Odaiba お台場

This is article is incomplete

Type of Date:
Odaiba should only be considered after having a few dates with a girl as it conveys a more serious feel and is too strong for a first date since it is known as a popular date spot. An Odaiba date can also be coupled with an Asakusa date via the Tokyo Water Cruise ships which will take you under more than 15 bridges for a little over 1,500 yen.

Transportation:
Odaiba is serviced by two lines. The Rinkai and Yurikamome. The Yurikamome from Shimbashi costs ￥310 to reach Daiba station, so if you plan on making a couple stops, the one-day open ticket for ￥800 is the better option. The ride from Shimbashi to Daiba allows for a glimpse of Tokyo Tower before crossing the bridge along with a 360 degree view of the bay area. The Yurikamome is recommended because it is a computer controlled train which creates a better mood than the typical subway ride offered by the Rinkai line. The best stop to get off at is Daiba, or Odaiba Keihin Koen. Both are within a short walk of each other so either one is ok.

The Rinkai line is relatively quick and takes you from Shibuya, Ebisu, or Osaki, to Tokyo Teleport station in the heart of Odaiba.

The Tokyo Water Cruise ships, while being the most expensive option of reaching Daiba, also is the most impressive and allows two places to easily be coupled increasing the effectiveness of the date. The cruise is best taken in the evening since the bridges are all lit up at night. It leaves from a few ports around Tokyo with the best one being Asakusa since it allows a longer ride with a great view to keep your date entertained if you can’t.

Food:
Depending on the time of day and how the date is going, there are several great options. Decks is filled with many affordable restaurant on the 5th and 6th floors that all provide a great view of Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Tower. Many of the restaurants have a deck so that the meal can be enjoyed outside without the glare of the window obstructing your view. (always take the weather into consideration when electing to eat outside) While most of the restaurant are chain restaurant, they are still good quality and typically have good service. The 6th and 7th floors also featured “Little Hong Kong” which is made to feel like Hong Kong and offers many Chinese restaurant but none that provide the view that Daiba is famous for.

Next to Decks is Aqua City which has plenty of restaurant to choose from on the 5th and 6th floors. Many of these restaurant offer a great view, but if you don’t really care about the view there are a few other good restaurant there that make up for the lack of the view by offering a fun dining experience like the Okonomiyaki place where the food is grilled on the table. Kua’aina is a popular Hawaiian themed hamburger restaurant which are large and filling and make for a great lunch.

Another option that doesn’t always offer a view but makes up for it in many ways is the Restaurant Zone near Cinema Mediage. The Restaurant Zone is on the 4th floors and is cool just to walk through as it is decorated to reflect the style of food that is served in each restaurant. Café La Boheme, does not offer a clear view of the bay side, it does have a great atmosphere coupled with good food and service.

Near the Ferris wheel is Venus Fort which also boasts a wide array of restaurants.

If you are looking for something a little more quiet, take a right out of Keihin Koen station and go down the stairs and across the street toward the apartments there. There is a great place called Caress which has an incredible atmosphere, great service, good food, and the prices are only slightly more than other places in the area. While it doesn’t provide a view of the bay side, the atmosphere more than makes up for it and it is very close to the beach making a walk along the beach very accessible. Caress also has a open deck where the meal can be enjoyed along with good weather.

Date Activities:
There are a million things to do in Daiba, and you can easily spend an entire day there and still not have done everything.
Fuji TV is probably the first thing you will see when you cross the bridge to Daiba because of it’s unique style and large ball at the top. This can be fun if you watch or are a fan of Japanese TV, otherwise it will feel like walking through a museum that you didn’t really want to go to. You can enter the sphere on the 24th floor and take a tour of the studios for ￥500. The building itself was completed in 1996 and is said to be earthquake proof because of it’s unique construction. It took three years to build and the sphere weighs over a thousand tons and required a special technique to raise it into position.

If you want to see a movie, Tokyo Mediage attached to Aqua City is one of the largest Theaters in Tokyo.

Near the theater is Sony ExploraScience, which is pretty cheap but also slightly weak. This can be fun, but you have to keep the energy going. If you are looking for a better hands on Science Center, the Miraikan only a few stops away on the Yurikamome, offers a much more fun time for the same price of ￥500.

If you are interested in boats there is the Museum of Maritime Science for ￥700 just across from the Miraikan near Funeno Kagakukan Station on the Yurikamome

Decks, has the Muscle Park on the 5th floor where you can play many fun and competitive sports or other challenges which is always good on a date. Decks is also home to Sega’s Joypolis which is ￥500 to get in and about the same for any of the attractions or rides that you want to do after you enter.

If you are on a Double Date, the Oedo Onsen is highly recommended. In the Onsen is a Edo themed Japan and you and your date get to see each other in Yukatas which is great. There are several activities to do together there, but the Onsen part is separate which is why it's recommended for a double. That way you are not both sitting around in separate pools by yourselves.

Hotels:
There are three main hotels in Daiba. The Grand Pacific Le Daiba and Hotel Nikko both provide a view of Tokyo Tower and Rainbow Bridge, but are also more expensive. The Washington Hotel which is a little further back, still provides some view of Tokyo but since it is located further back and is considered a business hotel, it is typically about half the cost of the other two. Sunday typically has the lowest rates.

Tips:
Daiba is a great place because it is always exciting for your date and there is a ton of stuff to do. One thing to be careful of is that on the Beach about every 5 feet there will be a couple sitting and looking at Rainbow Bridge. While the view is good, there are many people walking past and it can be a little uncomfortable. Follow the beach toward the Statue of Liberty and continue along the coast. There is another park which has a view of the Shipping Cranes and is very quiet aside from the sound of the water hitting the wall.
After eating dinner, head to the Giant Ferris Wheel. You have to walk through the Toyota Mega Web, which is a pretty impressive building in itself. If it is later the side door is open while the entrance in the middle is closed. It costs ￥900 but gives you 16 minutes alone with your date. If she agrees to ride with you, then she is ready to kiss you. It is best to wait till after you reach the top and start to descend. She will be expecting a kiss and if you wait till after the top, it gives the kiss a much stronger impact.
From the Ferris wheel head to Leisure land nearby and go to the Purikura to have your photo taken. The game center is 24 hours and includes, air hockey, pool, bowling, and Karaoke. All are good. If you feel like saving money or just keeping it a little more low key, head back out to the beach. After last train it is much quieter aside from the patrol car which passes every so often. Again, while the side of the island doens't offer the view of the bridge, since it is quiet and still provides a great view of the loading cranes across the water. If the weather is good there is also a fountain that is fun to walk or run through.

Welcome to the Tokyo Date Guide

This is the Tokyo Date Guide. It's purpose is to inform people of good restaurants to eat at in and around Tokyo, fun things to do, and other general tips. Comments are welcome as well as any E-mail.