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Shinjuku evening view

Discovering Shinjuku

Shinjuku (新宿区 ), literally meaning “New Lodge,”  is a district in Japan’s capital and bustling metropolis, Tokyo. The KCP campus is located there, and Shinjuku is conveniently the business, entertainment, and shopping center of Tokyo. There’s always something that catches the eye, whether it’s the bright store lights by the streets or the spectacular foliage in Shinjuku Park.Shinjuku cityscape

Shinjuku cityscape

When Edo Castle underwent a major expansion in 1634, many temples and shrines were relocated to the western part of Shinjuku. Then, in 1698, one of Japan’s major highways during that time was built in the town of Naitō-Shinjuku district.  In 1920, Naitō-Shinjuku and parts of Kabukichō and Nishi-Shinjuku became present-day Tokyo. Naitō was the daimyo of the Naitō-Shinjuku area, whose mansion once stood in the public park now known as Shinjuku Gyoen.Hanami viewing

A large portion of the Shinjuku area was spared from the devastation of the Great Kantō earthquake of 1923.  Many skyscrapers of Tokyo’s business district are located in west Shinjuku. World War II saw Shinjuku buckle with most of the buildings destroyed. The roads and railways that were spared formed the heart of rebuilding post-war Shinjuku.

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Join KCP Fall 2012 student Emily Cole as she leads us around the KCP neighborhood through her photos. Enjoy a day with KCP students as they explore Shinjuku Imperial Garden (Shinjuku Gyoen), which is just a short distance from the KCP campus. They played games, chatted, and had a general good time surrounded by the beauty of the pastel colored sakura.

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Read all about Japanese immersion learning and studying abroad. Check out our eZasshi archives for more articles!