Geek It! Otaku Out and About: Godzilla mania in Japan

Posted on July 18, 2023 by Suz in Animation, Anime, Arts, Film & TV, Flashback, Geek It!, Otaku, Out&About, Spotlight // 0 Comments

Till this day, Godzilla remains as one of Japan’s timeless icons that has transcended beyond Japanese pop-culture and into Western pop-culture. With over 35 movies and more to come, fans from around the world can’t get enough of Godzilla mania. So what did we decide to do on our recent Japan trip? Visit Godzilla in Shinjuku, of course! Here’s our recap:

Now, if you’re on the hunt to tick off another ‘bucket list’ item, visiting Godzilla in Japan is definitely something that you should do.

Since 1959, the destructive sea monster holds the world record for the longest running franchise film series. As a tribute to the franchise, a giant 80 tonne Godzilla head is placed on top of Shinjuku’s TOHO Cinemas.

Believe it or not, you can actually go straight to the head itself!

Just 8 minutes walk from JR Shinjuku Station, head over to Hotel Gracery (1 Chome-18-8 Kabukicho, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0021) and find the lobby level. From there, you go up to the 8th level and once you step outside … behold…!

Godzilla’s head!

Standing at the foot of the head, it is amazing how they’ve built such an iconic statue on the building. And if you hang around that Shinjuku area, you can actually hear Godzilla cry every hour from 12pm to 8pm.

For those who don’t know, TOHO Cinemas is situated in Kabukichō — an entertainment and red-light district in Shinjuku. Known for love hotels, restaurants, and nightclubs; Kabukicho had a reputation for being a dark and dangerous town.

But ever since TOHO decided to build the luxury Hotel Gracery in 2015 with Godzilla’s head perched on the roof, the landmark made Kabukicho cooler and approachable for tourists.

After you’ve finished admiring Godzilla, don’t forget to look at the small exhibition located on the Lobby level. Not only can you see a timeline of Godzilla movie posters, but you can also take selfies and photos with Godzilla himself terrorising a Japanese city.

If you still have spare time in Shinjuku, you should head over to the Godzilla Souvenir Shop (located in Shinjuku-ku, Shinjuku 3-1-26, Marui Annex 1F).

Here, you can actually purchase souvenirs to commemorate your encounter with Godzilla and your love for the pop-culture icon. From exclusive figurines to posters, there isn’t any other souvenir shop like this in Japan!