Tokyo 東京
Japan’s capital city, Tokyo, located on the country’s largest island, Honshu, has over 14 million residents who live within the Tokyo Metropolis. The Greater Tokyo Area, which includes Japan’s second-largest city, Yokohama, is the largest metropolitan area in the world, with over 37 million people.
Tokyo, and indeed all of Japan, has a world-class public transport system. It moves a huge population, as well as visitors, efficiently. Visit Tokyo Station or Shinjuku Station in the morning. You will see just how busy and efficient a train station can be. People walk fast yet orderly. They know exactly which direction to go.
Visitors will find convenience stores and vending machines, mostly selling drinks, are plentiful in Tokyo and throughout Japan. In fact, there’s one vending machine for every 23 people. You never have to worry about not being able to buy a drink when you are thirsty.
Tokyo is an ultra-modern city yet rich in tradition, and it offers a seemingly unlimited choice of shopping, entertainment, culture, and dining to its visitors. There are so many excellent museums, historic temples, and gardens. Visitors will be pleasantly surprised to find Tokyo offers many attractive green spaces right in the heart of the city and close to train stations.
Odaiba
Spanning roughly 3 square kilometers, Odaiba is a high-tech entertainment hub on an artificial island in Tokyo Bay. Odaiba is one of Tokyo’s most unique urban experiments, blending entertainment, architecture, and waterfront leisure.
Originally, Odaiba was where small fort islands were built in the 1850s for coastal defense. Over time, these islands were joined and expanded through massive land reclamation projects.
In the 1990s, Odaiba was redeveloped into a high-tech leisure and commercial zone, featuring bold architecture and expansive public spaces. Odaiba is where visitors will find mega malls such as Aqua City, DECKS Tokyo Beach, DiverCity Tokyo Plaza; theme parks such as Tokyo Joypolis, Legoland Discovery Center, and Trick Art Museum; National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation; Fuji TV Building; and waterfront green spaces.
Odaiba is conveniently accessible by train. The driverless Yurikamome monorail has 5 stations on the island. The subway Rinkai Line has Teleport Station on Odaiba that connects to central Tokyo. Visitors can even take a water Bus from Asakusa or Hinode Pier to the Odaiba Seaside Park ferry stop on Odaiba.
Odaiba Seaside Park お台場海浜公園
Odaiba Seaside Park is a scenic waterfront park located in the north part of Odaiba. Located in Tokyo Bay, the park offers a rare blend of urban skyline views of Tokyo city and beachside relaxation. In the park, visitors will find Odaiba Beach, Tokyo Cruise Odaiba Seaside Park ferry stop, and an 11-metre-tall replica of the Statue of Liberty.
The Walk
Odaiba Seaside Park is only a 5-minute walk in the northern direction from Odaiba Seaside Park monorail station on the Yurikamome Line or a 10-minute walk in the northern direction from Teleport Station on subway Rinkai Line. Coming by water bus, you will arrive at the Tokyo Cruise Odaiba Seaside Park ferry stop right inside Odaiba Seaside Park.
Take a stroll along the waterfront walking trails and beach promenade, and enjoy the views of Tokyo Bay, Rainbow Bridge, and the Tokyo city skyline. Be sure to visit the 11-metre-tall replica of the Statue of Liberty before you head to the mega malls to shop and dine.
Want to discover more great walking locations? Check out the “By the Waters” blogs.
Odaiba Seaside Park is only a 5-minute walk in the northern direction from Odaiba Seaside Park monorail station on the Yurikamome Line or a 10-minute walk in the northern direction from Teleport Station on subway Rinkai Line. Coming by water bus, you will arrive at the Tokyo Cruise Odaiba Seaside Park ferry stop right inside Odaiba Seaside Park.