Giant Gundam Robot first in Odaiba
Giant Gundam Robot first in Odaiba, From July until the end of August of 2009, mecha-geeks can stare in awe at a 1:1 scale replica of the celebrated Gundam robot in Odaiba. In this artificial island in the middle of Tokyo, the 18-meter tall RX78 model, a white, red, and blue armored humanoid fighter, looms high above the crowd, lighting up at night with 50 emitters all over its body and shooting mist from 14 strategic points.
This fiberglass-and-plastic over steel frame creation was commissioned by toy giant Bandai-Namco in time for Mobile Suit Gundam‘s 30th anniversary, which will culminate during the Gundam Big Expo from August 21 to 23. For true Gundam fans, this monument to mechanized fantasy seems to be ready to blast off at any moment, taking the rest of us to the future with it.
Odaiba itself is the perfect place to host this humongous tribute to geekery, a statue that fits in well among the hyper-modern buildings and strange architecture. This shopping and entertainment district emerged during Japan’s real estate bubble in the 1980′s. Authorities have plans to shape the island into an exposition grounds and a showcase of futuristic living. When the bubble burst in the 90′s, construction slowed down, a majority of the lots remained vacant and much of the needed infrastructure like roadways and transportation were inadequate.
When authorities granted zone permits for commercial and entertainment purposes in Odaiba, visitors start piling in droves. Today, the island is a mix of Las Vegas and Disneyland: it is oriented towards family entertainment but has a lot more fun activities for adults. Here are some of the landmarks that make the island bring out the man-child in all of us.
Odaiba Seaside Park - Tokyo’s sole beach is popular for picnics and sightseeing, but you wouldn’t want to swim in it. A sewage treatment operates just opposite the beach, resulting in a high coliform count in the waters around it.
Decks Tokyo – this complex has two sections: the “Seaside Mall” and the newer “Island Mall.”, which has Little Hong Kong on the 6th and 7th floors. The souvenir shops and dumpling diners make you feel as if you’ve suddenly stepped into Kowloon.
Fuji TV - constructed from what looks like to be Tinkertoys, this landmark has Japanese language-only studio tours on the 5th floor for those familiar with the network’s programming. The 25th floor makes for a nice view of the skyline, while the huge suspended globe on top contains an expensive restaurant. Hint: while the 24th floor requires a 500 yen entrance ticket, the 24th floor can be accessed for free. After riding the escalator to the 7th floor, you will see 2 elevators. The left side is full of people who are paying 500 yen to step on the 25th floor. The right side goes up to the 24th floor and doesn’t require payment.
You’re welcome.
Venus Fort – a Venice-themed shopping complex with marble fountains, artificial sunsets, and an Italian “mayor” who make speeches in a balcony. Geared towards the high-end women’s market, the Fort is worth visiting for the decor alone.
The Museum of Maritime Science – this 6-story, ocean liner-shaped building is devoted to ships.
Tokyo Big Sight - Japan’s biggest convention and exhibition center, distinctive with its 4 inverted pyramids. The mega-event of Komiket doujinshi (fancomics) convention and Gundam Big Expo occur here every year.
Rainbow Bridge
Getting to Odaiba from central Tokyo is just a matter of crossing the Rainbow Bridge, a scenic crossway decorated with 444 lights that change colors with the season. Most visitors use the Yurikamome “new transit system”, a cross between a bus and a train that runs on an elevated track from Shinbashi on the Yamanote line. Yurikamone is an experience in itself: a fully-automated transport with plenty of comfortable seats that hugs the eastern edge of the river, giving passengers a superb view of Tokyo and the Rainbow Bridge.
Bay Shuttle is a free shuttle bus service that runs a closed loop around the island, a result of the lack of transportation from the recession. You can easily distinguish this red bus with the FREE sign painted on it.
This fiberglass-and-plastic over steel frame creation was commissioned by toy giant Bandai-Namco in time for Mobile Suit Gundam‘s 30th anniversary, which will culminate during the Gundam Big Expo from August 21 to 23. For true Gundam fans, this monument to mechanized fantasy seems to be ready to blast off at any moment, taking the rest of us to the future with it.
Odaiba itself is the perfect place to host this humongous tribute to geekery, a statue that fits in well among the hyper-modern buildings and strange architecture. This shopping and entertainment district emerged during Japan’s real estate bubble in the 1980′s. Authorities have plans to shape the island into an exposition grounds and a showcase of futuristic living. When the bubble burst in the 90′s, construction slowed down, a majority of the lots remained vacant and much of the needed infrastructure like roadways and transportation were inadequate.
When authorities granted zone permits for commercial and entertainment purposes in Odaiba, visitors start piling in droves. Today, the island is a mix of Las Vegas and Disneyland: it is oriented towards family entertainment but has a lot more fun activities for adults. Here are some of the landmarks that make the island bring out the man-child in all of us.
Odaiba Seaside Park - Tokyo’s sole beach is popular for picnics and sightseeing, but you wouldn’t want to swim in it. A sewage treatment operates just opposite the beach, resulting in a high coliform count in the waters around it.
Decks Tokyo – this complex has two sections: the “Seaside Mall” and the newer “Island Mall.”, which has Little Hong Kong on the 6th and 7th floors. The souvenir shops and dumpling diners make you feel as if you’ve suddenly stepped into Kowloon.
Fuji TV - constructed from what looks like to be Tinkertoys, this landmark has Japanese language-only studio tours on the 5th floor for those familiar with the network’s programming. The 25th floor makes for a nice view of the skyline, while the huge suspended globe on top contains an expensive restaurant. Hint: while the 24th floor requires a 500 yen entrance ticket, the 24th floor can be accessed for free. After riding the escalator to the 7th floor, you will see 2 elevators. The left side is full of people who are paying 500 yen to step on the 25th floor. The right side goes up to the 24th floor and doesn’t require payment.
You’re welcome.
Venus Fort – a Venice-themed shopping complex with marble fountains, artificial sunsets, and an Italian “mayor” who make speeches in a balcony. Geared towards the high-end women’s market, the Fort is worth visiting for the decor alone.
The Museum of Maritime Science – this 6-story, ocean liner-shaped building is devoted to ships.
Tokyo Big Sight - Japan’s biggest convention and exhibition center, distinctive with its 4 inverted pyramids. The mega-event of Komiket doujinshi (fancomics) convention and Gundam Big Expo occur here every year.
Rainbow Bridge
Getting to Odaiba from central Tokyo is just a matter of crossing the Rainbow Bridge, a scenic crossway decorated with 444 lights that change colors with the season. Most visitors use the Yurikamome “new transit system”, a cross between a bus and a train that runs on an elevated track from Shinbashi on the Yamanote line. Yurikamone is an experience in itself: a fully-automated transport with plenty of comfortable seats that hugs the eastern edge of the river, giving passengers a superb view of Tokyo and the Rainbow Bridge.
Bay Shuttle is a free shuttle bus service that runs a closed loop around the island, a result of the lack of transportation from the recession. You can easily distinguish this red bus with the FREE sign painted on it.
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