Odaiba is a man-made island in Tokyo Bay, which is connected to the rest of Tokyo via the Rainbow Bridge. It can be quite pricey to visit so make a day of it – there’s plenty to see and do. As well as the huge shopping malls and arcade, you can visit the Fuji TV Building, an onsen theme park, science museums, a giant Toyota showroom and one of the world’s tallest ferris wheels.
Shopping & Eating in Odaiba
Venus Fort
This shopping mall is designed like a medieval European village with fountains, mout of truth and changing skies. Look out for a branch of Kiddyland (the greatest kawaii store in the world), Donguri Kyowakoku (Ghibli & more), Village Vanguard (bargain character goods and snacks), Seria (¥100 store), Lego Click Brick and Sylvanian Families plus loads of fashion stores and restaurants. Website »
Diver City
Soon to be home to an even bigger Gundam model, this mall has a great food hall with lots of different restaurants and an easy iPad ordering service for foreigners. Try the noodles at Hanamaru Udon. For something cuter, Cafe de Miki with Hello Kitty is a British-themed Hello Kitty cafe. There’s plenty shopping too with a Hello Kitty store, Daiso & 3 Coins (¥100 & ¥300 stores, respectively), a mini Tokyu Hands, Village Vanguard, Uniqlo & much more. Website »
Decks Tokyo Beach
Head up to the fourth floor for a maze of arcade games, gashapon, souvenirs and bargain snacks. You can also try a whole range of octopus dumplings at the Takoyaki Museum or have some fun at Legoland or the Trick Art Museum. Website »
Art, Culture & More
Design Festa
If you’re visiting in May or November, don’t miss the chance to see this huge international art, crafts, fashion and design event. With stalls available for amateurs and professionals, it’s a riot of artistic chaos and full of inspiration. Most stalls with have things to buy too, from ¥100 postcards to handmade clothes. See my full post »
Trick Art Museum
If you fancy some very unique souvenir photos, this museum lets you can insert yourself into lots of amazing and crazy optical illusion photo setups to appear to be a gravity defying ninja or about to be eaten by a shark. Make sure to take a camera and a friend! Website »
Oedo Onsen Monogatari
If you’d love to try a Japanese onsen but find it intimidating, this hot springs theme park is a little easier to navigate and more tolerant of foreigners. It also has food and entertainment so you can make an evening of it. Website »
Illuminations
Try and stick around until it gets dark as Odaiba’s illuminations are amazing and turned on all year round. The Rainbow Bridge is lit up like a rainbow and the Fuji TV building has a whole pixellated light show with sound that’s mesmerising to watch.
Getting Around
The easiest way to get to Odaiba is the Yurikamome monorail from JR Shimbashi station. You can also get there by boat (from Hinode Pier or Asakusa). Once on Odaiba, the attractions are quite spread out but you can walk between the big shopping malls.
Last updated: 15 May 2017
Useful Links & Guides
- Japan Guide’s Odaiba page with maps and more.
- My Tokyo Shopping Guide (craft & kawaii shopping in Tokyo and beyond)
- My Japan Trips (more links and guides)
- Planning For Japan (my Japan guide with 200+ shops, cafes and places of interest plus tips and resources to help you plan the perfect trip!
