Need help figuring out how to spend a day in Tokyo? In this Tokyo travel guide, we are heading to Odaiba, a man-made island in Tokyo’s Bay known as a futuristic high-tech entertainment and museum hub.
It’s an area that’s popular with tourists because of the plethora of museums that feel uniquely Japan and standout landmarks.
You can see what it’s like at each of these locations in the video below.
However, if I were to do today over, I would actually recommend going to the Small Worlds Tokyo museum first since it is located a few train stops away.
I hope you find new things to add to your Tokyo, Japan travel itinerary!
➡️ I know how chaotic planning a trip can be! So I created a simple “Japan Travel Checklist” to help you keep track of everything! You can sign up to get the free checklist here.
➡️ Check out my Tokyo video playlist on YouTube!
1-Day Odaiba (Tokyo, Japan) Itinerary
Small Worlds Tokyo Miniature Museum
Small Worlds Tokyo was such a surprise. It’s a unique indoor museum filled with miniature worlds created with incredible detail.
The attention to detail was impressive, and I was not expecting the exhibits to be as built out as they were.
The exhibits were interactive, with buttons you could push to make the little figurines move and perform different activities.
There are lots of places to sit and relax. Plus, you can create a miniature figurine of yourself, which you can then place in one of the miniature worlds!
I could spend hours in there just taking in the amazing craftsmanship.
I highly recommend this museum. It’d be an exceptionally great option for your itinerary if the weather is too hot, rainy, or cold outside.
Small Worlds Tokyo Information:
- Small World Official Website
- Open 9 am – 7 pm every day
- Tickets can be purchased online or in person at the front ticket counter.
- Note: Small Worlds Tokyo admission is covered by the Tokyo Area Pass.
Purchase a Greater Tokyo Pass to save money on tickets to the city’s most popular attractions.
PRO TIP: RESEARCH ATTRACTION PRICES FIRST TO SEE POTENTIAL COST SAVINGS THROUGH PASS.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. These are all products and services I highly recommend. Please read full disclosure here.
Odaiba Statue of Liberty
Did you know that there’s a Statue of Liberty in Tokyo? The Odaiba Statue of Liberty is a much smaller replica of the original one in New York—it stands about 11 meters tall, compared to the original, which stands at 93 meters.
It was originally installed temporarily in 1998 to commemorate the “French Year in Japan” event, which celebrated strong cultural and historical ties between the two countries.
Due to its popularity, the statue was reinstalled permanently in 2000. Today, it still stands as a well-loved landmark in Tokyo by both tourists and locals due to its charm and surrounding views.
It is free to view the Odaiba Statue of Liberty.
Rainbow Bridge
Behind the statue, you get a stunning view of the bay and the iconic Rainbow Bridge.
The Rainbow Bridge supports a range of transportation modes and connects Tokyo’s mainland to the Odaiba area. It’s a popular sight, especially at night when the bridge lights up using solar energy stored during the day.
After taking in the view of the bay, we head inland towards the DiverCity Tokyo Plaza to see the life-size Gundam.
Pay attention during the walkover because there’s lots to see in Odaiba. Everything from the Fuji TV building—headquarters to one of Japan’s nationwide stations to Aquacity Odaiba, and more!
Unicorn Gundam Statue
The life-sized Gundam statue is hard to miss, standing at 19.7 meters, or 64.6 feet, tall.
The original Gundam statue was installed in 2009 at another park in Odaiba to celebrate the 30th anniversary of one of Japan’s most beloved anime franchises.
However, this new RX-0 Unicorn Gundam statue replaced it in 2017.
This newer version has moveable parts of the suit that open up and also a lighting system that allows it to shift between two modes. The transformation sequence happens multiple times daily.
If you’d like a souvenir from your visit, you can also purchase merch from the franchise inside DiverCity Tokyo Plaza.
Btw, it’s free to view the Gundam statue!
DiverCity Tokyo Plaza
The Odaiba Gundam statue is located in front of the DiverCity Tokyo Plaza—a large shopping mall that’s home to quirky museums, like the Unko (poop) museum, and official merch stores for some of Japan’s most popular characters, like Hello Kitty, Conan Detective, Gundam Base & more!
Pro Travel Tip: Most places in the area don’t open until 10 am. But if you’re an earlier riser (or just wanted to get to the area early to beat the crowds), there’s a Starbucks located on the 2nd floor that’s open at 9 am. 👍🏼
Miraikan (National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation)
As I said previously, I’d recommend visiting the miniatures museum first and then coming back to this main Odaiba area, where the DiverCity Plaza is located, because it’s near many other surrounding museums and has Tokyo Bay views.
One of the nearby museums is the Miraikan or the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation.
The thought-provoking museum focuses on our relationship with the universe and helps us understand what’s happening in the world from a scientific perspective. It is very interactive and engaging.
It takes about 2 hours to go through the Miraikan.
Museum Highlights:
A highlight for me was the “Create Your Future” exhibition on the third floor, which encouraged us to imagine what our future society would look like with potential scientific and technological advancements.
Within the exhibition are a couple of sections focused on showcasing Japan’s advancements in robotics and potential future uses of robots in everyday life. It featured many opportunities to interact with robots of all kinds.
There was also a section all about aging, which had simulations to help us understand what happens to our bodies due to aging. It also showcased some potential support technologies that may become readily available in the future.
These were just a few of the many in-depth exhibitions available to explore at the Miraikan.
Miraikan Information:
- Official Miraikan Website
- Open 10 am – 5 pm (except on most Tuesdays and days around the New Year holiday)
- Refer to this page for official open and close dates/hours.
- Entry tickets can be purchased with cash, card, or other method (like an IC card) at the front entry booth or third-floor counter.
Final Thoughts
You can spend an entire morning or afternoon roaming around the Odaiba area, thanks to the abundance of museums, theme parks, shopping malls, and landmarks.
In the next Tokyo guide, we’ll take a quick trip just outside of Tokyo to learn more about Japan’s history and visit a colorful tulip field and a samurai bamboo forest. Until next time!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. These are all products and services I highly recommend. Please read full disclosure here.
Like this post? Share a pin on Pinterest to save for later!
Leave a Reply