Odaiba

Odaiba is an artificial island located in Tokyo Bay where people usually go for a day trip. It’s not a “mandatory” visit if you visit Tokyo, but if you’re at least 15 days in Japan it could be a good option to spend one day. It is an island where most of the buildings have been built not long ago, there are many museums, research labs, etc. As a whole, you can feel a really modern and high-tech atmosphere. Odaiba is also the island where the cult classic Takeshi’s Castle was recorded.

To get to Odaiba one of the most interesting options is to go to Shimbashi station using the Yamanote line. Once you are in Shimbashi you have to take the Yurikamome line; but before I recommend you to try some great ramen at the first restaurant just out of the north exit.

The Tokyo Monorail, is a line that operates on a special elevated line; during the ride you will see large business buildings and if you are lucky you will see the Shinkansen pass by. The last stretch of the line consists on crossing the famous Rainbow Bridge.

Rainbow Bridge. On the right you can see the Tokyo Tower, and on the left the tallest building is the Mori Tower.

Once you are in Odaiba you will be offered many leaflets with information about the island and advertising of the different places to spend your time. If you like technology and science you can visit the Japan’s National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, where you will be able to see the Honda robot Asimo in action.

One of the most spectacular buildings is the Fuji TV building. Fuji TV is the television channel that broadcast Dragon Ball for the first time and that currently shows One Piece. The building is really easy to recognize, thanks to the enormous spherical structure that is attached to it. There are free access areas for visitors where you can take a picture with the TV channel mascot; and where you will be able to buy merchandising of Dragon Ball and other TV shows.

That’s an old pic of me and the popular blue dog, the mascot of Fuji TV.

Just in front of the Fuji TV building there are two buildings with shops. The most interesting ones are the Sony store that occupies several floors and the Osamu Tezuka shop where you can find all kinds of stuff related to Osamu Tezuka, the so-called father of manga.

Osamu Tezuka shop.

Right next to that building there’s another building with a Sega park, called Joypolis; it’s a huge arcade with the latest Sega arcade machines, but there are also attractions using 3D cinematographic and audio-visual techniques, those where the seat starts to move while watching a movie.

In Odaiba there’s also a replica of the Statue of Liberty of New York. On the picture you can see in the foreground the replica and in the background the Tokyo Tower, a replica of the Eiffel Tower of Paris.