Odaiba Japan: A Seaside Playground for All Ages

Do you enjoy interactive museums, arcades, shopping, or architectural feats of genius? How about cars, cosplay, beaches, or onsens?

Odaiba has all this, and more.  Odaiba showcases the best of modern Japan.  You’re going to love the high tech island haven of Odaiba.

Odaiba’s Origins

Odaiba was once the declining Shogun’s defense against the outer world. The Tokugawa Shogunate built the island base in 1853. The man-made island transformed from a naval fort to a technological playground.

Odaiba’s gone through several phases. During the 80s, Odaiba was a high-end residential district. In the 90s, Odaiba attracted attention as a global technology center. In the early 2000s, Odaiba became Tokyo’s playground. Malls and quirky themed attractions sprouted up, seemingly out of nowhere.

Odaiba’s a fun place to escape Tokyo’s huge crowds without losing any of the city’s atmosphere.

What Can You Do in Odaiba?

There are so many things to do on Odaiba.  With tons of activities, museums, and restaurants, you’re bound to find something fun to do there.  Let’s take a look at some of the more popular places to visit there.

Check out this video walk tour of Odaiba:

Walking around Odaiba (Daiba), Tokyo - Long Take【東京・お台場】 4K

Miraikan – National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation

Let’s start with the high tech Miraikan Museum.

Like interactive museums? If so, you’ll enjoy getting hands on at The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation.

The museum promotes science and technology. Exhibitions tackle environmental challenges, space exploration, and medicine.

Leading scientists designed the museum’s exhibits. The displays are technical (and written in Japanese). In spite of this, the museum is popular with families. Most of the exhibits are interactive.

There is also a replica of part of the International Space Station. You can buy the foods eaten by astronauts at the gift shop.

ASIMO’s the coolest thing in the museum. He’s one of the world’s most advanced humanoid robots.

Hours

• 10:00am – 5:00pm (last entry 4:30pm)
• Closed Tuesdays (open on national holidays)
• Closed November 25 and December 28 – January 1

Admission Fees

• Adults :  620 yen
• Children (under 18) :  210 yen

Fuji Building

The futuristic design of the Fuji TV building dominates Odaiba’s waterfront.

Picture two 25-story towers linked by three sky bridges. The bridges get support from steel columns. A large metallic ball rests on the top bridge.

You’ve never seen anything like it.

The Hachitama

You can go inside the Hachitama (the large ball shaped observatory) on the top bridge. The observation platform has views across Tokyo to Mt Fuji.

The Fuji building also contains studios. On the 24th floor, the studio of Mezamashi TV is open to the public when not in use. Other studio tours need to be reserved.

The 1F Theater Mall shops feature characters that appear on Fuji TV. One of their stores is dedicated to long-running anime favorite Sazae-san.

Hours

• 10:00am -6:00pm (last entry to Hachitama 5:30pm).
• Hachitama and the studios close Mondays.

Admission Fees

Entry to the building’s free.

Hachitama

• Adults :  550 yen
• Elementary and junior high students:  300 yen.

A further charge applies for studio tours.

Palette Town

Palette Town’s mega-complex offers a little bit of everything.

It’s instantly recognizable because of its giant Ferris wheel. Over 115 meters high, the Ferris wheel has a 100-meter diameter.

The Ferris wheel gives you a beautiful view of Tokyo Bay and other well-known Tokyo attractions.

Some of the attractions you can see are Tokyo Tower, Tokyo Sky Tree, and the Rainbow Bridge.

Tokyo Leisure Land, Venus Fort, and the Toyota Mega Web are big attractions in Palette town.

Ferris Wheel Hours

• Sunday-Thursday:  10:00am – 10:00pm
• Most Fridays and Saturdays:  10:00am – 11:00pm

Admission Fees for the Ferris Wheel

• 920 yen

Tokyo Leisure Land

The amusement center is open 24 hours (some parts close daily) and offers a variety of entertainment options. You can play games including bowling, table tennis, darts, and pool. There’s even a batting center for baseball practice. There’s also an incredible collection of arcade games. Be sure to try the latest video game sensations there. There’s also karaoke and a haunted house.

Don’t confuse it with Aqua City Leisureland, also on Odaiba.

Hours

• Some areas are open 24/7.
• Other areas are open from 10:00am – 11:50pm daily.

Admission Fees

Free

The charges for the games vary.

Venus Fort

Venus Fort is a shopping mall designed to recreate medieval Venice.

At one end of the mall is a plaza with a fountain featuring statues of six Roman goddesses. At the other end is a replica church front.

Above shopper’s heads, the fake sky brightens or dims depending on whether the sun is setting or rising.

Three themes

Venus Fort’s three floors each have a different theme:

• The first floor sells goods and services geared toward families.
• The second floor focuses on fashion, big brands in particular.
• The third floor features outlet stores, still a novelty in Japan.

Venus Fort offers patrons 6 hours of free Wi-Fi and a bus that connects to Haneda airport. Tax-free shopping and English speaking staff are available.

Hours

• Shops 11:00am – 9:00pm
• Restaurants 11:00am – 11:00 (last order 10:00pm)

Admission Fees

Free to window shop

Toyota Mega Web

Described either as a “showroom” or a “theme park,” Toyota Mega Web showcases Toyota’s latest car models.

The main attraction, Ride One, lets you test drive the latest Toyota models on a 1.3 km test course. You must have either a Japanese or International Driver’s license.

The Ride Studio features rides for kids, but Japanese ability is necessary.

The History garage collects different models of car from the 1950s to 1970s.

The Universal Design Showcase is a hands-on introduction to designing cars.

Finally, the Toyota City Showcase introduces Toyota’s newest lineup.

Hours

• Showroom and History Garage:  11:00am – 9:00pm
• Ride One:   11:00am – 8:00pm
• Ride Studio:   11:00am – 7:00pm

Admission Fees

Free

Test-driving and other activities have a fee

Tokyo Big Sight

Tokyo Big Sight is a huge convention and exhibit site.

The futuristic architecture of the main tower is something to behold. It reminds you of the Fuji TV Building.

Tokyo Big Sight hosts business and entertainment related conventions throughout the year.

Cosplay

Comiket comes to town in August and December. Comiket is the biggest amateur comic event in Japan. AnimeJapan is in March. It features goods from 19 anime related companies. Both of these conventions attract lots of cosplayers.

A cosplayer is an anime fan who dresses as a character from their favorite show. Even when a convention is not held, you can sometimes spot cosplayers on Odaiba.

Be aware – taking pictures without permission’s considered rude.

Opening Hours and Admission

Varies from event to event. Visit the website for more info.

Oedo Onsen Monogatari

Oedo Onsen Monogatari is an onsen theme park.

The park combines an Edo-period setting with a traditional festival atmosphere.

Onsen are traditional gender segregated baths fed by volcanic hot springs. Bathers wash before entering the bath. Soaking in the baths is the ultimate for relaxation.

Oedo Onsen Monogatari offers spas and various beauty treatments. You can have tiny fish eat the dead skin off your feet. And that’s only the start!

The baths are in a complex with relaxation spaces and restaurants. There are also booths with traditional Japanese games.

Oedo Onsen Monogatari takes its recreation of the Edo period seriously. As soon as you arrive, you trade your clothes for a yukata, a light kimono.

It’s a great place to recover from your busy day of sightseeing.

Hours

• 11:00am – 9:00am (next day)

Admission Fees

• Monday-Friday:  2612 yen
• Weekends:   2828 yen
• Peak Periods:   2936 yen

Madam Tussauds Tokyo Wax Museum