Odaiba - worth a trip?

Hi all,

We were looking into visiting Odaiba when we're in Japan next week and thought it sounded cool. But just read a blog that that said to skip it? What is your opinion?

Thanks!

a) Sega Joyoplis (even before the massive renovations) is worth spending a couple hours

b) toyota car museum

c) shop till you drop with venus fort & diver city

supposedly a mini hello kitty world is somewhere in odaiba. i didn't find it but i was there late at night and i now realize, i had bad information. it's the cafe at diver city but kawaii world is in venus fort--but i only had ten minutes before they were closing up at venus fort.

d) take a water taxi from Odaiba to the Skytree.. Although it sounds cheesy & too touristy, with dusk setting in, the boat ride was very enjoyable & different view of tokyo.

e) FUJI tv is the only major attraction in odaiba that i have yet to visit.

Ditto! There's also the Decks shopping centre, a great night time view of the Rainbow Bridge, a vintage-style games arcade upstairs in the building next to Joypolis, etc. We normally go there on the Yurikamome Line.

Of course, if none of the things listed interest you, then skip it. Kinda like how I don't bother with Ginza.

Like science? The science centre is there. Earthquake tech and robots.

I can't get very impressed by Odaiba. But I love love love the Yurikamome ride over there. This alone makes it worth going.

I am a Japanese so that my thought is somewhat different from most of travelers from abroad, but I will tell you my opinion.

In general, I am not interested in Tokyo. Yes, it is a biggest city in Japan, but for me most of Tokyo is boring. The historic spot such as Sensoji is of less interest than that in Kyoto and many small cities for me.

As for Tokyo what is interesting for me is its modern side, the tower area of Shinjuku, Tokyo Skytree etc., and Odaiba also represents the modern side of Tokyo. I love Yurikamome. When I have some time to do in Tokyo, I will go to Odaiba, taking Yurikamome. Unfortunately, I am too old to take the front-most seat of Yurikamome (I think it should be for children, or for young people at most), but if you are from abroad, you are allowed to take it :-). I hope you to enjoy changing panoramic view of Tokyo bay area from Yurikamome!

I don't have a car by choice and am not usually excited by them that much...yet I went around the Toyota Odaiba showroom with the kind of pleasure a kid get from a toy shop. Many of the cars will never be seen outside Japan, some never even in Japan, but were all fascinating...

By the way the Yurikamome light rail transit to Odaiba is UNFORTUNATELY often referred by some guidebooks and tourists as a monorail. It is not..as it runs on 2 parallel flat concrete tracks (it has rubber wheels)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Model_7000-First_of_Yurikamome.JPG
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rainbow_Bridge_from_Yurikamome_front...

Monorails run either on TOP, or below, a single beam:
Haneda monorail:
http://en.wikipedia.org
/wiki/File:SeibijoApr05-2.jpg
Chiba monorail:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chiba_monorail_train.jpg

I agree that taken a ferry to go from Odaiba to the main land is a great idea (I went to Asakusa)

Odaiba is well worth a visit. Especially at night it is a lot of fun. Quite unique and has a lot of interesting places to see.

it depends on what you are looking to do, I love the gundam and went there specially for a photo with the gundam and a visit to the gundam museum and cafe.

I'm going again soon to visit the lego place and to test drive at toyota mega web as I forgot to obtain an international drivers' licence for my last trip.

Odaiba is definitely worth a trip especially is you are going as a couple. Palette town has the big Ferris wheel and the Toyota Mega web. Its a nice place to walk around and you get a good view for pictures with the rainbow bridge. Definitely go at night.

I visited Odaiba twice, and enjoyed the visits every time. Was planning to visit the Oedo-onsen , Odaiba last month,unfortunately had to cancel due to unforeseen circumstances.

You could easily spend half a day exploring the area. Fuji TV Building is particularly interesting. You could get a nice view of rainbow bridge from Observation desk ,which is on the 25th floor? But you could also go up to the 23rd or 24th floor ? for free and enjoy the view all the same. The view is better at dusk.

Thank you all for your answers! That settles it for me... we are going! =D

You might check what is on in the exposition center Tokyo Big Sight during your planned visit.
During one of my trips the Tokyo Photo Imaging Expo (PIE) was on (free entrance). I had a lot of nice photo opportunities (PIE-girls ;-)
Have a nice trip
B. Slager