Shinjuku’s Kabukichō Evolves — Late-Night Neon Streets Draw Foreign Visitors and YouTubers
A Cutting-Edge Photographer Captures the Diverse Human Scenes on the Streets
Japan’s largest entertainment district, Shinjuku’s Kabukicho, is transforming. People are gathering here from all over the world, including Europe, the Middle East, and beyond. Over roughly ten days in early February, a rising photographer captured the district every night around 11 p.m., showcasing the appeal of Kabukicho that attracts so many.
“Shall we take a picture together?”
The two women dancing together are a Japanese cosplayer and a foreign YouTuber—meeting for the first time. Behind them, friends film their performance.
Photographer Bun Kamiyama, who had been based abroad and returned to Kabukicho for the first time in about six years, remarks:
“Foreigners were always present, but previously mostly from China, Korea, and other parts of Asia. Now, people from Europe, the Middle East, and many other countries gather in Kabukicho. Under the neon lights of this sleepless district, more and more people are filming with their smartphones.”
The core group of YouTubers is young. In one photo, teenagers are doing somersaults on the street after shouting, “Ready, go!” A young man, likely a friend, points his smartphone at them to record the few-second performance.
Kamiyama continues:
“While police and city crackdowns have reduced aggressive touting and overcharging, the anything goes atmosphere remains. Outlandish cosplay that would stand out in other districts feels natural here. People drunkenly sleeping on the street, loud fights between men and women—Kabukicho allows these raw, unfiltered human moments to be visible in a way that other districts do not.”
Kamiyama’s photos condense the energy and appeal of Kabukicho, where people from all over the world now converge.
From “FRIDAY”, March 6, 2026 issue
PHOTO： Fumi Kamiyama