Shinjuku

Neon chaos, tiny bars, and a surprisingly serene garden

Shinjuku is the Tokyo people picture before they arrive, and it really is that intense. The trick is knowing how to switch modes: Golden Gai and Omoide Yokocho for tiny-bar nights, Shinjuku Gyoen when you need the volume turned down. The entry fee at Gyoen keeps the crowds manageable even in cherry blossom season, which makes it one of the best value tickets in the city.

Shinjuku is several cities stacked on one station, and the trick is treating each side separately. West exit: skyscrapers, free observation decks, and the smoke-filled lantern alley of Omoide Yokocho pressed against the tracks. East exit: department stores giving way to Kabukicho's neon and, behind it, the two-storey bar warren of Golden Gai. Southeast: the great lawn of Shinjuku Gyoen, the best place in Tokyo to recover from Shinjuku.

The station itself is the world's busiest, and its 200-plus exits are a rite of passage. Give yourself ten spare minutes for every appointment, check the exit number before you climb the stairs, and accept that everyone gets lost in Shinjuku station, including people who live here.