Shinjuku September 2025: Complete Guide to Autumn Festivals, Traditional Events & Cultural Highlights
Shinjuku is Tokyo's representative entertainment district, welcoming approximately 200,000 visitors daily.
The Shinjuku East Exit area features concentrated shopping spots including department stores and shopping buildings, while the west exit houses numerous offices including the high-rise Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.
September in Shinjuku marks the season when the harsh summer heat begins to subside, making it comfortable to spend time outdoors. Particularly in late September, autumn breezes start to blow, allowing visitors to comfortably enjoy outdoor events and gourmet experiences.
This article introduces gourmet spots and beer gardens to enjoy in Shinjuku during September, as well as events taking place around Shinjuku in September - making it your complete guide to the Shinjuku Event September 2025 season.
If you're planning to visit Shinjuku in September, please use this as your reference guide.
September-October: The Final Months to Enjoy Beer Gardens in Shinjuku
From spring through autumn, beer gardens where you can enjoy beer outdoors are standard popular spots in Tokyo. Since temperatures drop and become cold from around November, September through October represents the final months to enjoy outdoor beer gardens in Tokyo.
The most famous spot in the Shinjuku area is the "Forest Beer Garden" held at Jingu Gaien with its vast grounds. Additionally, Shinjuku features the latest hotels and shopping buildings, with beer gardens on the upper floors of these facilities being particularly popular.
In 2025, numerous trendy beer gardens with elaborate interiors have opened, featuring resort-style and glamping-style designs that offer wonderful spaces full of contemporary appeal.
Let's enjoy Tokyo's latest beer gardens while feeling the cool autumn breeze of September - perfect for your Shinjuku Event September 2025 experience.
4 Selected Beer Gardens to Enjoy Around Shinjuku in September
Forest Beer Garden
Source:PR TIMES
The Forest Beer Garden is a large-scale beer garden open from April to September at Jingu Gaien. It can accommodate 1,000 people outdoors and features tent installations, making it usable even on rainy days.
Every year, many people gather at this beer garden oasis in the city to spend lively evenings. September is the best season when the heat subsides, allowing visitors to enjoy beer while feeling the cool night breeze in the forest-surrounded Gaien.
What particularly delighted me was being able to drink six varieties of Kirin beer, a famous Japanese beer brand. I enjoyed comparing many different types during the 120-minute all-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink "Standard Plan."
If you want to visit a lively beer garden in September Tokyo, definitely check out the "Forest Beer Garden" at Jingu Gaien first.
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- Dates: April 15, 2025 ~ September 23, 2025
- Access: 5-minute walk from JR "Shinanomachi" Station, 10-minute walk from Ginza Line "Aoyama 1-chome" Station, 5-minute walk from Oedo Line "Kokuritsu kyōgijō" Station → Inside Jingu Gaien Nikoniko Park
- Admission: Standard Plan ¥6,000
- Website: https://www.morinobeergarden.com/
Hilton Tokyo 2025 Beer Garden
Source:PR TIMES
You can also enjoy a beer garden at the luxury hotel Hilton Tokyo in Shinjuku. The beer garden opens on the 7th-floor rooftop of Hilton Tokyo until mid-September.
2025 features a Mexican resort image concept, where you can taste alcohol and Mexican food in a stylish space.
At Hilton Tokyo's beer garden, you can slowly enjoy drinks while viewing Shinjuku's night scenery. From any seat, you can admire the West Shinjuku high-rise building complex and beautiful night views. When I visited, tasteful Latin music was playing, creating an elegant resort mood that was very attractive.
For drinks, there are five types of draft beer and wine, plus a tequila bar where you can enjoy tequila shots. Enjoy these with summer-perfect Mexican foods like alambre and carnitas.
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- Dates: May 9 ~ Mid-September, 17:30～22:00
- Access: "Shinjuku" Station (West Exit) → About 10-minute walk → Hilton Tokyo 7F Rooftop Terrace
- Admission: Regular Seat Monday-Thursday ¥8,000 (Friday-Sunday, holidays & eve of holidays ¥9,000)
- Premium Seat Monday-Thursday ¥10,000 (Friday-Sunday, holidays & eve of holidays ¥11,000)
- Website: https://tokyo.hiltonjapan.co.jp/restaurants/beer-garden
Lumine Est Shinjuku "WILDBEACH Shinjuku"
Source:PR TIMES
On the rooftop of Lumine Est, a shopping building connected to JR Shinjuku Station, a resort area called "WILDBEACH Shinjuku" that can also be used as a beer garden opens for a limited period.
There's a beach area with parasols, a glamping-themed area, and a beer garden area for large groups, where you can enjoy barbecue and 2-hour all-you-can-drink alcohol.
WILDBEACH Shinjuku is characterized by being able to choose from many different types of seating. The 2-person private sofas in the beach area are particularly popular with young couples for being stylish and Instagram-worthy.
The seating, interiors, and spatial production are elaborate, and you'll be surprised by the real white sandy beach that makes you forget you're on a shopping building rooftop. If you're interested, definitely check out WILDBEACH, which is easily accessible right from Shinjuku Station.
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- Dates: April 11, 2025 〜 October 31, 2025, 11:00〜22:00
- Access: Directly connected to JR "Shinjuku" Station East Exit → Lumine Est Shinjuku Rooftop
- Admission: Hands-free BBQ Plan from ¥4,960 (All-you-can-drink alcohol from +¥550)
- Website: https://wildbeach.jp/shinjuku/#menu
Grill & Chill Beer Garden
Source:PR TIMES
At the stylish hotel Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo in Shinjuku, you can use the beer garden plan until September 30. At the bar & lounge on the 2nd floor of Kimpton, you can enjoy all-you-can-drink alcohol and foods like Cajun prawns and barbecue chicken.
There are indoor and terrace seats, with the green-surrounded terrace featuring relaxing resort-style sofa seating. The 2nd-floor bar & lounge is famous on SNS as a luxurious and stylish space where adults can relax, and is very popular as a cafe during the day.
The atmosphere becomes more luxurious at night. You can slowly enjoy all-you-can-drink beer, highballs, and sparkling wine in the slightly dim interior or cool terrace seating.
If you want to visit a luxurious, adult-oriented beer garden, definitely try Kimpton Shinjuku.
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- Dates: May 15, 2025 ~ September 30, 2025, 18:00~23:00
- Access: 12-minute walk from JR "Shinjuku" Station South Exit
8-minute walk from Toei Oedo Line "Tochō mae" Station A4 Exit → Kimpton Tokyo 2nd Floor
- Admission: Standard Plan ¥7,000・Premium Plan ¥9,000
- Website: https://www.kimptonshinjuku.com/jp/beergarden2025/
For Enjoying Nighttime Shinjuku, Bar Hopping Tours Guided by Locals Are Also Recommended
If you want to enjoy nighttime Shinjuku in September, drinking around the city with a knowledgeable guide is also recommended. By participating in this tour, you'll be guided by a local guide to retro traditional izakayas and 3 hidden bars in the popular spot of Shinjuku Golden Gai.
From my experience, finding places where you can relax and enjoy yourself in nighttime Shinjuku, which is sometimes chaotically crowded, is very difficult. In this tour, guides pick recommended shops from the wide Shinjuku area, from Shinjuku West Exit to Kabukicho. Therefore, you can spend an enjoyable evening without any troublesome hassle.
September, with its pleasant climate, is the perfect season for bar hopping in Shinjuku. When moving from shop to shop, please also enjoy the atmosphere of each area and street in Shinjuku.
・Meeting point: In front of the black pillar (next to UNIQLO Shinjuku West Exit Store) 1-2 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
・Tour area: Shinjuku
・Start times: 17:00, 17:30, 18:00, 18:30
Other Must-See Shinjuku Event September 2025 Activities
In September in Shinjuku, there are must-see fun events held besides beer gardens.
What is held grandly every year is the annual festival of Kumano Shrine, located in Shinjuku Central Park. You can observe traditional Mikoshi parades that march extensively through the streets of Shinjuku.
There are also traditional shrine festivals that local people look forward to, and popular gourmet events held annually at Okubo Park.
Kumano Shrine Annual Festival
Source:KabukiCho Bunka Shimbun
The Kumano Shrine Annual Festival is a festival of Kumano Shrine held annually in September in Shinjuku. The annual festival, which began in the 15th century and has 600 years of tradition, is a major autumn event in Shinjuku. Traditional mikoshi parades are also held in Kabukicho, said to be Japan's number one entertainment district.
At the Kumano Shrine Annual Festival, parades of Festival Cars called "Mikoshi" are held on the main street of Kabukicho, bustling with people and shops. It is believed that gods ride in the Mikoshi, and people wear traditional festival clothing called "Happi" and carry the Mikoshi while walking.
The carrying style is called "Chidori carrying," which involves advancing forward in small steps, and this is rare even among Tokyo festivals. You should feel the unique Shinjuku-like quality in the sight of traditional festivals that haven't changed for hundreds of years being naturally performed in a modern metropolis.
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- Date: September 21, 22, 2024 (2025 dates to be determined)
- Access: 10-minute walk from JR "Shinjuku" Station (West Exit)
- Toei Oedo Line "Tochō mae" Station (A5 Exit) → Kumano Shrine
- Admission: Free
- Website: https://www.instagram.com/junisou_kumanojinjya/
Hikawa Shrine Annual Festival
Source:Official website
The Hikawa Shrine Annual Festival is a festival held at Hikawa Shrine in Shimo Ochiai, Shinjuku Ward. Hikawa Shrine is a shrine with 2,400 years of history, and the annual festival is the most grandly held event of the year.
At the annual festival, traditional Shinto music performances and shrine maiden dances are performed in the shrine grounds, and Mikoshi parades are also held in the neighborhood. The historic shrine has large stone torii gates and magnificent shrine buildings, and you can enjoy traditional music and dance called "Kagura" in a sacred atmosphere.
Also, the town of Shimo Ochiai on that day is full of festival mood, and the atmosphere is enjoyable just by walking around.
This is an event where you can experience traditional Japanese festivals conducted jointly by the shrine and local community. Those whose schedules permit should definitely feel free to visit Shimo Ochiai.
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- Date: September 13, 14, 2025
- Access: 5-minute walk from Seibu Shinjuku Line "Shimo Ochiai" Station
7-minute walk from JR Yamanote Line, Seibu Shinjuku Line, Subway Tozai Line "Takadanobaba" Station Waseda Exit → Hikawa Shrine
- Admission: Free
- Website: https://www.shinjyuku-hikawa.jp/
Okubo Park Autumn Gourmet Events
Source:FASHION PRESS
At Okubo Park in Shinjuku, various autumn gourmet events are held annually from September to December.
For example, the "Spicy Food Festival" where you can enjoy spicy food is held annually from around August to September. Many Korean gourmet foods and spicy foods from Southeast Asia are sold at restaurant booths.
Near Okubo Park is the famous Shin-Okubo Koreatown, and many popular Korean cuisine restaurants also set up shops.
Also, the event "Dai Tsukemen Expo," which I'd like to recommend to ramen lovers, is held every autumn. Popular ramen shops from across the country gather and sell each shop's excellent ramen at Okubo Park.
While both events are currently undetermined for hosting, since they are popular events that have been held for many years, there's a high possibility they will be held in 2025 as well. Those planning to go to Shinjuku in September should definitely check the hosting schedule on websites and other sources for these exciting Shinjuku Event September 2025 opportunities.
(Dai Tsukemen Expo)
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- Date: October 10 - November 6, 2024 (2025 dates to be determined)
- Access:
・3-minute walk from Seibu Shinjuku Line "Seibu Shinjuku Station"
・8-minute walk from JR "Shinjuku" Station → Okubo Park
- Admission: Free
- Website: https://www.dai-tsukemen-haku.com/
The Traditional Event I'm Looking Forward to: "Shinjuku Gyoen Forest Takigi Noh" is Also a Must-See (October Event)
Source:Shinjuku City
In October, a special performance of Japan's traditional performing art, Noh, takes place at Shinjuku Gyoen. Top-ranked performers in contemporary Japanese Noh perform on an outdoor stage at night, illuminated by bonfires.
Despite being near Shinjuku Station, Shinjuku Gyoen is a nature-rich spot with abundant forests. A special outdoor stage is set up at this Shinjuku Gyoen specifically for this event. Watching Noh on this special stage illuminated by bonfires on an autumn night is fantastical, like a dream world.
When I saw it last year, what was particularly impressive was the beautiful view of Shinjuku's high-rise building complex visible beyond the forest from the viewing seats. It became a special night where I could feel Tokyo's uniqueness, where tradition and modern culture coexist.
All seats are reserved, and advance ticket purchase is required to attend. For those interested in Noh and Japanese traditional performing arts, please take advantage of this valuable opportunity.
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- Date: October 23, 2025 (Thursday) Doors open 17:30, Performance starts 18:30
- Access: Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line → Get off at Shinjuku-gyoenmae Station → 5-minute walk → Shinjuku Gyoen Landscape Garden (Entry only through Okido Gate)
- Admission: S seats ¥11,000, A seats ¥9,000, B seats ¥6,000 (All seats reserved)
- Website: https://fng.or.jp/shinjuku/2025/06/18/20250618/
To Fully Enjoy Shinjuku, We Recommend Getting Guided by Local Experts!
In the sleepless city of Shinjuku, there are still many more enjoyments to be discovered. For those who want to fully enjoy Shinjuku, we recommend joining tours and getting guided by guides who know the city well.
Discover hidden famous restaurants, nightlife spots, and Instagram-worthy special locations with guide assistance.
Tokyo Night Foodie Tour in Shinjuku
This tour takes you to three recommended gourmet restaurants with a guide who knows Shinjuku inside out. In this 3.5-hour tour, you can enjoy 8 types of sushi and wagyu beef yakiniku.
At an authentic sushi restaurant in Shinjuku, you can enjoy a nigiri sushi course prepared by skilled craftsmen right before your eyes. If you participate in September, you can savor sushi made with fresh autumn seafood. At the wagyu yakiniku restaurant, enjoy learning the Japanese way of grilling delicious meat from your guide.
Walk through autumn Shinjuku with an experienced guide and fully enjoy gourmet food in this lively city. This tour is also recommended as your first gourmet experience during your Tokyo trip.
・Meeting point: In front of the black pillar (next to UNIQLO Shinjuku West Exit Store) 1-2 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
・Tour area: Shinjuku
・Start times: 17:00, 18:00
Tokyo by Night Photography Tour
In this tour, you'll explore Shinjuku with a professional photographer and receive about 20 special photos as memorable souvenirs of your trip. First, you'll communicate your style preferences at a bar in Shinjuku Sanchome, then proceed to take photos at various spots throughout the city.
Since the photographer knows Shinjuku well, you'll be guided to special Instagram-worthy spots. Shinjuku has both glittering neon building complexes and quiet, green-filled shrines and parks. Explore various locations and have them capture what you consider "photos that symbolize Tokyo."
You'll also receive advice from the professional photographer on poses and expressions. Consult with the photographer and work together to create creative Tokyo travel photos.
・Meeting point: Lion Statue, 3-38 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo (Right in front of Shinjuku Station East Exit)
・Tour area: Shinjuku
・Start time: 17:30
