Neighbourhood in Minato
Odaiba
お台場
Artificial island in Tokyo Bay, built as sea forts in the 1850s and now a waterfront of parks, malls, museums and views of Rainbow Bridge.
- places to see
- 5
- walk past the highlights
- 5.6 km
- Tokyo
- Minato
Photo: DXR (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab), from Wikimedia Commons
Odaiba is a large artificial island in Tokyo Bay. Its name comes from the sea forts (daiba) built in 1853 to protect Edo from Commodore Perry's ships; one of them is now Daiba Park. Most of the island was built much later and redeveloped in the 1990s into a district of malls, offices, hotels and museums.
Come for the open waterfront, rare in Tokyo: a sandy beach at Odaiba Marine Park, views of Rainbow Bridge and the city skyline, and Miraikan for science. The north and west of the island belong to Minato ward; see our Minato guide.
Don't miss in Odaiba
Start with these, then wander the side streets.
1. Odaiba Marine Park
お台場海浜公園Man-made beach facing Rainbow Bridge. Best at sunset.
Photo: I, Ryoma35988 (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 3.0 (opens in a new tab), from Wikimedia Commons
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2. Rainbow Bridge
レインボーブリッジWalk across on the lower deck, or ride the Yurikamome train over it for the views.
Photo: yuukin (opens in a new tab), CC BY 3.0 (opens in a new tab), from Wikimedia Commons
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3. Daiba Park
台場公園An 1850s island fort turned park, with old cannon emplacements.
Photo: Khafre (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 3.0 (opens in a new tab), from Wikimedia Commons
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4. Miraikan
日本科学未来館Hands-on science museum with robots and a giant globe display.
Photo: Jason Ruck (opens in a new tab), public domain, from Wikimedia Commons
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5. Fuji TV Building
フジテレビ本社ビルThe landmark TV building with a sphere observation deck.
Photo: Tokumeigakarinoaoshima (opens in a new tab), CC0 (opens in a new tab), from Wikimedia Commons
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Walk Odaiba in order
The highlights as one easy walk, about 5.6 km in all.
Stop 1
Odaiba Marine Park
Start here
Stop 2
Fuji TV Building
8 min walk
Stop 3
Daiba Park
13 min walk
Stop 4
Rainbow Bridge
14 min walk
Stop 5
Miraikan
39 min walk
Odaiba on the map
Every place on this page. Tap a pin for directions.
Questions
How do I get to Odaiba?
Take the Yurikamome from Shimbashi or the Rinkai Line, which connects with the JR lines. You can also walk across Rainbow Bridge from Shibaura.
When is the best time to visit Odaiba?
Late afternoon into evening, for sunset and the lit-up bridge and skyline.
Sources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources.
More areas in Tokyo
- RoppongiCentral Tokyo district known for nightlife, embassies and the art museums of Roppongi Hills, Tokyo Midtown and the National Art Center.
- TsukijiHome of Tokyo's famous fish market until 2018. The wholesale market moved to Toyosu, but the Outer Market's food stalls and shops are still here.
- GinzaTokyo's classic upmarket shopping district, with department stores, flagship boutiques, the Kabuki-za theatre and a main street that closes to cars at weekends.
- EbisuRelaxed district one stop from Shibuya, built around an old beer brewery, with lots of restaurants, izakaya and bars.
- MarunouchiThe business district between Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace, with the red-brick station, palace gardens and a tree-lined street of shops.
- NihonbashiTokyo's old merchant quarter around the bridge where the Edo-period highways began, with Japan's first department store and long-running shops.
- ShibuyaHome of the world's busiest pedestrian crossing and the Hachiko statue, with new towers, rooftop views and a park on top of a mall.
- RyogokuThe home of professional sumo, with the national sumo arena, training stables and chanko nabe restaurants on the east bank of the Sumida River.
