Is there a map, preferably online, bilingual (rōmaji and japanese), and 3D of Shinjuku station? And bus stops. The usual searches didn't cough up anything useful.

It's always a mild surprise to me when I get from a platform to an exit. Or traverse from west to new south. Or west to east. Or, let's face it, from just about anywhere to anywhere else, especially switching levels and avoiding ticket gates when just passing through. Not to speak of the adjoining passageways to the area's buildings.

This is for JR Shinjuku Station only:
http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/estation/e_shinjuku.html

Its in English, sorry I dont think there's one in Romanji.
It doesn't cover Tokyo Metro, Toei, Keio, Odakyu platforms or any bus stops.

Shinjuku Station is huge and honestly walking from east to west (without having to go through ticket gates) inside the building I get myself all confused @_@, if I needed to go from west to east or vice versa, I usually opt to walk around and outside the station building (towards the Epson building) turning right under the bridge emerging with the Shinjuku Prince Hotel on your left. I find it easier than getting into the maze in the station.

There's the Tokyo Subway Guide published by Kodansha (I'm happy with the Tokyo CIty Atlas, so I've never bought it)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/4770027788/026-1475275-5119661?v=glance&n=266239

But I guess you're looking for something like this:
http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/estation/e_shinjuku.html
or this:
http://accessible.jp.org/tokyo/en/map/shin_st.html


You'd probably really want this:
http://transstudio.com/infratecture/Images/shinjuku_station_map.jpg EDIT: please see the voice of reason in post 5
but I can't find a bigger version. Sorry!

And here's the overground view of Shinjuku in all its virtual glory!
http://www.webscape.com/Projects/VirtualOfficeSystem/html/presenation.html -

Thanks for these helpful replies!

I thought the transstudio map may be the closest to what I was looking for. I blew it up enough that my eyes starting watering and now I wonder if it has much more info than the JR East map.

It's interesting to see the positions of the fare gates. One set of the other always seems to get in the way when trying to go east-west.

Can't one of you FTers who's good with Google SketchUp put something together in exploded 3D, including all the non-maintenance levels, bus stops, and metro exits (including the stealth ones not shown on the local maps)? I'll wait.

You'd probably really want this:
http://transstudio.com/infratecture...station_map.jpg
but I can't find a bigger version. Sorry!

Actually despite the file name, the transstuidio map is that of Tokyo Station not Shinjuku Station.

Actually despite the file name, the transstuidio map is that of Tokyo Station not Shinjuku Station.

Ahhh, I didn't have my magnifying glasses on! :D

Can't one of you FTers who's good with Google SketchUp put something together in exploded 3D, including all the non-maintenance levels, bus stops, and metro exits (including the stealth ones not shown on the local maps)? I'll wait.

Ooh yes! That sounds like LOADS of fun, and a fabulous way to spend the rest of the summer :p :p :p :)

Can't one of you FTers who's good with Google SketchUp put something together in exploded 3D, including all the non-maintenance levels, bus stops, and metro exits (including the stealth ones not shown on the local maps)? I'll wait.

Add audio too because I can:t read a map to save my life. I attempted to traverse that station today. How frightening.

So you’re basically requesting that a FTer wires up the labyrinth Shinjuku station to offer an underground GPS service.

Sigh…

Where’s your sense of adventure? Why deprive a Japanese person the chance to practice some English by denying them access to a never ending supply of confused and befuddled foreigners?

A lot of people want and expect a proper dose of culture shock and the sense that they’re visiting a megapolis when they visit Tokyo. Yokoso Shinjuku Eki! (People do have to be careful what they wish for!)

I say get out at the nearest exit and navigate from there – it’s what I always do. It’s incredibly simple if you use the Yamanote line.

I'm glad to see there are others that find this station somewhat trying. Navigating a transportation hub intended for the public shouldn't be an intelligence test, though I guess it does prepare one for a serious state of befuddlement when arriving at the ticket machine. (Ok, ok, just buy the cheapest ticket and settle up at the exit, but it's frustrating not being able to decode the ticket machine at sight.)

So, the wiring diagram is what I'm looking for, something like the London underground map, but in 3D and maybe with smell-o-vision so I can find that eel place again, which was where again?.

My sense is the Shinjuku station "designers" spent too much time in a pachinko parlour. I don't think I've ever traversed from, say, the west to new south exits and back along exactly the same route, even when trying pretty hard.

For extra credit, describe the underground exits in a 1km radius around the Hilton, some of which aren't on the maps.

My sense is the Shinjuku station "designers" spent too much time in a pachinko parlour. I don't think I've ever traversed from, say, the west to new south exits and back along exactly the same route, even when trying pretty hard.

Maybe you need to spend more time in a pachinko parlour. :D

It's always a mild surprise to me ...Or, let's face it, from just about anywhere to anywhere else, especially switching levels and avoiding ticket gates when just passing through. Not to speak of the adjoining passageways to the area's buildings.
I once got so turned around just going to the men's room and coming out again. I never did get to where I wanted to go!

Having said that, though, I found it really easy to enter the station and go directly to the train I wanted. But if I needed to make a detour for any reason...see previous paragraph. :eek:

K.I.S.S. :) Seriously, if you get lost in that station, you weren't LOOKING at the signs on the sides of the subway station which direct commuters which exit to use. Also there are comphrensive enough maps INSIDE the station directing you to which exit to use to get where you want to go and provides a list of the "attractions" or "important landmarks". For Example if you want to leave Shinjuku station, just take the West Exit towards Odayku department store, ding ding. You're there before you know it. If you want to go to say Takadaymashi (sp) Dept. Store which is on the opposite side, use the directions to go to "New South Entrance" which actually crosses across one platform to get to it and requires you exit into the main passage then enter a platform once to get there.

And of course as a last resort, I highly recommend Tokyo City Atlas! ISBN : 4-7700-2503-3. In there, it shows all the underground passages at the stations along with their exit numbers.

Sanosuke!

So you’re basically requesting that a FTer wires up the labyrinth Shinjuku station to offer an underground GPS service.

Sigh…

Where’s your sense of adventure? Why deprive a Japanese person the chance to practice some English by denying them access to a never ending supply of confused and befuddled foreigners?

A lot of people want and expect a proper dose of culture shock and the sense that they’re visiting a megapolis when they visit Tokyo. Yokoso Shinjuku Eki! (People do have to be careful what they wish for!)

I say get out at the nearest exit and navigate from there – it’s what I always do. It’s incredibly simple if you use the Yamanote line.

When I go to Tokyo, I generally stay in Shinjuku area and take the subway and trains. But I still ocassionally get lost in the Shinjuku labyrinth as I transfer from one line to another, even though I can read the Kanji characters in the stations. Sometimes when I walk out of Shinjuku station, I end up in different area, but if that happens it becomes a mini-adventure to find your way back to the right exit. So I try to remember a few key exit numbers, like B-17 for the West side Odakyu Dept Store where shuttle buses congregate. Having a map is also important to ask for direction, but sometimes it is a challenge to find station personnel or people to help you during peak commuter times.

Agree that Yamanote JR line is the best to master for its tourist-friendly instructions, and the Chuo JR line is the best for its express speed. The subways are entirely another matter, and I try to avoid the complexity of subway line transfers by sticking to one or two lines (like Maranouchi LIne and Toei-Oedo Line) that gets you to places not nearby Yamanote JR or Chuo JR lines.