Tokyo Explorer

For centuries mankind has known how to escape the heat of summer – by heading for the nearest body of water.

‘Not easy in Tokyo,’ a city of many millions crammed into hundreds of thousands of multi-storied buildings some may say. Of course, in large part, they’d be right – particularly so in Tokyo’s western suburbs where there are few rivers and the nearest beach would be several hours away at best.

Fortunately, most tourists coming to Tokyo stay in or near the centre or even in the east of the city, areas that are themselves a mere hop, step or jump from the city’s very own water bus service and even an imported beach.

The Suijo Bus as it is known is a kind of meandering taxi-cum-ferry connecting the tourist Mecca of Asakusa in the north east of the city with 10 points in and around the northern tip of Tokyo Bay’s reclaimed wonderland that is Odaiba.

Thirteen types of craft are currently in service along the length of Tokyo’s Sumida River, the majority operating on the popular 50-60 minute run from Asakusa to Odaiba Seaside Park route. Six of the fleet can carry in excess of 500 passengers but are rarely filled to anything approaching capacity whilst the smallest Suijo Bus carries only nine.

By far the most famous boat, and thus the one for which tickets are priced higher than all others, is the craft known as Himiko (after a female figure in early Japanese mythology). Capable of carrying 160, and looking like something out of an animation piece as it glides through the water – hardly surprising given that it was designed by renowned artist Leiji Matsumoto, Himiko operates on the non-stop route linking Asakusa with Odaiba, taking just 50 minutes to pass under the 14* road and rail bridges straddling the Sumida River and Tokyo Bay separating Asakusa and Odaiba.

Tourists with more than just high-tech anime leanings and more time on their hands, however, might want to sample one of the slower, arguably more comfortable cruising options in order to stop in at Hamarikyu Gardens (an old duck hunting ground linked to Edo-era dignitaries), Hinode Pier and even Harumi before putting in at Odaiba Seaside Park, the jewel in the bay built atop reclaimed land.

Odaiba proper came into being in the mid-nineteenth century when around a dozen batteries were planned to forcefully keep the approaching American and European fleets from making contact with the resident population.

Only around half of these batteries were ever constructed, however, and most were left to Mother Nature over the years – their original purpose having been defeated by the foreigners approaching via another port.

A century later, the early 1990s, and Japan’s economic boom saw those running the city looking for ways to build, build, build, and the expanse of shallow open water was just waiting to be reclaimed given the city’s astronomical land prices at the time. Politics and suspensions in the reclamation work coupled with trouble populating the area until the full vision was finally realized and the long sought after and thriving bayside district of the early 21st century was realized.

Modern day Odaiba, as of summer, 2008, is home to numerous shopping centres catering more for the young, hip & trendy beach going crowd than the wealthier patrons of Ginza so there is no real worry that you’ll bump into your granny while out with a new significant other. Young families are made similarly welcome and for the sporty types, designated beach volleyball courts attract many players meaning you’ll always have a game to join in – or one to watch.

DECKS, visible from the water if approaching from Asakusa or Hamarikyu, is perhaps the best of the impressive bunch and while it is a fair way from the massive Big Wheel, Tokyo Big Sight and Toyota showrooms with indoor driving course, with it situated just behind the main white sand beach imported from the Middle East, it really is in the perfect spot from which to draw in the thousands of youngsters heading to the water’s edge each summer weekend.

Immediately behind DECKS is the huge, iconic building housing Japan’s Fuji TV, and while its attempts to ram Fuji TV PR and show info down your throat can be safely skipped by the non-Japanese, a trip to the giant ball-like structure so prominent near its top is worth the several hundred yen charged for the view alone.

Only from up high – way high - does the true beauty of the northern end of Tokyo Bay become apparent. Straddled by Rainbow Bridge and with its very own Statue of Liberty (facing land!) far below and to the left, this corner of Tokyo really is a man-made gem in which the technological prowess of humanity can be appreciated as it snuggles soundly beside the aqua version of Mother Nature.

Access: The two main ways to access the Odaiba area include the boat access mentioned above (from Asakusa / other points) or by using the Yurikamome; a driverless monorail connecting the Odaiba Loop with Shiodome and Shimbashi in the centre of Tokyo. Incidentally, Yurikamome means Black Headed Gull in Japanese – the ornithological symbol of the city.

* a great deal is made of the fact that all of these bridges are different in design. Check for yourself!