Odaiba - Tokyo Bay お台場

Daiba, literally meaning "fort", refers to some of the man made islands in the Bay of Tokyo, which were constructed in the end of the Edo Period (1603-1868) for the city's protection against attacks from the sea.

During the extravagant 1980s, a spectacular redevelopment of the islands into a futuristic business district was started, but development was critically slowed down after the burst of the "bubble economy" in the early 1990s.
It was not until the second half of the 1990s, that Odaiba developed into one of Tokyo's most interesting tourist spots and the highly popular shopping and entertainment district, which it is today. Further development of the area is still underway.

Attractions:
Among the attractions of Odaiba are several shopping and entertainment centers, theme parks, museums and the futuristic architecture and city planning.

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Tokyo : Ginza Station Area 銀座

The Ginza is Tokyo's most famous upmarket shopping, dining and entertainment district, featuring numerous department stores, boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, night clubs and cafes.

One square meter of land in the district's center is worth more than ten million yen (more than 100,000 US dollars), making it one of the most expensive real estate in Japan. It is where you can find the infamous $10 cups of coffee and where virtually every leading brand name in fashion and cosmetics has a presence.

From 1612 to 1800, today's Ginza district was the site of a silver coin mint (Japanese: ginza), after which the district was eventually named. The Ginza evolved as an upmarket shopping district following the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake.

A visit to the Ginza is most pleasant on a weekend afternoon, when the central Chuo Dori gets closed to traffic and become a large pedestrian zone. The closure takes place from 14:00 to 17:00 on Saturdays and from 12:00 to 17:00 on Sundays (until 18:00 from April through September).

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Tokyo Disneyland

Tokyo Disneyland is filled with people through the year. It seems like there is no off-season here. Both adults and children enjoy the fun in Tokyo Disneyland. Tokyo Disneyland is located in Urayasu-city, Chiba. It is right outside of Tokyo.

Tokyo Disneyland Access
By train
From Tokyo Station, take the JR Keiyo Line to Maihama Station (舞浜), which is adjacent to Tokyo Disneyland. The rides takes about 15 minutes (¥210) on an express train.

Get around Tokyo Disneyland
The four-station Disney Resort Line monorail connects Maihama Station to Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo Disneysea and Tokyo Bay NK Hall plus the resort hotels. The fare is ¥250/150 for adults/children and the Passnet stored value card can be used. Note that, if going to Disneyland, it's probably easier and faster to just walk from the station

There is no general admission ticket available for Tokyo Disneyland. You need to purchase a Passport, which includes all attractions. A one-day passport costs 5,800 yen (adult). A two-day passport costs 10,000 yen (adult). Children under age three are free of charge. There is also a Starlight Passport (4,700 yen) for admission to the park after 5:00 p.m. on certain days. *Prices are expected to change. Tickets are sold in the main entrance of the park, but usually there is a long waiting line. It might save your time if you purchase tickets in advance. Tickets can be purchased from travel agencies in Japan.

Ticket Information
The operating hours of the park change slightly each day. It usually is 8-9 a.m. to 9-10 p.m. To check the operation hours of a specific day, see Tokyo Disney Resort Operation Calendars.

There are so many things to do at Tokyo Disneyland, so you might want to stay at the hotels near Tokyo Disneyland. Tokyo Disneyland official hotels can be expensive but are very convenient. There are direct buses from Narita/Haneda Airport to these hotels, and there are free shuttle buses to Tokyo Disneyland from those hotels. You can come back to your room to rest during the day and go back to Disneyland.

If you prefer to stay at more inexpensive hotels than Tokyo Disneyland official hotels, inexpensive hotels in Tokyo or many hotels in Makuhari area are available.

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Tokyo : MISCELLANEOUS

Tokyo Subway Route Map.

Prepaid Transportation Card for Train and Bus.

There is a minimium deposit of 500 yen in the card. Upon return of PASMO Card there is a admininstrtive charge of 210 yen. ( So, initially you purchase a PASCO card at the station for 1000 yen allows you to travel up to a amount of 500 yen, therafter you need to top-up at the station's machine. PASCO card is valid for 6 months).

Sample of 2-day unlimited ride Metro Train tickets.

TOKYO Miscellaneous 2

Tokyo Subway Route Map (Chinese version)

Subway Train Station timing between stations.