Is Tokyo’s Odaiba, once one of its trendiest neighborhoods, becoming a ghost town? [Photos]

Odaiba, once a trendy neighborhood in Tokyo, may be experiencing a decline in popularity. Several attractions have closed in recent years, including Oedo Onsen Monogatari hot spring bathhouse, the Giant Sky Wheel Ferris wheel, Venus Fort shopping center, Megaweb Toyota History Garage, and Immersive Fort Tokyo indoor theme park. Fuji TV, a broadcaster with headquarters in Odaiba, is also facing a scandal and has scaled down its fan events.

The Unicorn Gundam statue at Diver City is set to be dismantled soon. Despite these closures, Odaiba still appears to be bustling with activity. The train station, Odaiba's most centrally located rail stop, sees a steady stream of pedestrian traffic heading towards Diver City, the Aqua City entertainment complex, and Joypolis video game arcade.

In the opposite direction, however, there seems to be less lively activity. The building that once housed Venus Fort, Megaweb Toyota History Garage, and the Giant Sky Wheel is now empty. Immersive Fort Tokyo, an indoor theme park featuring large-scale walk-through immersive experiences, closed down just six months after opening in March 2024.

While the building remains empty, there are still many people walking past it, heading towards Toyota Arena Tokyo, a new sports and music venue that opened in October 2023. A concert by the boy band Number_i, scheduled to take place at the arena, attracted large numbers of fans, making the area feel lively despite the closures of other attractions.