Using the Yurikamome to Get Around Tokyo

With a route centered on the edge of Tokyo Bay, all the spots in the itinerary below can be reached using the Yurikamome, a fully automated driverless train system. The automated route is a symbol of Tokyo’s urban development, and a reflection of the city’s drive towards the future, with 16 stations connected to multiple JR and subway lines. Starting at Shimbashi Station, in the heart of Tokyo’s business district, the Yurikamome takes you across the iconic Rainbow Bridge towards Odaiba, and continues all the way to Toyosu Station, so just riding the train feels a little like a tour through Tokyo.

Travel Tip: If you can snag the seats at the very front of the first car, you’ll get a particularly good view of Tokyo throughout the whole route. Trains come pretty frequently, so it can even be worth waiting for the next train to be first in line!

If you love Japan’s mascot culture as much as we do, you’ll be happy to hear that Yurikamome has its own original character! Called “Yurimo,” the mascot is kind of awkwardly adorable, inspired by the seagulls often seen swooping across Tokyo Bay, just like the train itself (“yurikamome” means black-headed gull in Japanese), but with legs that symbolize the Yurikamome running to your destination. You can spot Yurimo at events or on official Yurikamome merchandise, which makes for a pretty cute (and uncommon) Tokyo souvenir.

Morning: Tokyo’s Interactive Art or a Tiny Miniature World, You Choose!

teamLab Planets TOKYO DMM

One of Tokyo’s most popular destinations for travelers and locals alike, teamLab Planets TOKYO is an ultra-modern museum of immersive art that lets you become part of the artwork, experiencing the installations with all your senses. Inside, you’ll wade through water populated by koi fish made of light, bounce across a fantasy land of giant balloons, and step inside an artistic floating garden to engulf yourself in blooming flowers, exploring a series of unique spaces that each feel like an alternate dimension.

teamLab Planets TOKYO DMM
6-1-16 Toyosu, Koto City, Tokyo
Hours: 8:30 – 22:00 (open seven days a week)
Access: Yurikamome Shin-Toyosu Station
Tickets

SMALL WORLDS Miniature Museum 

If TeamLab is all about impressing you with immersive art on a grand scale, then this is a different kind of impressive, full of minute details and unbelievable precision. At SMALL WORLDS, entire cityscapes are recreated in a 1:80 scale, so detailed that no matter how close you look, it’s still breathtaking. (And with so many funny little scenarios and unexpected easter eggs hidden throughout, you’ll want to get a good look!) The museum is divided into 8 major zones, but the highlight for anime fans is the recreation of Tokyo-III from Evangelion, so impeccably modeled that it feels like you’ve stepped into the world of the anime – although at this scale, you’d be larger than even the biggest Evangelion Unit.

SMALL WORLDS Miniature Museum (スモールワールズ)
Ariake Butsuryu Center, 1−3−33 Ariake, Koto City, Tokyo
Hours: 9:00 – 19:00
Access: Yurikamome Ariake Tennis-no-Mori Station
Tickets

Lunch: A Quick Stop at Toyosu Senkyaku Banrai

After enjoying the art around Toyosu and Ariake, you can refuel at Toyosu Senkyaku Banrai, a complex next to the Toyosu Fish Market with places to eat, shop, and relax. The unique design of the place is what makes it special, calling back to Tokyo’s own Edo architecture with an old-fashioned look resembling another era.

It’s fun just to take a look around, but for lunch your first stop should be the Edomae Toyosu area, a food zone designed to feel like a historic Japanese fish market. Counters selling food and drinks line both sides, offering fish-market fare and more: rice bowls topped with fresh seafood from the market, sushi made to order, grilled seafood, plus everything from ramen and tempura to traditional wagashi sweets. It’s perfect for groups, since everyone can choose whatever looks good to them.

After filling up on market food, you won’t want to miss the chance to heat up to the Senkyaku Banrai Foot Bath Garden on the 8th floor, where you can soak your feet while gazing out across Tokyo Bay! Enjoy the scenery, and give your legs a little break before hopping back on the Yurikamome (or come back at sunset for the romantic atmosphere).

Toyosu Senkyaku Banrai (豊洲 千客万来)
6−5−5 Toyosu, Koto City, Tokyo
Hours:
　Restaurants: 10:00 – 22:00
　Shops: 10:00 – 18:00
　Foot Bath: 9:00 – 22:00
　Tokyo Toyosu Manyo Club (onsen): 24 hours
*Shop hours may vary, see the official website for details.
Access: Yurikamome Shijo-mae Station

Afternoon: Tour the Landmarks of Odaiba/Tokyo Waterfront City

Tokyo Big Sight

Just three stops along from Shijo-mae Station on the Yurikamome you’ll find Tokyo Big Sight, the Tokyo International Exhibition Center – one of the most iconic landmarks in Tokyo Waterfront City (Odaiba). Its striking inverted quadruple-pyramid design makes it instantly recognizable, and if you ever watch any Japanese dramas or anime, there’s a good chance you’ll recognize the building from its frequent use as a setting. Of course, it’s a common sight in Japanese media because Tokyo Big Sight is, in fact, the largest exhibition and convention center in Japan, welcoming over 12.5 million visitors per year. The convention center is a very special place for anime and manga fans thanks to its role hosting massive events like Comic Market (commonly known as Comiket), one of the world’s largest doujinshi/manga/anime events.

As a bonus that travelers of all kinds can enjoy, the massive facade of the Tokyo Big Sight building becomes a canvas for a series of light shows on select evenings between September and March, using projection mapping to display spectacular digital imagery. These fantastic, futuristic visuals bring extra vibrancy to the Ariake area at night!

Travel Tip: Take some cool pictures while you’re there! ⇩

The Tokyo Big Sight building is a Tokyo icon – don’t forget to take some photos to remember your visit! If you’re up for something a little cheesy, you can stand in front of the building and have your photo-taker shoot from a low angle, so you can pose as if you’re holding up the heavy building with your own two hands!

Inside the Tokyo Big Sight building and in the surrounding green spaces, you’ll actually find a variety of sculptures and other pieces of art, like the immediately visible giant saw sculpture – standing 15.5 meters tall, and visible even before you leave the station. The jaunty angle makes it look like the saw is slicing through layers of earth, imagined as a way to symbolize the process of problem-solving.

It’s a little silly, but how often do you get the chance to pose with a giant saw?

There’s a small gift shop inside the building, and next to some Tokyo Big Sight-themed goods, you’ll also find a rack full of Yurikamome merchandise! There’s stationery, cute train-shaped bags, socks, and little plush mascots of Yurimo (our favorite Yurikamome mascot) – a tempting array for train enthusiasts. Some of our favorite items include the actual hand straps once used inside Yurikamome trains, as well as the DIY sewing kits that include everything you need to make a little card-holder (perfect for Japan’s IC transportation cards) – simple enough for kids or first-time crafters!

Tokyo Big Sight (東京ビッグサイト)
3-11-1 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 8:00 – 20:00
Access: Yurikamome Tokyo Big Sight Station

Ariake GYM-EX

Ariake GYM-EX opened as an exhibition and event venue in 2023 after use as a sports arena for major gymnastics events, but regardless of its use, the building stands out for its distinctive architecture, utilizing a mix of steel and wood. With around 9,400 square meters of exhibition space, the venue hosts a variety of different events and activities every month, so if you get a chance to go in it’s worth checking out both the interior and the breezy, open deck area.

To admire the architecture from the outside, we recommend relaxing for a spell in the public park next to the building, which has a huge lawn perfect for picnicking or just rolling around in the grass.

Ariake GYM-EX (有明GYM-EX)
1-10-1 Ariake, Koto City, Tokyo
Hours: 9:00 – 23:00 (may vary depending on current events, closed to the public on days with no scheduled events)
Access: Yurikamome Ariake Station

Shiokaze Park

If you’re looking for a peaceful patch of greenery after walking around the Ariake area, Shiokaze Park is a hidden gem that most foreign travelers have still never heard of. If you get off the train at Tokyo International Cruise Terminal Station, the park’s tall boulevard of palm trees creates a striking welcome, ushering you towards the water’s edge. With plenty of places to sit down and rest your feet, and nice views of the Tokyo container port (yes really!) and the Tokyo International Cruise Terminal, this spot is worth visiting for a little quiet time to enjoy the bayside scenery.

Shiokaze Park (潮風公園)
1 Higashiyashio, Shinagawa City, Tokyo
Hours: open 24/7
Access: Yurikamome Tokyo International Cruise Terminal Station

Odaiba Seaside Park

Round the corner from Shiokaze and you’ll find Odaiba Seaside Park, one of the major highlights of the Odaiba area. The park stretches out along the edge of Tokyo Bay, with a boardwalk and a thin strip of white sand where you can stroll along the water, all with unrivaled views of Rainbow Bridge in the distance. It’s one of the few sandy beaches where you’ll find this seaside vibe in Tokyo, and between the popular photo spots, there’s plenty of space to relax and watch the sun as it drifts closer to golden hour or sunset.

Odaiba Seaside Park also serves as a venue for marathons, summer lantern festivals, and other outdoor events, and it’s surrounded by shopping malls and entertainment facilities. It’s easy to while away the hours just wandering around the area, walking, shopping, and eating.

Odaiba Seaside Park (お台場海浜公園)
1-4 Daiba, Minato City, Tokyo
Hours: open 24/7
Access: Yurikamome Odaiba-kaihinkoen Station

TOKYOminatorie

The Tokyo Bay area is beautiful, but it’s also the site of some fascinating Japanese history, from the days when Edo-era merchants plied their trade to the urban development brought the area into the 21st century. If you’re ready to see another side of Tokyo, you can head up to the top of the Aomi Frontier Building to explore TOKYOminatorie. This exhibition space tells the story of the Port of Tokyo, showing how transportation and logistics shaped Tokyo’s story, and digging deep into the relationship between people, the city, and the sea. The exhibits are designed to be fun and easy to understand, with models, large-scale visuals, touch screens, and some unique interactive media, with explanations provided in English, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, and Korean!

TOKYOminatorie (TOKYO ミナトリエ)
Aomi Frontier Bldg. 20F, 2-4-24 Aomi, Koto City, Tokyo
Hours:
　Tue~Thur & Sun: 10:00 – 18:00 (final entry 17:30)
　Fri, Sat & days before public holidays: 10:00 – 21:00 (final entry 20:30)
　*Closed Mondays & over the New Year holiday period
Access: Yurikamome Telecom Center Station

Kitchen Aomi Coffee

By this time we suspect you’ll be ready for a coffee break or an afternoon snack! Head next-door and you’ll find Kitchen Aomi Coffee, conveniently located inside the Telecom Center building, directly connected to Telecom Center Station.

The cafe’s food menu includes a signature “hamburg steak” made with Japanese Kuroge Wagyu beef, but at this point in the day, you might be more interested in their berry parfait – ice cream topped with a generous pile of red berries. They also serve a deep, aromatic house-blend (roasted at their sister cafe nearby), which pairs great with a sweet treat when you’re looking for an afternoon pick-me-up! The playful interior and casual atmosphere make it a great place to relax during a busy day of sightseeing.

Kitchen Aomi Coffee (キッチン青海珈琲)
Telecom Center Building (West) 2F, 2-5-10 Aomi, Koto City, Tokyo
Hours: open weekdays 8:00 – 17:00 | lunch hours 11:00–15:00 (last order 14:30) | closed Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays
Access: Directly connected to Yurikamome Telecom Center Station

Travel Tip: In the same building, you’ll also find a few other dining options, like the Japanese restaurant Rokuemon (open 11:30 – 15:00 / 17:00 – 22:00) and the Chinese restaurant Touen (open 11:30 – 15:00 / 17:00 – 21:30).

Telecom Center Observatory

Nothing wraps up a day in Tokyo better than a view of the sunset across the bay, or a sparkling look at the city skyline! Head up to the observation deck on the 21st floor of the Telecom Center (East Wing) to discover a spot officially recognized as one of Japan’s “Night View Heritage” sites. At a height of over 99 meters, visitors are treated to broad views of the Tokyo Bay area, including the Rainbow Bridge, Tokyo Tower, Tokyo Skytree, Shinagawa Port, and – if you use the free binoculars – even Tokyo Disneyland in the distance!

Plus, unlike some of Tokyo’s other observatories, this one is rarely crowded, and it’s reasonably priced, too. With comfortable sofas, free massage chairs, and tables where you can sit down to plan tomorrow’s itinerary (or enjoy some drinks and snacks purchased at the shops on lower floors), it’s really the perfect place to relax before heading home at the end of the day.

Telecom Center Observatory (テレコムセンター 展望室)
2-5-10 Aomi, Koto City, Tokyo
Hours: weekdays 15:00 – 20:00 | weekends 11:00 – 20:00 (final entry 19:30) | closed for the New Year’s holidays (Dec. 29 ~ Jan. 3) & the second Sunday of Feb.
Access: directly connected to Yurikamome Telecom Center Station

For Convenient Travel & Deals in Odaiba: Pick Up a Yurikamome Enjoy Pass

If you’re planning a day in and around Odaiba, there’s a lot to see and it’s all just far enough that you’ll want to take the Yurikamome between spots, so we recommend grabbing a day pass to make your trip easier and cheaper. Not only can you hop on and off the Yurikamome as many times as you want, but the Yurikamome Enjoy Pass can also be purchased as a discounted set with admission to some of the most popular attractions in the area, like SMALL WORLDS Miniature Museum, Tokyo Joypolis, and Tokyo Toyosu Manyo Club (the onsen facility at Senkyaku Banrai). For itineraries planned around Tokyo Riverfront City (Odaiba), this pass is a cost-effective way to get around!

▶︎ Pass Details & Ticket Options

Plan One Perfect Day Around Tokyo Bay

A day spent in Odaiba and around Tokyo Riverfront City is a staple in Tokyo travel guides for a reason, and thanks to the Yurikamome route running through the whole area, it’s easy to get where you want to go – and fit it all into your busy travel itinerary. With the lovely views out the window, just riding the train already feels like part of the sightseeing experience, but you’ll also find yourself comfortably covering the major highlights without feeling rushed, even with just one day to devote to the area! If you’re looking to add some good food, unique art, and fantastic views of Tokyo Bay (and the Tokyo skyline) to your trip to Japan, but you also want an easy trip without too much complicated transportation, you’ll want to add this tour of Odaiba, Toyosu, Ariake, and the rest of “Tokyo Riverfront City” to your plans!

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