Tokyo : Odaiba

Odaiba is one place which we have visited quite a few times, perhaps more than we have visited any of the other places in Tokyo.

Odaiba is a shopping cum restaurant cum entertainment area all put together with a great view of Tokyo Bay. Located on an artificial island in Tokyo Bay, Odaiba is a perfect place for a day out with family or friends, especially for Tokyoites.

During the Edo period, Odaiba was a cluster of small man made fort islands thus giving it the name “Daiba” which means fort. These forts were built to protect Tokyo from any potential sea attacks. In the late 20^th century, these small islands were combined with massive land reclamation to form what is today’s Odaiba. In the 1990’s, the Yurikamome rapid transit system connected Odaiba to Tokyo, thus attracting  several hotels and shopping malls to set shop here and this in turn contributed to Odaiba’s emergence as one of Tokyo’s most popular tourist attraction. 

The Rainbow Bridge connects Odaiba to Tokyo and is an iconic symbol of Tokyo Bay. 

Rainbow Bridge is a 798 meter long suspension bridge which was constructed between 1987 and 1993. 

The Rainbow Bridge carries three modes of transportation on its two decks- the lower deck carries the Yuikamome line in the centre, flanked on both outer sides by pedestrian walkways; while the upper deck carries the Shuto Expressway’s Daiba Route. 

For the motorway, there are restrictions on the kind of vehicles, while the walkway is open for pedestrians for only certain hours in the day. You could drive down to Odaiba, but parking charges are slightly on the higher side, especially in the malls.

Odaiba can be reached by water bus and ferries from various locations in Tokyo. Suijobus Ferries operate between Hinode Pier and various locations in Odaiba.

Ferries also connect Asakusa to Odaiba. 

Once you get to Odaiba, the best possible way to commute within the island would be to take a free shuttle bus. Shuttle bus stops are located at almost every important spot and there is a bus every 10-15 mins. The shuttle bus runs on a particular route and is the most convenient way to commute within Odaiba. Yurikamome line also runs through the island and you could ride the elevated train to save time.  

Some of the Major attractions in Odaiba are its many shopping malls:

Palette Town is a large shopping and entertainment complex and is home to Venus Fort shopping mall, Toyota Mega Web and “Daikanransha” – the Giant Ferris Wheel.

Venus Fort is a a Venice themed Shopping mall. 

The interiors are styled in Venetian style architecture while the ceiling is made to resemble open skies.

The ceiling changes colours according to the time of the day.

During special events like Christmas and New Year, there are special performances near the Fountain Plaza.

Special events are also held sometimes at the Church Plaza. 

A replica of the “Mouth of Truth” is also recreated close to the Main gate.

Venus Fort houses hundreds of shops, restaurants, fashion boutiques and outlet shops.

Toyota Mega Web is a huge showroom where the latest models of Toyota cars and car accessories are on display. You could try test driving one of the latest models. Old Toyota cars are also on display in the museum.

The Ferris Wheel at 115 metres is one of the largest Ferris Wheels in the world.

A 15 minute revolution in one of the glass cabins while viewing Tokyo Bay and Odaiba comes for a price of 900 yen per head.

Palette Town also houses Zepp Tokyo- one of Tokyo’s largest nightclubs and Tokyo Leisureland- a round-the-clock, gaming and karaoke spot.

Located close to the Odaiba Marine Park are two shopping malls: Decks and Aquacity Odaiba.

Decks comprises of Seaside Mall and Island Mall and each of its floors are designed in different themes. Decks also has a gaming centre, Joypolis.


Aquacity mall too has a lot of shops and restaurants and a nice food court.

The Odaiba Marine Park or the “Odaiba Kaihin Koen” is a good place for a leisurely walk on the Board walk. Swimming is prohibited at the beach, which happens to be Tokyo’s only beach. 

A small replica of the Statue of Liberty stands in the Marine Park.

The Rainbow bridge, Tokyo Tower and Tokyo Bay behind the statute makes it a picture perfect.

Just across the road from Aquacity and Decks is the Fuji TV Building. 

This building is a landmark of Odaiba. Visitors can take a look at some of the studios and if lucky can even catch a glimpse of a shoot in progress.  An observation deck inside a titanium ball offers a 270 degree view of Tokyo Bay and the surroundings.

 On clear weather days, Mt Fuji can be spotted too.

At specific times, a mascot/character from one of Fuji TV’s shows poses for pictures with guests. (Admission : Free to visit; Observation deck: 500 yen)

The Telecom Center building with its unique architecture is another one of Odaiba's landmarks.

Several satellite antennae are installed on the telecom centre making it an important hub on the information highway. This building too has an observation tower . A ticket costs 500 yen.   

The Tokyo Big Sight, also known as Tokyo International Exhibition Centre, is Japan’s largest exhibition and convention centre.

It plays host to some of the big events like the bi-annual Tokyo Motor Show and the Tokyo International Anime Fair.

For Museum Lovers, there a lot of Museums in Odaiba- Museum of Maritime Science, National Museum of Emerging Science, and also Takoyaki Museum(at Decks). 

Tokyo : Tokyo Tower

Tokyo Tower is one of the most visited attractions in Tokyo. Built in 1958, this lookalike of Paris’ Eiffel Tower is a communications tower which doubles up as an observation tower.

 At 333 metres, Tokyo tower is 13 metres higher than the Eiffel Tower, after which it was modeled. Interestingly, the Tokyo tower weighs about 4000 tons against Eiffel Tower’s 7000 ton.  Ever since it’s opening, The Tokyo Tower has been the world’s tallest self supporting steel tower.

Signals for major Japanese TV media channels like NHK, Fuji TV, TV Asahi and TBS and radio channels are broadcast from the Tokyo Tower. With the transition of Television from Analog to digital broadcasting, most of the broadcasting signal will be moved to the currently under construction, Tokyo Sky tree. The height of the Tokyo Tower is the major constraint in broadcasting high frequency digital waves, therefore the move.

The other major source of revenue for the Tokyo Tower is tourism. With it’s strategic location, the Tokyo Tower is the perfect place for a bird’s eye view of Tokyo. The main observatory is located 150 metres above ground while the special observatory is 250 metres above ground.

On days with clear weather, one can view as far as Mount Fuji. We were lucky to catch a glimpse of Mt Fuji when we visited Tokyo Tower around sunset in summer. 

At night, the lit up skyscrapers, the neon lights, the Rainbow bridge make a pretty sight when viewed from either of the observatories.

 

Located beneath the tower in a 4 storeyed building called “Foot Town” are many museums, restaurants and shop. Separate fees are charged for the museums.

 

 

The Tokyo Tower is lit up at night and the colours vary according to the season: orange in Winter and White in Summer.

The upper tip of the Tokyo Tower was bent during the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011.

On New Year, many people visit Tokyo Tower to view the first sunrise of the new year from the Tokyo Tower. Only a limited number of people are admitted to see this spectacle, making it a coveted event.

Admission:  Adults: 1420 yen (upto the Special Observatory)

                Adults: 820 yen (upto Main observatory)  

                Students: Sr High school and above : 820 and 600 yen

                Students: Jr High and Elementary school: 460 and 400 yen

                Children above 4 yrs : 350 and 300 yen

                Children: below 4 yrs : Free

Opening Hours: 9:00 am to 22:00 ( Admission ends 30 minutes before closing time).

Closing Days: Open 365 days

                  (Special Observation deck may be closed during bad weather)

Phone: 03-3433-5111

Access: 4-2-8, Shiba Koen, Minato Ku, Tokyo – 105-0011

            

Nearest Station:  Kamiyacho Station on Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line,

                        Onarimon Station on Mita Line,

                        Daimon Station on Asakusa Line,

                        Akabanebashi on Oedo Line,

                        Hamamatsucho Station on JR Yamate Line           

Tokyo : Sensoji Temple and Asakusa

Sensoji temple is one of the most visited spots in Tokyo. Located in Asakusa, Sensoji is visited by almost 30 million visitors each year.

Senso-ji, or as the name goes “Asakusa Kannon no Sensoji” is a Buddhist temple which was built in the 7^th century. Two fishermen brothers found a statue of Kannon, the female goddess of mercy on one of their fishing trips in the Sumida river. The temple was completed in 645 making it Tokyo’s oldest temple. The area suffered considerable damage during the World War air raids and the current buildings are post World War reconstructions.

The entrance to the shrine is through the “Kaminarimon gate”. This gate along with the inner “Hozomon gate” and their large lanterns, are favourite spots among tourists for getting photographed, making Sensoji the symbol of Tokyo.

A little ahead is the Main Hall, “Kannondo Hall” which houses the statues of Kannon along with the protector deities Bonten and Taishakuten.

It is said that a golden statue of Kannon is enshrined in the Main hall. It is kept hidden from public view since the 7^th century, following a revelation in a dream to Buddhist priest Shokai Shonnin during his visit to the temple.

Also on the grounds of the temple are several other structures and shrines. 

Some of them being the five storied Pagoda, which houses relics of the Buddha on its topmost floor.

Best time to visit the shrine is early in the morning when the tourist buses are yet to arrive. The Sensoji Temple is illuminated every evening from around sunset to 11 pm.         

The shrine is especially crowded during its events and ranks among one of the most visited shrines on New Year’s Day.

Address: Asakusa, Taito Ku, 2-3-1, Asakusa Kannon no Senso-ji

Opening Hours: Temple grounds : 24 hours

                           Main Hall: 6:00 to 17:00 hrs.

Admission: Free

Access: Nearest station Asakusa Station on Tokyo Metro Ginza line, Toei Subway Asakusa Line, Tsukuba Express Line and Tobu Ikesaki Line.

Approach to the Senso-ji temple is through a street called “Nakamise dori” which stretches from the outer gate to the temple’s second gate. 

The street is lined with shops selling souvenirs, handicrafts, Japanese clothes, snacks and trinkets and is an ideal place for most tourists to pick up souvenirs of their visit to Tokyo. 

The stores have some colourful paintings on their shutters, but you should visit the area really early in the day to see them. 

Asakusa is one of the few places in Japan, where the man powered vehicles “Jin rikisha” still operate. These are popular with tourists looking for a joyride while exploring the area. The Jinrikisha puller also serves as the tour guide. A 30 minute ride costs between 7000-10000 yen for 2 passengers.

Sightseeing and pleasure Cruises are available in the nearby Sumida river. The Tokyo water bus also connects historical Asakusa to the relatively newly developed Odaiba area.

Sumida park which is located on both banks of the Sumida river is a popular Cherry blossom viewing spot. It is also the site of the Sumida River Fireworks in late July.

Asakusa used to serve as Tokyo, rather Edo’s entertainment district, complete with kabuki theatres and a red light district. Having suffered considerable damage during the World War, the area’s entertainment district lost its popularity. The nearby Hanayashiki Amusement Park, once used to be a popular amusement park with its roller coasters, Ferris Wheel and carousel. It has lost its popularity to its more advanced competitors.

Asahi Beer tower with its interesting architecture and the currently under construction, Tokyo Sky tree are located close by.

Tokyo - An Outsider's View

Tokyo. An ultramodern city, voted as one of the most livable cities in the world it is also one of the most expensive and most populous metropolis in the world. Most people dream to visit Tokyo atleast once in their lifetime.

Tokyo, known by its old name of Edo until 1868, was a small castle town. This sleepy fishing village became Japan’s political centre in the 17^th century when the Tokugawa shogun Ieyasu set up his feudal government here. As part of the Meiji restoration in 1868, the emperor moved the capital from Kyoto to Tokyo. The erstwhile Edo castle became the Imperial Palace and what was a political and cultural capital turned to the nation’s capital.

The city suffered considerable damage in the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and was rebuilt only to be followed up by the air raids during World War II. The city along with other parts of the affected areas was rebuilt and the city as we see it today has no traces of these catastrophes.

The city today has its share of ultramodern skyscrapers, infrastructure and offcourse the layers and layers of highways criss-crossing each other. At times, when driving through Tokyo, the road just does not touch the ground level and you feel the highways are built in mid-air. None of these make the city a concrete jungle, as much as it sounds. The city has its share of open spaces- parks and recreation areas.

Tokyo is one of the most preferred places for people to live. The administrative and business capital of Japan, is also its most populous city. The largest number of expat population also resides in Tokyo, followed only by Osaka. Foreigners prefer to live in Tokyo, because they can socialize with other foreigners, which is difficult in smaller cities. It is also the most convenient place to live in, because of its location- central Japan. Since most Tokyoites are used to having foreigners around them, they may be more tolerant and open to foreigners. Also a larger part of the population can speak in English than in most other cities in Japan. bare minimum knowledge of English can help you move around in the city easily.

Tokyo has many schools and universities offering courses in English, which may be rare to find in smaller cities. This is our personal experience as the city we live in has no International or English school, except for a kindergarten which offers an International course. We had to settle for it for our kid as we don’t have a choice.

Notorious for being one of the most expensive cities in the world, Tokyo does live up to its reputation.  Perhaps most expensive of all, is Housing. People pay exorbitant rent or EMI’s to live in amazingly small spaces. No wonder homes in Tokyo are comparatively smaller. Some apartment buildings have limited or no parking lots and people who own cars, have to rent parking lots elsewhere. Not to mention, the monthly parking rent is expensive too.

If you intend to live in Tokyo and own a car, one of your biggest expenses is surely  Parking charges. Parking in most places is difficult to find and not to mention - expensive. Free parking space is virtually non existent. Parking charges vary on weekdays and weekends and holidays. Don’t expect weekend charges to be cheaper- on the contrary, it is more expensive in tourist areas. We learnt the hard way. We had parked our car in the Asakusa area for a couple of hours. The parking charges are always mentioned in Japanese and what you calculate is not always what you end up paying. No Japanese person can be of much help in calculating ( I would rather say deciphering) the parking charges as they sometimes do not know for themselves, courtesy the fine print.

The various highways that pass through Tokyo have tolls which also add up to the cost of driving in Tokyo. The traffic on work days can be unnerving. Most officegoers prefer to use public transportation to save themselves from the hassles of the commute. Most employers pay a fixed allowance to employees for their daily commute.

Tokyo’s transportation system makes commuting very convenient. The Tokyo Metro is the best and quickest way to get about anywhere within town. The JR East line connects most important places within the city. Believe it or not, taking the train or Metro is the fastest, most convenient and cheapest (in my opinion) to travel within Tokyo. Few areas like Odaiba are also served by the Yurikamome monorail.

Tokyo has a lot of tourist spots to offer for almost any kind of tourist. There are the business districts, the shrines and temples, the parks, the amusement and theme parks, shopping areas. Name it and you have it. Hotel rooms in Tokyo tend to be slightly higher than in other cities. If you intend to just spend a few hours in the hotel room to catch up on sleep or rest a bit, a business hotel like Route Inn or Tokyo Inn would be a good option. If you are on a shoestring budget, there are cheaper options like guest houses or manga cafes. The popular regular hotels are a bit pricey, but offcourse worth the facilities. Staying in a hotel slightly away from central Tokyo or even in the neighbouring prefectures of Kanagawa or Chiba or Saitama could be easier on the pocket.

The airports at Narita and Haneda are both located closer to Tokyo. Limousine buses are the best way to reach Tokyo from both airports. The Airport express connects Tokyo to Narita by train, while monorail connects Haneda to Tokyo.

For more details check out this site :  http://www.tokyoessentials.com/arriving.html

It took me a little over 100 posts before I finally started to write about Tokyo.

Living about 200 kms up north of Iwaki, we have often visited Tokyo. Though I miss the hustle, bustle and lively life in Tokyo, I am content with the slow and easy pace of life in Iwaki. We have visited Tokyo quite a few times over the last 18 months. We visited many of Tokyo's attractions during these trips and I will post more about each of these places in a mini series, beginning my next post.

Some useful links:

http://www.metro.tokyo.jp/ENGLISH/

http://www.tourism.metro.tokyo.jp/english/

http://www.tokyometro.jp/en/subwaymap/pdf/routemap_en.pdf

http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/routemaps/pdf/RouteMap_majorrailsub.pdf