Shinagawa is one of the 23 wards that make up Tokyo. Shinagawa is also a very busy train hub and is packed with many European style restaurants and businesses. Since Shinagawa is such a major transportation hub you will find that it has many hotels, and is very foreigner friendly ( English signs, etc)
Background information
Shinagawa is located inside the Tokyo Bay, and is surrounded by Koto, Minato, Meguro and Ota. Historically Shinagawa has long been a transportation hub catering to travelers, all the way up since Japan’s Edo Period people passed by Shinagawa to get into Tokyo.
Things to do
Shinagawa may not have has much to offer like Shinjuku but it is still a pretty interesting and fun ward nonetheless. Since Shinagawa is a transportation hub it has many shops and restaurants which cater to European and American tastes so if you’re already tired of Japanese food or just want to eat some western food Shinagawa is a good place to find delicious food with decent price’s when compared to Ginza which is very price.
Areas and things to check out
Sengakuji Temple – Is a famous Temple because it is the resting place of 47 Ronin, a group famous for avenging their slain master. Definitely check this temple out if you are interested in lore. The temple is open from 7:00 to 18:00 every day and there is no admission fee.
Epson Aqua Stadium – Is located behind Takanawa Wing West, the aquarium has a dolphin and seal show and hundreds of species of fish on display, ticket price for adults is 1,800 Yen middle school kids at 1,000 yen and for 600 yen for kids over four. The aquarium is open from 10 am to 9 pm
Hara Museum of Contemporary Art – This museum hosts varies exhibits which showcase Pre-war Japan architecture and also has a very nice cafe open from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm located at 4-7-25 Kitashinagawa, admission fee is 1000 yen or 700 yen for students. The museum is located 15 minutes from JR Shinagawa station (Takanawa Exit) by foot or 5 minutes by taxi.http://www.haramuseum.or.jp/generalTop.html
How to get to Shinagawa
You can get to Shinagawa by using the JR Yamanote Line or the Tokaido Shinkansen. You can get there from Tokyo station in under 10 minutes for 160 yen by riding the JR Yamanote Line, or in 18 minutes from Shinjuku Station via the JR Yamanote Line. There are other lines that can take you to Shinagawa but the JR Yamanote Line is the fastest and simplest, if you wish to try other lines there is also the JR Tokaido Main Line, JR Yokosuka Line and Keikyu Main Line