VIDEO: Take some time to enjoy Odaiba, Tokyo’s modern, trendy coastal district

Off the Tokyo Port, Odaiba is an artificial island with many attractions to fill a whole day’s worth of sightseeing.

Odaiba is home to Rainbow Bridge, a beach park, numerous shopping, office, hotel and amusement facilities, museums, interactive art galleries and a TV station, which makes the modern, trendy district one of Tokyo’s most popular tourist destinations.

The artificial island was originally built as a battery in 1854 for defending Japan’s capital against attack by foreign ships. In the 1990s, the completion of Rainbow Bridge and opening of the Yurikamome monorail line drove the coastal district’s rapid development.

Today, Odaiba is still in redevelopment and some of its previous attractions like the Oedo Onsen Monogatari bathing theme park, and the Palette Town shopping mall and its giant Ferris wheel closed in recent years. Despite undergoing major changes in its landscape, Odaiba still has plenty of other attractions to keep you entertained.

The island’s location also offers excellent views of Tokyo’s skyline, including Tokyo Tower and Rainbow Bridge illuminated at night. Take a moment to walk along Odaiba Kaihin (beach) Park to enjoy the reflection of the city lights on the bay waters. Nearby, a slightly smaller replica of the Statue of Liberty is great for some photos.

Nearby, Fuji TV and Diver City are other great spots to visit on Odaiba. Diver City is a shopping mall and dozens of great restaurants. It is also home to an enormous Gundam statue.

Another major attraction in Odaiba was teamLab’s Borderless interactive digital art museum. Though the exhibit closed in 2022 and will move to another location in Tokyo, you can enjoy another one of teamLab’s exhibits a few stops away from Odaiba near the Toyosu Fish Market.

teamLab Planets offers a sensory experience with seven large-scale digital art pieces involving water, textured floors and colorful projections. Not only are you allowed to take as many videos and photos as you want, but are also highly encouraged. teamLab’s art seeks to navigate the confluence of art, science, technology, design and the natural world.

For shopping, great food, activities, art and more, Odaiba is the perfect place to spend the day exploring.

Odaiba

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