Which exit is best for matching this Forest scene near Shinjuku Station?

Use the west side or station-front exits as your starting point, then compare building lines and road layout with Street View. Shinjuku changes often, so matching the street geometry works better than relying only on signs.

Is photography allowed around Shinjuku Station for anime pilgrimage shots?

Yes, casual photography in public outdoor areas is generally fine, but avoid blocking pedestrian flow and do not use tripods in busy passages. Inside station premises, follow posted JR and railway operator rules and be careful not to capture staff-only or security-sensitive areas.

When is the easiest time to recreate this scene without huge crowds?

Early morning, especially on weekdays, is the most practical time because the station area is much less congested than midday or evening. Night scenes are visually impressive, but photo composition becomes harder due to heavy foot traffic and illuminated signage.

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Nearest Station: Shinjuku Station (JR Yamanote Line, JR Chuo Line, JR Sobu Line, Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line, Toei Shinjuku Line, Odakyu Line, Keio Line)
Walk: 1–5 minutes on foot depending on the exit
Best time to visit: Early morning on weekdays for easier photo matching and lighter crowds
Crowd level: Can be crowded

A quiet establishing shot captures the area around Shinjuku Station, emphasizing the city atmosphere rather than any specific character.
This shot focuses on the urban scenery around the station rather than showing any clearly identifiable characters, functioning more like a transitional cut that builds atmosphere and a sense of movement. The story briefly slows down here, using the familiar yet busy streetscape of Shinjuku to convey a feeling of drifting through city life and a moment of quiet reflection. The scenes before and after likely involve character movement, passing encounters, or an emotional shift, so even though the image feels calm, it carries the sense of leading into the next narrative beat. In real life, the anime recreates the streets around Shinjuku Station with strong accuracy, especially in the scale of the road, the openness of the station-front area, and the dense urban skyline that instantly identifies the location as Shinjuku. Anime usually simplifies sign text, storefront details, and crowd density to keep the frame cleaner and the composition more focused, while the real site may now look slightly different due to updated advertisements, replaced signage, and changes to transport facilities. For pilgrimage purposes, the key points are still the arrangement of station exits and the direction of the streets, and when comparing with Google Street View, the easiest details to match are the road alignment, the height relationships of the buildings, and the placement of major signs.

Which exit is best for matching this Forest scene near Shinjuku Station?: Use the west side or station-front exits as your starting point, then compare building lines and road layout with Street View. Shinjuku changes often, so matching the street geometry works better than relying only on signs.
Is photography allowed around Shinjuku Station for anime pilgrimage shots?: Yes, casual photography in public outdoor areas is generally fine, but avoid blocking pedestrian flow and do not use tripods in busy passages. Inside station premises, follow posted JR and railway operator rules and be careful not to capture staff-only or security-sensitive areas.
When is the easiest time to recreate this scene without huge crowds?: Early morning, especially on weekdays, is the most practical time because the station area is much less congested than midday or evening. Night scenes are visually impressive, but photo composition becomes harder due to heavy foot traffic and illuminated signage.