Side Note: I haven't blog for more than a week cause I did a Sheldon. (You know the guy from the Big Bang Theory.) I've been on the train for a week travelling in various places in Japan. I have more than 2 weeks of spring vacation. That's one of the perks of being an ALT. I'll catch up on my writing this week and share the places I've visited.
Odaiba's an artificial island a few minutes from Tokyo. It was originally designed to be a defense zone but became a commercial district. It has a port city atmosphere similar to Yokohama and Kobe- laidback but progressive.
Don't miss visiting Odaiba if you're visiting Tokyo.
I mean, it's really close so might as well see the things in there, right? Also, Odaiba's really a great place to spend a day. It's close to the city but it's not as crowded as Tokyo proper. You also don't need to spend a lot of money unless you're planning to go shopping.
So what's not to miss in Odaiba?
1. Gundam
Odaiba is known for the big Gundam robot in front of Tower Records' building. There are times of the day when Gundam would emit some smoke and lights. I'm not a fan of Gundam but it was amusing to see this massive robot.
2. Mini Statue of Liberty
If you've never been to NY then you can just pretend to have been there by taking some shots of Liberty's replica. It's not as big as the original but if you'll just walk a few steps away, you can create the illusion that it's huge. Well, I've never been to NY so it was nice to pretend for a few minutes.
3. Vintage Car Museum
Aside from the big robot and the mini statue, you can also find vintage cars in Panasonic Centre. The museum has tour guide if you need one. I appreciated how the whole place feels vintage-y. This place also has a mini car collection that car fans would love. No admission fees too.
4. Car Driving Simulation
Toyota has a car racing/ driving simulation in Palette Town. Toyota has two car simulators that you can ride for free. You'll be racing twice- one using gasoline and one using hybrid fuel. I love car racing games in the arcade so I enjoyed riding the cars. (Unfortunately, my driving skills are murderous so my ride ended too soon.)
5. Rainbow Bridge
This is the bridge that connects Odaiba to mainland Tokyo. It's nice to look at during the night when it's lighted, My friend and I were lucky to sat across the bridge while sipping coffee at Starbucks. Some boats offer dinner cruises at night with the Rainbow Bridge as the main attraction. Unfortunately, my phone's camera cannot capture the lights of the bridge so I just got the picture from another website:
How to Get to Odaiba
I personally took the train from Tokyo Station.
Source; Wikipedia
If you get tired of crowded Tokyo or if you have a day to spare during your Tokyo vacation, visit Odaiba. (I'm really sounding like a tourism ambassador. hehe!)
Odaiba's an artificial island a few minutes from Tokyo. It was originally designed to be a defense zone but became a commercial district. It has a port city atmosphere similar to Yokohama and Kobe- laidback but progressive.
Don't miss visiting Odaiba if you're visiting Tokyo.
So what's not to miss in Odaiba?
1. Gundam
Odaiba is known for the big Gundam robot in front of Tower Records' building. There are times of the day when Gundam would emit some smoke and lights. I'm not a fan of Gundam but it was amusing to see this massive robot.
| Gundam Robot at Odaiba |
2. Mini Statue of Liberty
If you've never been to NY then you can just pretend to have been there by taking some shots of Liberty's replica. It's not as big as the original but if you'll just walk a few steps away, you can create the illusion that it's huge. Well, I've never been to NY so it was nice to pretend for a few minutes.
| Replica of the Statue of Liberty at Odaiba, Japan |
3. Vintage Car Museum
Aside from the big robot and the mini statue, you can also find vintage cars in Panasonic Centre. The museum has tour guide if you need one. I appreciated how the whole place feels vintage-y. This place also has a mini car collection that car fans would love. No admission fees too.
| one of the vintage cars at Odaiba |
4. Car Driving Simulation
Toyota has a car racing/ driving simulation in Palette Town. Toyota has two car simulators that you can ride for free. You'll be racing twice- one using gasoline and one using hybrid fuel. I love car racing games in the arcade so I enjoyed riding the cars. (Unfortunately, my driving skills are murderous so my ride ended too soon.)
 |
| Car Racing Simulation at Palette Town, Odaiba |
5. Rainbow Bridge
This is the bridge that connects Odaiba to mainland Tokyo. It's nice to look at during the night when it's lighted, My friend and I were lucky to sat across the bridge while sipping coffee at Starbucks. Some boats offer dinner cruises at night with the Rainbow Bridge as the main attraction. Unfortunately, my phone's camera cannot capture the lights of the bridge so I just got the picture from another website:
 |
| credit: http://www.asianpictures.org/rainbow_bridge.html |
How to Get to Odaiba
I personally took the train from Tokyo Station.
Source; Wikipedia
Two Shuto Expressway lines access Odaiba: Route 11 enters from central Tokyo crossing the Rainbow Bridge, while the Wangan Routeenters from Shinagawa Ward through the Tokyo Port Tunnel and from the bayfront areas of Tokyo and Chiba Prefecture to the east.
By public transport Odaiba is accessible via the automated Yurikamome transit system from Shimbashi and Toyosu. The privately operated Rinkai Line runs between Shin-Kiba and Ōsaki but many trains connect directly to Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Ikebukuro. City buses provide cheaper if slower access. Ferries connect Odaiba with Asakusa running along the Sumida River and the Kasai Rinkai Park in eastern Tokyo.
