Kabukicho than in any other area of Tokyo. And, it’s also the case that some of the establishments here are run by the Yakuza (like the Japanese mafia) which tends to concern Japanese people. Some bars in the area are also known for overcharging and other shady practices.

Sound like a big fat holiday no-no right? But, that’s the headlines. And much of this is being judged by Japanese standards, and, in a country, where there is generally very, very little crime, the area is seen as scarier by the locals than it would be in other countries.

Personally, I was more wary of my handbag in a foreigner-friendly bar in Shibuya, than I was sitting outside the pub watching the action in Kabukicho. And I feel far more worried walking around London at night than I have ever felt walking around Kabukicho.

This doesn’t mean crime doesn’t happen – places don’t get a reputation without a reason, but, most crime in Kabukicho is not against tourists. This is not like walking around the worst area of most big cities in the UK, America, or even Australia, where if you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time, you could end up in trouble.

Searching the website of the Japan Times, I see one shooting – not of a tourist – (in 2020), and, most of the reports of crime are concerned with overcharging/extortion in bars.

Even the Tokyo Reporter, which covers all the stuff you don’t see in the regular press, has very few stories for what’s often named ‘the crime capital of Tokyo’ and again this tends to be related to locals. Plus, you’re very unlikely to encounter problems during the times of day when most families are out and about.

We also saw a number of security patrols around the area moving on the touts and keeping a general eye on things.

However, it doesn’t mean everything in the garden is rosy – and, if you’re concerned enough about safety in Kabukicho to be reading this article, it’s good to be informed about what you might encounter so you can decide if that’s going to bother you or not.

What Might You See in Kabukicho?

The first thing I was looking for when I was wandering around Kabukicho with this article in mind is, how obvious is it that this is a red light district?

And my answer to that is it depends on where you walk! So let’s divide this into areas.

South East Kabukicho

By this I mean the roads leading to/from the Godzilla, Hotel Gracery, and Kabukicho Tower toward Shinjuku Station to the south or west. And, the roads to the southeast of this area toward Golden Gai.

This area is incredibly busy and, while it is technically the red light district, you could easily walk around here with no idea of that – in fact, going through the reviews on TripAdvisor for the Gracery, one couple said they didn’t realize until they were told it by a guide!

See below – that’s one of the main roads in. Would you think that was anywhere unusual?

If you’re walking to and from Shinjuku station to, say, the Hotel Gracery, along Godzilla Road, you may see signs with pretty girls on them – but, without a level of knowledge of where you are, many of those signs could be advertising beauty parlors.

Ditto, signs saying ‘Girl’s Bar’ but again, that could be the name of the bar if you didn’t know any better.

The bars themselves also tend to be on the higher floors of the building – this is not Amsterdam!

Most small children certainly won’t understand what’s going on.

The female touts trying to attract people into bars are also more likely to be wearing cute cat ears than anything too salacious.

Oh, on which note – if you notice people in these pictures look a bit odd, Kabukicho is not populated with people with fuzzy faces, however, it’s illegal to put pictures of people in Japan online without permission. It’s usually okay in a crowd scene but even so, I’m obscuring pictures of people’s faces in this post to respect that.

Once you get into the smaller streets, particularly those to the east of the Godzilla, which is also home to the fantastically fun Samurai Restaurant, things become a little bit more overt – but, mainly if you actually look into the doorways where you might see a bit more cleavage or lingerie on photos (the two pics below are the most obvious ones I have in my set of pictures).

The cartoon drawings outside buildings also get a little bit more busty or show more skin – although to be fair, you’ll see this in Akihabara too!

You might also see more doorways with ’18 Only’ on them.

But again, this is only on signs – I didn’t see any obvious ladies standing around like you might see in Bangkok or, a lot of other places I’ve ended up.

I’m not saying they aren’t there – I’m just saying that as an average tourist, you probably won’t notice them in this area unless you’re out after midnight, or speak Japanese and understand what some young ladies might be saying.

I don’t think younger children would have a clue what was going on behind closed doors. Teenagers might be a bit more aware of things – but, probably only if they know they’re staying in a slightly erm, interesting area in the first place – or can read Japanese!

Note I have seen reviews where people talk about seeing women holding up signs with prices on in this area. You’ll also see that in some other areas and it’s more likely to be touting for a bar, and the number is the all-you-can-drink price, than anything else (although, we’ll get onto touts in a minute.)

North Kabukicho/Okobu Park area

This area is further north of the Gracery and the other hotels I talked about. Basically, across the other side of a road called Hanamichidori on the map.

Here, close to Okobu Park and the clinic, particularly come nightfall, you will see girls loitering around. Again, if you don’t know what they are doing, you might not realize what’s happening as they tend to be dressed fairly normally and looking at their phones.

I probably wouldn’t choose to stay up here with a family, but then again, the hotels up here aren’t the most common tourist or family choices.

Even so, reading the reviews for those that aim at foreign tourists, not one person mentions feeling unsafe around the area, just that it can be a little seedy at night.

There are a few love hotels in this area though so, if you’ve booked that for a fun experience, just be aware of what area you’re in.

If you’re staying at the Gracery, the Citadines, or the hotels in the Kabukicho Tower you don’t have to walk this way to get to Shinjuku station, or probably anywhere else you’re visiting on your trip so, don’t let it concern you – just avoid this area if it’s going to bother you.

Other Issues in Kabukicho

Because Kabukicho is an entertainment district full of bars and restaurants, there are likely to be a fair few drunk people in the area as the night goes on—although most families with smaller children are unlikely to be out late enough to experience too much of a problem.

However, in the morning you may see a lot more messy after-effects in the form of rubbish or other erm mess! which might not fit with your image of Japan – or what you want to encounter before breakfast!

And, there are homeless people in Kabukicho, which again, might not fit the idyllic image we have of Japan.

Sleeping rough used to be very common in the square close to the Gracery, in fact, there was an entire subculture here known as the Toyoko Kids, but, with the opening of the Kabukicho Tower, which it’s hoped will help clean up the area, this area is more heavily patrolled.

That combined with a conscious effort from groups aiming to help get people off the streets around here means many of the people living here have been housed or moved on, but you may still see some people sleeping rough in Kabukicho – and there are often people sitting around the square during the day.

Will You Get Hassled?

Rest assured, no one will approach you if you’re a family walking around with children or teens.

If you’re a man walking alone, though, yes, you will get approached at night.

I was walking behind Mr Japlanease taking photos, and once we got into the more risque backstreets, he was getting approached by touts, but when we were walking together, no one bothered him. That’s different from, say, Bangkok, where in some areas they don’t care if I’m with him! Some of them even approach me!

I’ve explored Kabukicho alone during the day many times and have not been bothered by touts or other people. I’ve also walked around it alone in the early hours of the evening on previous trips, and again, I’ve not been overly concerned.

Personally, I’d have no worries walking anywhere in the area before about 8-9 p.m., and I certainly wouldn’t worry about walking on my own from, say, the Hotel Gracery or the new hotels in the Kabukicho Tower up or down Godzilla Road until 11 p.m.ish, as the place is teaming with people.

I also asked my friend who stayed at The Gracery solo what she thought about walking back to the hotel at night. She said, ‘It’s really busy and well-lit. I felt very safe around there.’

Obviously, as the night goes on, there are going to be more drunk people around the area, and in the early hours, you probably will see some less-than-savoury behaviour. But I’m guessing the average family is not going to be wandering around the backstreets at 2 am!

Is it Safe to Drink and Dine in Kabukicho?

Again, if you are the average family looking for a restaurant to have dinner, you’ll be fine in Kabukicho.

The concerns about overcharging are around a handful of bars in the area, some of which entice people in by promising one price but then presenting a much larger bill when the person tries to leave. There have also been cases of drink spiking, where someone has woken up to a headache and a maxed-out credit card.

If you are a single man, or a group of guys (or girls) looking to go drinking in Kabukicho, then you should keep your wits about you. And the number one rule is do not follow a tout into a bar. This practice is something the police regularly warn about as, it can lead to overcharging, credit card fraud and even drugging.

And, while it used to just be Japanese that were targetted, there are now cases of foreign tourists being suckered too – in fact, the police now even use the famous 3D cat billboard in Shinjuku to warn against following touts into bars in English. That’s why she has her little police hat on!

If you’re staying at the Gracery, or one of the other hotels in the area, and are a bit nervous, just ask the concierge where they recommend as then you know you’re going to be okay.

Personally, I have drunk in the St James Irish pub at the top of Kabukicho a few times, and the only headache I ended up with was self-induced (no, it’s not very Japanese, but it’s a great place to sit and watch the world go by).

So, Should You Stay in Kabukicho?

Is the area safe for most tourists? Yes.

Will small kids have a clue what’s going on around them – no. They’ll see bright lights and big Godzillas and have no clue about what’s actually happening.

Teens might be more aware. If you’re a family that would rather not have a tricky conversation with your teens – then, you might want to choose another area to stay in.

Also, avoid it if you’re a family, couple, or traveler, who will be upset even knowing such things are going on around you. It’s not worth spoiling your holiday for it.

You can still stay in Shinjuku. Hotels like the popular Keio Plaza Hotel, and the very family-friendly Mimaru Tokyo Shinjuku West, or any of the other hotels on the west side of Shinjuku are far enough away that you need never go near Kabukicho if you don’t want to.

For other tourists though, especially if you live in a big city, you’re unlikely to see anything you haven’t seen in big cities before and it’s not going to spoil your trip if you stay at the Gracery, visit Godzilla or the Samurai Restaurant, or head to the Kabukicho Tower – just maybe don’t wander too far off the beaten track at night with teens unless you’re ready with a suitable explanation about what might be on some of the signs!

If you’re a single male, weigh up whether you can be bothered shaking off the touts walking around at night, if you’re a single female, I think it depends on how nervous a traveler you are and how likely you are to be staying out late as to whether it’s the best choice for you. We should always keep our wits about us wherever we travel.

So, in a nutshell – Kabukicho is safe for most tourists, and it’s fantastic for photographs! But yes, there are a few things going on around there at night that might not fit your idea of Japan and, if that bothers you, then book outside of the area. It’s not worth flying halfway across the world to be unhappy.

That Godzilla is very cool though!

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