TOKYO - Shinjuku, Japan’s largest entertainment district, is currently undergoing redevelopment. Tokyo University's Geography Club recently delved into the secrets of Shinjuku’s unique landscape and its role in shaping the district’s history.
Tokyo University’s Geography Club recently published a book compiling their findings, garnering widespread attention. Their exploration began in Shinjuku’s origin point, Yotsuya 4-chome, where 'Naito Shinjuku' was established during the Edo period as a new stop on the Koshu Kaido road, located between Nihonbashi and Takaido without any resting stations for 16 kilometers. Naito Shinjuku, named after the Naito family who resided there, would grow into the heart of modern-day Shinjuku.
A notable feature of Shinjuku is the flat land on which it sits, offering an abundance of greenery, especially in the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. Established in 1906, the garden preserves rare plant species, including varieties developed through early 20th-century research on Western plants.
One unique historical remnant in Shinjuku is Japan’s first domestically cultivated strawberry, the Fukuba strawberry, developed from French seeds. This variety has become the ancestor to most strawberries grown in Japan today, a vital part of Japan's culinary heritage.
Shinjuku is also home to Japan’s first cultivated muskmelon, stored at Shinjuku Gyoen, and historically sold by Shinjuku Takano, a luxury fruit store that began muskmelon sales in 1919. Shinjuku’s flat terrain greatly influenced its development, especially in resilience to natural disasters.
When the Great Kanto Earthquake struck roughly 40 years after Shinjuku Station's opening, the soft ground in areas like Nihonbashi and Ginza suffered severe damage, while Shinjuku and other western areas were largely spared due to their solid bedrock foundations. Consequently, Shinjuku’s population surged as people migrated from the east. Iconic establishments, such as Kinokuniya Bookstore and Isetan Shinjuku, opened their doors, marking Shinjuku as a leading entertainment district in Japan.
During Japan’s rapid economic growth in the 1960s, Shinjuku saw another transformative period. In 1963, the restaurant Asia opened near Shinjuku East Exit, featuring a unique chicken stew that remains a favorite to this day. Back then, Western-style dining was popular, with diners happily sharing tables to enjoy hearty meals.
In the same decade, Shinjuku’s West Exit Plaza became a hub for political rallies, embodying the youthful fervor of the era. As redevelopment continued, the West Exit area evolved into a business district serving over 300,000 people. The construction of skyscrapers began with the Keio Plaza Hotel in 1971, reaching new heights with the Mitsui Building in 1974, which, at 211 meters, was the tallest in Japan at the time.
Shinjuku’s topography led to unique architectural developments, including the Keio Plaza Hotel’s design. The hotel’s lobby entrance is located on the third floor instead of the first, owing to the building’s construction on the site of the former Yodobashi Water Purification Plant, which was excavated to a depth of seven meters. This created the unusual effect of the third floor appearing at street level, leaving an intriguing architectural legacy.
Shinjuku Station and the surrounding area continue to evolve, with new projects underway to replace aging buildings. A new skyscraper will rise on the site of the former Odakyu Department Store, slated for completion by 2047. Shinjuku’s ongoing transformation is a testament to its resilience and the enduring benefits of its unique landscape.
Source: ANN
