Yesterday, after months of wait n wish n plans,we finally visited Odaiba – the man-made island across the famous Rainbow Bridge.We started at around 9.30 am from Shinagawa and went to Shimbashi.Hubby darling smartly bought us the 1 day passes cause it was too hot to walk about all the places in Odaiba which in fact is well-connected through the Yurikamome line-the unmanned centrally controlled train !! People generally rush to take the front seat because it feels like driving the train…he he.As there were a few kids…we let them have the front seat n we settled in the 2nd one..enjoying the magnificent views of the Pacific Ocean and the gorgeous Rainbow bridge leaping across !!
We decided to get off at Odaiba-kaihinkoen station from where we walked towards the Decks Tokyo Beach.First we came across a beautiful symmetrical arrangement of multicoloured crossbar type frames…placed in front of a mirror to give us a ‘multiple multicoloured’ frame for a snap!! It was cool ! Then we came across our fav Baskin n Robbins, beside a turkey fastfood joint.We turned round that corner to find people waiting …some in queue some below trees n on benches.It was a lovely lively street enclosed by shopping paradise on either side…and as we found out soon, the wait was for the shops to open !! which do and did at sharp 11.00 am !! In the meantime we had ventured a bit further to find the Joypolis…the greatest indoor amusement park..but since we were not quite feeling like “rides” n “jolts” we waited for the shops to open..On the left was the Island mall and on the right,the Seaside mall.Finally the island mall opened its glass doors to us.It was kind of wierd..we stepping in first…making the hustle bustle start..he he..and unlike our expectation we actually found dresses at quite reasonable prices…much cheaper than mainland tokyo !! Cruising through the shops we went upstairs..we found a Daiso(100 yen shop),Claire’s…GAP..Disney shop,Adidas n many many more shops…but we were interested in the SONY ExploraScience Museum.
With a nominal entry fee..the Sony Museum was simply awesome…a trademark light n sound gallery !!On entering we had our smile rated with the smile meter 
:) and then we were offered 3D glasses for a short 3D film..after which we went inside this huge space housing dozens of huge speakers…home theatres etc…there was a board where light sparks moved with and according to our touch! Then there were interactive explanations of phone n mail networkings..delayed speech n pitch ranges.Another funfilled application was as we shaped our palms…like say a fish…a fish glided across the table…n then leaped up a frog…n we also made butterflies fly with our palms…real fun it was !! There also were time superposing images where we could see ourselves at two points of space together as we shifted place in a flash of time !!It was fun to see two me at one time side by side…he he…we were thoroughly amazed n overwhelmed by the time we were done with this wonderland of SONY.
We could also see the Fuji TV building with its huge globe observatory,behind the shopping complex as we headed to the DECKS’ beach through a long winding wooden footwalk .It curved around a huge “Statue of Liberty” and led us to a broad pier connected to the Daiba station.
Down the stairs from the pier we came to a small beach lined with big n small rocks..nice spot to have a feel of the Pacific !!
And check this out !! Wowwwwwwwwwww !!
With a few snaps there we went to the Daiba station…boarded the Yurikamone n alighted at the Funeno-Kagakukan station for the Museum of Maritime Science on one side and the Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation-MIRAIKAN on the other.
First we headed towards the former (above pic) but since we were more interested in the latter n it was already 3pm..we decided to check the Miraikan.After about a walk of 1km we were standing in front of a huge magnificient acrchitecture…On entering,we bought the tickets for the permanent exhibits.The first thing we saw was a Robot Dog !! Walking,playing with ball, wagging its tail on order!! Yes it responded to human voice !! Amongst other exhibits what thrilled us the most were a huge globe hanging from the ceiling at the centre of the museum..depicting current weather movements all over the world..
Also there was this sort of videogame wherein the horse moved as we tugged n pulled the rope!!There was this long footwalk spiralling across within the hollow of the museum which took us straight from the 3rd floor to the 5th.On the fifth floor there were space science n life sciences exhibits…future innovations n techniques..also there is a planetarium on the 7th floor but we were already late for that alongwith the walking robot display which had been over by 2pm..but we are sure to visit this place again and get amazed all over again..Out from the museum turning right n backwards we could see the Telecom Centre as we walked to the Yurikamome station there.
Check out the parking lot on way..
real modernity, I’m impressed!
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If you get a chance to go back I can highly recommend the Onsen Monogatari. I’m usually not that into onsen (my wife is though!) but this was a pleasant surprise for me. Sure the gift shops were on the tacky side, but the bath houses were legitimately enjoyable!
Thanks Greg for the recommendation.Though I myself am not much into Onsen either but would sure keep this in mind.Thanks