Odaiba is a man made island built in Tokyo Bay in the 1850s to defend the then capital city of Edo again foreign attack by sea. Today it is a futuristic commercial and residential area that is rapidly becoming a top tourist attraction.

There are a number of ways to get to Odaiba but in my experience the easiest and most scenic is to take the Yurikamome line over the Rainbow Bridge. Once you are on the island I found that many of the attractions are within walking distance.

My destination for the day was Joyopolis, a huge futuristic video game arcade built by Sega. Inside you will find all sorts of rides from a real roller coaster, a mechnical snow board half pipe to virtual bobsled runs. There are also many games for younger children that allow them to win prizes. The best way to enjoy Joyopolis is to buy the all day pass which allows you unlimited use of all the rides inside.

If videos games are not your thing there are many other attractions on Odaiba. Such as the Fuji TV building with it’s futuristic design. Miraikan is a science and technology centre that has many hands on activities for children. For car lovers there is Toyota MEGA WEB which is a showroom for current cars from Toyota which isn’t nearly as exciting as the Historic Garage that Toyota built inside the Venus Fort shopping complex. The Venus Fort shopping complex is an elaborate Venice-themed shopping mall that features fountains, artificial skies with sunsets and Italian looking shop fronts.

If you are looking for fun family activities in Tokyo then nothing can beat a day at Odaiba. Stay for dinner at one of the many restaurants along the boardwalk over looking the man made beach and enjoy the evening light show put on by the Rainbow Bridge.

Photo: Beaster725

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