Odaiba

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Odaiba, also known as Daiba, is located in Tokyo Bay, covering part of two man-made islands in southeast Tokyo. Odaiba literally means fort barbette and it was built in the 19th century to defend against the American black ships led by Commodore Matthew Perry. These marine forts eventually became parks and landfills. However, in the 1990s, the mayor of Tokyo decided to redevelop Odaiba and now it has become a fun playground of future innovation and modern living.

As the most trendy ultramodern area on Tokyo Bay, it is famous and popular, especially among young people, not only for its general seaside fun, but also for its sports facilities, high-tech stadiums, fancy shopping malls, informative museums, and also pleasure cruising.

The fun and romantic vibe and rich attractions also make it a family-oriented breezy entertainment hub, alluring more and more families with children and dating couples. It is a must-visit site for visitors to soak up the cutting-edge culture in Tokyo. Here we just pick up the top things to do and the most unmissable attractions in Odaiba for you!

Top Things to Do in Odaiba

Go Shopping in Tokyo's Top Shopping Malls

Odaiba is definitely the most perfect place for your shopping in Tokyo as it features several large scale shopping malls. In the center of the area stands the Aqua City, which is the most convenient shopping mall by metro, only one minute walk from the metro station and it includes from big famous brands to various quirky shops, and sports products. If you are a foodie, here also offers more than 60 restaurants. Another high-end shopping mall is Decks Tokyo Beach which is themed after a ship and famous for a lot of theme areas like LEGO Land Discovery, TrickArt Museum and interesting Odaiba Takoyaki Museum. The large shopping mall features over 90 specialty shops selling various goods. Other entertainment also includes Madame Tussauds and Daiba 1-chome Shotengai which can take you back to Japan in the 1960s.

Food Stores in Odaiba

Snack Stores in Odaiba

Have a Glimpse of a Gundam Show at Diver City Tokyo Plaza

Gundam fans cannot miss the 1:1 Gundam model at Diver City Tokyo Plaza. Even those who are not familiar with the character will still be amazed at the 17.9-meter (58.8 ft.) high Unicorn Gundam, a unique landmark in the Odaiba area. The huge model is not simply a standing statue but with lighting and transforming functions. In the day time, the Gundam show will start at 11:00, 13:00, 15:00, and 17:00, generally lasting for 1 minute. During the show, the life-sized Gundam will light up with the music and its face will also transform accordingly. The night show will be more fantastic and there are 6 shows from 19:00 to 21:30, with each one lasting for 3 minutes. The impressive transformation matched with classic songs and scenes used offers a top feast for you. On the 7 th floor of the Diver City, there is a Gundam Base, which sells more than 2,000 Gundam models and you can surely find your favorite one.

Odaiba Street

Overlook Tokyo Bay and Rainbow Bridge in Hachitama Spherical Observation Room

Another landmark in Odaiba is the Fuji Building, the headquarters of Fuji Television Network. The famous building features a huge sphere on the 25th floor, about 100 meters (328 ft.) above the ground. Inside, there is an observation room called HACHI TAMA, where you can enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view of Tokyo Bay. It also offers the best location to catch another landmark in Odaiba, the Rainbow Bridge, which links Odaiba and the rest of Tokyo. You can have a good chance to take a group photo of the bridge with the famous Tokyo Tower. If weather permits, you can even catch Mt. Fuji.

Rainbow Bridge

Appreciate Odaiba’s Own Statue of Liberty at Odaiba Marine Park

Odaiba Marine Park offers leisurely promenades for people to stroll around and see beautiful views of Tokyo Bay. Though swimming is not allowed in the park, water sports like windsurfing, beach volleyball, canoeing, surfing and windsurfing are available. The largest highlight in the park is the well-known 12.5-meter (41 ft.) high Statue of Liberty replica, which is four times smaller than the 46-meter-tall (151 ft.) Statue of Liberty in New York but a little larger than the counterpart in Paris. Besides appreciating the world’s third Liberty Statue, you can also enjoy the Rainbow Bridge at a close distance and take a 115-meter (377 ft.) high sky wheel to take in gorgeous night views.

Statue of Liberty at Odaiba Marine Park

Take a Futuristic Water Bus in Odaiba

Hopping on a water bus is a must-try activity in Odaiba. Boarding on the glass-paned water buses featuring futuristic elements, you can enjoy beautiful views of some famous Tokyo attractions from a different angle. The water bus operated by Tokyo Mizube Cruising Line will take you through a fun experience to sail along the Rainbow Bridge, Fuji TV, and Tokyo Skytree. As it shuttles between Odaiba and Asakusa, it means you can also get to Odaiba by water.

Pay a Visit to Miraikan – The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation

One of the best things to do in Odaiba is to visit one of the top museums in Tokyo, such as Miraikan, which is the best science museum in Japan. Opened in 2001, it is a huge building with 8 floors above ground and 2 floors below ground. The high-tech museum displays much natural knowledge about the earth through a wide variety of interesting interactive activities and exhibits. It offers human's latest scientific and technological civilization, especially perfect for children to understand the world from a scientific point of view. The representative exhibit in the museum is Geo-Cosmos, a giant globe display with a diameter of 6.5 meters (21.3 ft.), displaying a vivid picture of the earth. Visitors will also be amazed at Honda's impressive ASIMO robot display on the 3rd floor.

How to Get to Odaiba

By Metro

1. The most convenient way to reach Odaiba is by metro. Yurikamome Line is the prime choice for visitors and Shinbashi Station is the main transport hub for transfer.

From Tokyo Station, take Tokaido Line to Shinbashi Station, and then transfer to Yurikamome Line to Odaiba-Kaihinkoen Station. It takes about 25 minutes and costs 460 yen for a single journey,

From Asakusa Station, take Toei Asakusa Line to Shinbashi Station and transfer to Yurikamome Line to Odaiba. The duration is around 35 minutes and the fare is 540 yen.

From Ginza Station, take Ginza Line to Shinbashi Station to transfer to Yurikamome Line and get off at Odaiba-Kaihinkoen Station, taking around 30 minutes and 490 yen.

2. It is also possible to take Rinkai Line to Tokyo Teleport Station, which is also very convenient to access Odaiba.

By Water Bus

Take a water bus from Asakusa Pier to Obdaiba Seaside Park, taking around 1 hour.