By Wonsuh Song
For decades, the East Exit of Shinjuku Station was one of Tokyo’s most symbolic spaces. At its heart stood Shinjuku ALTA, which since its opening in 1980 had embodied youth culture and fashion. After 45 years, it closed in February 2025 and is now under demolition. The familiar meeting spot known simply as “in front of ALTA” now survives only in memory.
In the late 1990s, when I came to Japan for a language study program, I first experienced the bustling crowds at ALTA’s plaza. Before mobile phones, simply saying “Let’s meet in front of ALTA” was enough to arrange countless encounters. Inside, I remember seeing tall platform sandals—priced far beyond what I, a student, could afford. Yet they symbolized the vibrancy of Shinjuku fashion and left a lasting impression. For me, ALTA became closely tied to my earliest memories of life in Japan.
Over time, however, ALTA lost its shine. Once filled with cutting-edge fashion, the building struggled to attract tenants. Eventually, the first floor came to be occupied by a lifestyle goods store. The sight of a former fashion landmark transformed into a shop for everyday necessities clearly reflected broader shifts in consumption and society.
Today, not only Shinjuku but all of Tokyo is undergoing sweeping redevelopment. Skyscrapers rise, old symbols fall, and the city continually reinvents itself. While this process strengthens competitiveness and injects vitality, it also erases shared memories. For those of my generation, who associate ALTA with their own stories, the loss is poignant. Yet for newer generations, the next landmark will naturally take its place.
The demolition of Shinjuku ALTA represents more than the end of a building. It is part of Tokyo’s ongoing cycle of erasing past symbols and creating new ones. Though the structure disappears, the memories it carried remain as layers that shape the city’s identity. Tokyo’s allure lies precisely in this constant circulation where past, present, and future converge.
Wonsuh Song (Ph.D.)
Full-time Lecturer, Shumei University / NKNGO Forum Representative
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