Kon’nichiwa! If Japan is on the list of destinations you plan to visit soon, do not miss out on HANAMICHI located in Shinjuku. The traditional Edo-style Japanese cuisine is definitely worth trying if you’re looking for the best food places in the city. But that’s not all—read along to find out more about the top 3 things you need to enjoy while you’re there.
You can also check out my experience of visiting HANAMICHI on my YouTube video.
1) Rental Kimonos and Hair Set Services
What if I tell you that you can rent a kimono and walk around Shinjuku like a character from the Kill Bill movies? That’s right. Elevate your fashion game on the next trip to Japan with rental kimonos. You can choose from hundreds of kimono designs based on modern Japanese themes from Asahiya on the second floor of the HANAMICHI building. Rental prices start from 5,000 Yen. The floor also has professional staff to help you if you feel like dressing up and getting your hair done.
Business hours: 11:00 AM – 9:30 PM JST
2) The Kabukicho Theatre
The kimonos were only the tip of the iceberg. On the ground floor, you have the popular theatre from Kabukicho where you can enjoy authentic performances from the entertainment district of Japan. It is the only public theatre on the Yamanote Line, and it opened up for audiences in October 2023. The space is equipped with long hanamichi, three seri, and various curtains to accommodate authentic Japanese-style theatrical performances. If you’re looking for things to do in Tokyo Japan or want to immerse yourself in Japanese culture, this place must be on your list. But note that it is closed on Thursdays, so plan your itineraries accordingly.
Business hours: 11:00 AM – 9:30 PM JST
Number of seats: 153
3) Food — From Live Tuna to Sushi Boats
Now let’s come to the main course. The Food HANAMICHI Naito Shinjuku on the third floor of the building brings a traditional Edo-style Japanese cuisine experience to you. Make no mistake, the highlight of this place is definitely the Live Tuna show on Thursdays, where you can watch a master expertly pull apart a 300lb tuna! With just an additional 980 Yen, you can get unlimited tuna Sashimi. That’s right – indulge in as much sashimi as you can physically eat. My recommendation? Try the AYCE tuna sashimi. They also have gigantic sushi boats for about 7,000 Yen that I also urge you to try.
But wait, it isn’t over yet. You can play rock, paper, scissors with the host of the food court and stand a chance to win the prized tuna eyeball stew. I know it isn’t a conventional dish, but don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.
And the best part? You can wear your kimono throughout the entire show! How cool is that?
If you want a sneak peek into the HANAMICHI food court experience, head over to my YouTube video now!
Business Hours: 4:00 PM – 11:00 PM JST (Mon–Fri), 11:30 AM – 11:00 PM JST (Sat, Sun, and holidays)
Contact: 050-5448-3369
The Overall Experience
I must say, this was the most unique experience I had in Tokyo, and I recommend you pay HANAMICHI a visit when looking for things to do in Shinjuku city. Here are the location details:
Address: HANAMICHI 新栄店, 2 Chome-1-6 Shinsakae, Naka Ward, Nagoya, Aichi 460-0007, Japan.
Lastly, if you’re travelling to Japan, here’s something for you. Get a sweet 10% off on all your shopping for Japan activities on Klook! Just click on the link below and use the Klook code PHATLIFEPROJECTKLOOK when checking out. You can thank me later!
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