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A Symbol of Recovery
 
The name Odaiba means fort, revealing the origins of what has become one of Tokyo’s most thriving tourist destinations. In 1853, shortly after Commodore Matthew Perry’s alarming expedition to Japan, the Tokugawa Shogunate constructed a series of island batteries to guard the entrance to Tokyo Bay. In later years, the forts were abandoned as such, and at least one of the islands was converted to parkland. For the most part, however, they were underutilized and largely forgotten.
At the height of the famous Bubble Economy of the 1980’s, however, the islands were targeted for development. In one of the last great building projects before the Bubble collapsed, the area was christened “T3,” and a 10 billion dollar plan was laid to create a futuristic business center, intended to showcase Japanese architectural ingenuity and ultimately become a self sufficient city of 100,000, right in the middle of Tokyo Bay.
The collapse changed all that, and by the mid-nineties Odaiba was again mostly forgotten, a sprawling half-finished ghost town. Part of the problem was the economy, but additionally the area was restrictively zoned only for business purposes. In 1996, however, Odaiba’s zoning was loosened to permit shopping and entertainment spaces, and over the last decade Odaiba has become the latest instance of Japan’s amazing flair for reinventing itself.
Just getting to Odaiba is half the fun of the trip. Visitors can choose one of two rail lines, including Tokyo’s first fully automated rail system, which runs across Rainbow Bridge. The suspension bridge, completed in 1993, is famous both for its spectacular views of Tokyo and the Bay, and for the solar powered lamps that illuminate it by night in red, white and green. Alternately, a number of cheap ferries carry visitors to Odaiba from Hinode Pier, offering a sea-level view of the bridge and waterfront areas.
Once on Odaiba, tourists are spoiled for choice. There’s no way to do it all in one day, so it may be best to decide choose an itinerary ahead of time. Water buses from Hinode deposit travelers in front of Tokyo Decks, which offers five floors of shopping and restaurants plus Joypolis, a vast game center showcasing Sega’s latest attractions. You are also a five minute walk from the Yurikamome line’s first stop at Odaiba Kaihin-Koen, one of only two beaches in all of Tokyo. Nearby is a historical park containing some of the original fort’s defenses.
Behind Tokyo Decks is the architect Kenzo Tange’s Fuji TV Headquarters building, a futuristic new Tokyo landmark. At Palette Town, you’ll find more shopping, including Venus Fort, A Venetian themed mall with over 100 shops, eateries and cafes catering mostly to women. In addition to other shopping spaces, Palette Town also boasts Zepp Tokyo, which is one of the cities largest concert spaces, the Toyota Mega Web, offering displays of Toyota automobiles of the past, present and future, and the world’s second highest Ferris wheel.
With the addition of several interesting museums, pleasant parks and broad walking spaces and a lively, year-round schedule of events, Odaiba has become a new hub of Tokyo’s tourist industry. It probably hasn’t reached its full potential yet, but it’s already well worth a visit, and an excellent example the ever-changing cityscape of Tokyo.
●Joy Police
>>Access
Tokyo Decks 3-5F
Train
JR Shinbashi station===(Yurikamome, 13min.)===Odaiba Kaihin Koen station===(On foot, 1 min.)===Tokyo Decks Joy Police)
Water Bus
JR Hamamatsu-cho station===(On foot, 5 min.)===Hinode Pier===(Water bus, 15min.)===Odaiba Kaihin Koen station===(On foot, 3 min.)===Tokyo Decks (Joy Police)
>>Open Hours
10:00 - 23:00
>>Holiday
Not fixed
>>Website
Decks Tokyo Official HP(English, Korean, Chinese)
●Palette Town
>>Access
Train
JR Shinbashi station===(Yurikamome, 20 min.)===Aoumi station===(direct connection)===Palette Town
Water Bus
JR Hamamatsu-cho station===(On foot, 5 min.)===Hinode pier===(Water bus, 20 min.)===Palette Town
>>Map
Central Tokyo & JR Yamanote line map>>Click here to view.
-Matt Mangham
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