Located on Tokyo Bay, お台場 Odaiba is often hailed as a man-made island of entertainment options. On top of having a boatload of entertainment attractions, delicious eats, and varied shopping districts, Odaiba has its own bay-area aura that makes it a popular destination for travelers looking for an amusement park-like atmosphere.
Odaiba’s bay city atmosphere gives it a unique charm among Tokyo trips.
Access
Odaiba is easily accessible via the Yurikamome and Rinkai Lines, with Odaiba-kaihinkōen Station (U-06) being the station closest to many of the attractions in the area.
Food and Drink
While Odaiba might be considered an area where shopping and entertainment reign supreme, travelers won’t find it hard to find a tasty meal, as the area has a wide variety of food options, ranging from Japanese to international cuisine. With many shopping complexes, visitors are almost always in proximity of a food court or line of restaurants to satisfy their hunger.
If you’re in need of a break from Japanese food, Odaiba offers a lot of international cuisine, including pasta, steakhouses, and hamburg steaks. [Photo for illustrative purposes only]
Ramen: While Aquacity Odaiba is known as a major shopping mall, it has plenty of restaurants to offer visitors, including a ramen theme park on its fifth floor, which allows visitors to try different ramen varieties from all around Japan.
Seafood: Since Odaiba is located near the water, there are plenty of seafood options available, particularly sushi and sashimi, which can be enjoyed at many restaurants near the bay or even in many of the area’s shopping malls.
Take in a lovely view of Odaiba’s bay at one of the many waterfront restaurants in the area. [Photo for illustrative purposes only]
Cocktails with a view: The Rainbow Bridge which connects Tokyo and Odaiba is an area landmark that lives up to its name with a glowing nighttime illumination. The bridge is also located right next to a replica of The Statue of Liberty. Odaiba offers plenty of bars and restaurants so that patrons can admire the beautiful evening view of the bridge along with a cocktail or tasty bite.
Shopping
Try and win yourself a souvenir from a crane game at DiverCity Tokyo Plaza’s arcade center.
DiverCity Tokyo Plaza: Tokyo DiverCity is a large shopping and entertainment complex with over 150 shops, restaurants, and cafes, as well as a variety of entertainment options, including a cinema, a rooftop garden, and a museum dedicated to the popular anime series Mobile Suit Gundam. Shoppers will have their hands full exploring the many shopping options, and anime fans will want to make a stop to pick up some Gundam models as well.
Odaiba’s Gundam statue is a local landmark and a must-see for anime fans.
Aquacity Odaiba: While we recommended it for its great ramen selection, Aquacity Odaiba is loaded with a multitude of stores and boutiques to fill your suitcase with.
Head to the Tokyo DiverCity for a day of shopping and a view of the spectacular Gundam statue.
Sightseeing and Activities
Decks Tokyo Beach: On top of plenty of cafes, this shopping mall is not only packed with restaurants and stores but also offers indoor theme parks such as Tokyo Joypolis, Legoland Discovery Center, as well as a trick art and wax museum.
Odaiba’s iconic Rainbow Bridge and nighttime scenery make for great photography.
Fuji TV Building: Instantly recognizable due to its unique architectural design, the headquarters of Fuji Television is well worth a stop for fans of Japanese celebrities, as it has many exhibits dedicated to television dramas. An observation deck also offers a fantastic view of Odaiba.
The Fuji TV Building provides a splendid view of the surrounding area.
Small Worlds Tokyo: Small Worlds is a miniature theme park. The theme park features highly-detailed dioramas of places around Japan and even some miniature exhibits of famous anime. For an added fee, visitors can use 3D scanning to add a miniature of themselves to the dioramas.
In conclusion, Odaiba is a wonderful destination for all ages. With its proximity to Japan’s entertainment industry, Odaiba packs plenty of attractions to keep families engaged, as well as beautiful scenery and buildings, along with a plethora of dining options in a bay city location that may have you feeling like you’ve traveled farther from Tokyo than you really have.
