TOKYO (TR) – Tokyu Corp. last week announced plans to construct a 48-floor skyscraper to accommodate foreign tourists in the red-light district of Kabukicho, making it the latest development to emerge in the area.
Scheduled to open in August, 2022, the 53 floors of the building — including five below ground — will include a hotel, a movie theater, a performing arts theater and a live music venue with a capacity of 1,500 persons, the company said.
Located several minutes on foot from JR Shinjuku Station, the district — which is said “to never sleep” — has become a popular destination for foreign tourists, whose numbers have surged to record levels over the past few years.
In its announcement, Tokyu added that the new development will include a terminal for buses traveling to and from Narita International Airport and Haneda Airport, part of the company’s plan to attract visitors from overseas.
“Tokyo is said to be weak when it comes to what it offers foreign tourists looking to go out at night,” said Kuniaki Tajima, a representative of the development division of Tokyu. “So, we want to change the entertainment available.”
The complex, formerly the site of the four-screen Shinjuku Tokyu Milano theater, will be second major development in the area in recent years. In 2014, Toho Co. opened the Shinjuku Toho Building, which includes a hotel, a 12-screen cinema and restaurants.