A Morning Running Hotspot in Shinjuku

For my first trip in July, I flew to Tokyo right after work on Friday to see my favorite play!!

The very next day, the big Tokyo earthquake was supposed to happen… Everyone was in a panic, but the airport and Shinjuku were packed with people;;;

Thanks to that, the flight was cheap, so it was a lucky break.

As soon as I arrived, it was hot, so I went to Kurazushi next to the hotel and had a sushi feast!!! Actually, I was so obsessed with trying the Chiikawa capsule toy machine that I ate like crazy and succeeded in getting a capsule ✨

Thanks to that, I went for a morning run the next day to soothe my swollen body.

I thought about running from Shinjuku Nishiguchi (west exit) toward Okubo, but that area has love hotels and is just a street, so I planned a course passing through Shinjuku 3-chome (near Isetan department store) and around Shinjuku Gyoen!

People say Japan is hot, but rather than muggy, the sunlight was really blazing and stinging on the skin, so sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses are essential!

It takes about 10-15 minutes to get to Gyoen, and once inside, I ran looking for shade through the forest, and the breeze blowing between the trees cooled my sweat, which felt amazing.

There were more running crews than I expected, so it was great to run without any worries!

I entered through 3-chome, ran a lap, and came out at 1-chome where the greenhouse is. The greenhouse looked hot but was actually very cool, perfect for cooling down after running.

You can sit and rest in the shade along the way, and lying under a tree as big as an apartment, I almost fell asleep~

After running and resting for about an hour and a half, enjoying the trees, I thought, “This is why I run!”

How about a trip where you find yourself like a local for a day, amidst the busy city?! Hehe

The 1-chome area, a bit away from the always crowded Shinjuku Station, is quiet and has many hidden gems, making it a great place for a park walk before sunset.

Gyoen #TokyoRunningCourse