Region
Kanto
Island
Honshu
Largest City
Tokyo
Population
12,059,237

Rainbow Bridge

The now iconic Rainbow Bridge was built to be a symbol of Tokyo, but who’d have thought it would do its job so well?

In the almost 25 years since its completion, the bridge between Tokyo and man-made Odaiba has become synonymous with the capital thanks to its futuristic design and ever-changing appearance.

The bridge is famous for its nightly illumination, the colors of which change depending on the day and time. The suspension cables are lit either white, green, or coral pink, while the bridge’s towers transform seasonally (cool white in the summer and warm white in the winter). In recent years, the towers have been colored for special occasions like Breast Cancer Awareness Month (pink), World Diabetes Day (blue), and the holidays (rainbow).

View of Rainbow Bridge and Minato, from Odaiba in Tokyo

The best views are at dusk from Odaiba when the city blazes neon against a burning sky.

The holiday illumination is the most popular. It’s the only time of the year you can see the bridge lit so brightly and it’s often accompanied by a short musical fireworks performance after sunset. It usually starts on the first Saturday in December and lasts about a month.

You can also catch great views of Tokyo from the Rainbow Promenade pedestrian walkway, which has two sides: north, with a view of the Tokyo skyline, and south, with a view of Odaiba (and Mt. Fuji on especially clear days). You must pick a side to walk on when you start, so you can’t see both views in one trip, but the walk is only about 800 meters or a 30-45 minutes stroll one way, making a round trip easy.

You can take the pedestrian walkway from Tokyo to Odaiba and vice versa.

If you’re planning on visiting Odaiba, consider going for a bike ride around the island. While biking is prohibited on the promenade, you can push your bike across on a wooden plank to the other side.

Things To Know

Opening Hours

9:00 – 21:00 (April 1 – October 31), 10:00 – 18:00 (November 1 – March 30). Closed: the third Monday of every month (if that Monday is a national holiday, then it will close the following weekday), December 29-31, and when the weather is bad.

How To Get There

Address

Rainbow Bridge, Minato-ku, Tōkyō-to, Japan

By train

From the Tokyo side, entrance to the promenade is a 20-minute walk from JR Tamachi station or 10-minute walk from Shibaura-futo Station (Yurikamome Line). Take an elevator to the 7F to begin your journey.

From the Odaiba side, the entrance is a 10-minute walk from Odaiba-Kaihinkoen Station (Yurikamome Line).

Where To Stay

Hilton Tokyo Odaiba
  • 1-9-1 Kabushikigaishiya Tokiyohiyu-Maniaentapuraizu, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 135-8625 Japan
  • ¥32,076 - ¥140,538
  • 4.12/5 (4,636 reviews)
  • 1.2 km
Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba
  • 2-6-1 Gurandonitsuko-Tokiyo Daiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 135-8701 Japan
  • ¥23,840 - ¥499,000
  • 4.65/5 (9,111 reviews)
  • 1.4 km
Hotel Gracery Tamachi
  • 3-8-1 Shibaura (2-4-Chome), Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-0023 Japan
  • ¥13,000 - ¥20,450
  • 4.25/5 (1,823 reviews)
  • 1.5 km
Sotetsu Fresa Inn Tokyo-Tamachi
  • 3-14-21 Shibaura (2-4-Chome), Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-0023 Japan
  • ¥10,285 - ¥48,960
  • 4.07/5 (1,691 reviews)
  • 1.7 km
Chisun Hotel Hamamatsucho
  • 1-3-10 Shibaura (1-Chome), Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-0023 Japan
  • ¥8,740 - ¥23,275
  • 3.59/5 (4,320 reviews)
  • 1.7 km

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