Taking the transportation to Odaiba (å°å ´) is very straightforward. Head towards Shimbashi Metro Station and Yurikamone terminal is located right outside the Metro Station. We board the automated monorail which links central Tokyo to Odaiba via the iconic Rainbow Bridge. The train ride across the elevated bridge offers good views of the harbour and Tokyo Bay area.
Man-made goodness
Odaiba is an awesome man-made island featuring shopping malls, leisure complexes, museums, hotels and office buildings. One futuristic building here is Fuji TV HQ with its huge ball-shaped observation deck.
Other notable attractions in Odaiba are Tokyo Ferris Wheel and a replica of Statue of Liberty. The theme park style island is a popular hangout place among the Tokyo residents and dating paradise for couples.
We went straight to the mini Statue of Liberty after alighting at Daiba station. The scale down version stands proudly in front of a perfect backdrop – the Rainbow Bridge.
Very nice indeed! Like many others, we went photo crazy here for a while.
It gets even better as dusk falls. The statue, the bridge and Tokyo tower light up to form a stunning synergized scene fit for a picture perfect postcard shot. But sadly, most shots taken were infested with image noise no thanks to my lousy skill. Here is the better one among the rotten lot. Sigh.
We skipped the observation deck at the metallic Fuji TV building after seeing a snaking long queue. So instead we went to check out the 2 shopping malls side by side Aqua City and Tokyo Decks. There’s the usual mix of fashion and service shops in both malls but Tokyo Decks is slightly more interesting with a big gaming arcade in Sega Joypolis.
Palette town in Odaiba
Next, we board the Yurikamone transit to Aomi Station where the massive Palette town is located. The 3 main attractions are Toyota Mega Web, Venus Fort and the towering Ferris wheel. We only managed Toyota City Showcase in the huge Toyota Mega Web which displays the automaker’s latest models including Lexus.
Like any other Autocar showroom, the display cars are unlocked for people to fiddle with the controls or adjust the seats. It is possible to test drive the car in a 1.3km test track with a small fee of ¥300.
Moving on to Venus Fort, a large European styled shopping mall with an artificial sky.
I spotted a casino and decided to try my luck. But guess what? I was told that the casino is closed for the day. Huh? Wasn’t casino supposed to run 24/7? I rarely gamble and when I intend to, I meet a casino that ACTUALLY closes.
Had some nice ramen before we leave Oh-My-Daiba, in which also marks the end of our Tokyo Trip.
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What are your thoughts about Odaiba in Tokyo? Leave a comment and share it with me.
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