How To Walk Across The Rainbow Bridge!

This has to be the most gorgeous walk in Tokyo. If you start at twilight, you can see the entire Tokyo waterfront slowly light up like the best holiday light show ever!

Here’s how I do it: I get off the train at Tamachi station and go out the main exit. There’s about a five minute walk, across two canals, until the big support at the Tokyo end of the bridge comes into view. Around to the left of the pylon building is the entry to a sort of lobby, and there’s a choice of elevators that go up to the south side of the bridge or the north side. (You have to choose before you start, because there’s no place to cross over to the other side until you’re nearly all the way across.)

The north side has a view of the Tokyo skyline and Tokyo Tower. The south side looks out over the lights of Odaiba.

Then I go up one of the elevators and start walking! I like the south side, but my friend who blogs as Tokyobling (and takes more beautiful pictures than me) likes the other side. Take a look at both, and decide which you prefer!

Starting about fifteen minutes before sunset, here’s what you’ll see:

Once across in Odaiba, sometimes I stroll along the waterfront to the Decks and Aqua City complexes to shop or eat dinner. And sometimes I just get on the monorail at Odaiba Kaihin-Koen station and return to Shinagawa. The walk across the bridge from Tamachi station only takes about 30 minutes (it’s about 1.7 kilometers), but it’s well worth it, don’t you think?

Walking across the bridge is free. It’s open to pedestrians and bikes from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. from April to October, and 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. for the rest of the year. It’s closed on the third Monday of every month, so don’t say I didn’t warn you. heh. Hope you like this walk as much as I do!

Um, one small caveat: if you’re hoping this might be an awesome romantic stroll, it sort of isn’t. The walkway is right next to a lane of traffic, with all the loudness and exhaust that go with it. Visually, the walk is really amazing, but sound- and smell-wise, er, not so much. (><)

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Don’t miss The Last Tea Bowl Thief!

“The brilliance of this novel sneaks up on you as the pieces of its puzzle come together.” —Mac Salman, Tokyo Authority

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Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly newsletter Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had