ODAIBA: Let's Take a Vacation to Tokyo's Man-Made Island!

Odaiba with a little bit of history

 

Odaiba (also otherwise known as Daiba), is an artificial man-made island situated beside the Tokyo Bay. Odaiba was once a defense fort to protect Tokyo from open attacks and sea invasions during the late Edo period. "Daiba", a Japanese word which means "fort", is also the most likely explanation to the origin of the place's name.   

 

Approximately 50 more years after the Edo Period, Odaiba was reconstructed as a sea port, and later as a commercial and leisure complex in the 90s. At present, Odaiba is considered as one of Tokyo's visited tourist destinations. 

 

Rainbow Bridge at Odaiba, Tokyo. Photo from irzed.blogspot.com

 

An island open to the sea 

 

Odaiba is already famous for the fact that it's an artificial island. What makes it more famous is that it's one of only two places where you can openly access the waters of the bay in Tokyo metroplitan area without any obstruction by buildings and and other industrial and commercial infrastructures. 

 

Photo from travel.nationalgeographic.com

 

Shopping, leisure, and dating

 

The seaside offers a relaxed atmosphere which is a whole lot different from the congested streets of the city. This makes it a hit destination for couples to go on a date, and families to go on short vacations for recreation and bonding. Similar to the other shopping districts present within Tokyo, Odaiba offers a range of shopping destinations that are only a few meters apart from the bay, and which offer a decent view of the waterfront. Entertainment and transportation facilities such as water buses and monorails are also readily available.

 

Some of the notable attractions in Odaiba include the Odaiba Seaside Park, Rainbow Bridge, Venus Fort, Little Hong Kong, DiverCity Tokyo Plaza, Fuji TV, and LEGOLAND Discovery Center Tokyo. 

  

Night lights at Venus Fort Mall. Photo from pongitravel.blogspot.com

 

Little Hong Kong at Odaiba. Photo from pongitravel.blogspot.com

 

GUNDAM Front Tokyo

 

Located on the 7th floor of the Diver City building, GUNDAM Front Tokyo is a must-go destination especially for the hardcore Gundam fans. With an entrance fee of approximately 1,200 Yen (Around $13), you can see for yourself the mecha  wonders of their Gundam exhibit. Tourists enjoy lurking around the interactive exhibit and having their photos taken with the variety of large Gundam figures, most especially the famed 18-meter tall Gundam robot which stands outside the Diver City. 

 

Photo from broketourist.net

 

Google Maps:

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=204997109494707970583.000477c8f278371763c9e&dg=feature

 

Looking for an in-depth guide to Odaiba? Check out this link! You might find it useful.

http://www.sugihara.com/Odaiba/