Ferris wheels to ferryboats: Tokyo's waterfront glory revealed

Japan’s coastline doesn’t rank too highly as a travel destination these days, but when Tokyo Disneyland reopened its doors for the first time since March 11 to a queue of 10,000 people in mid-April, it signaled an enthusiastic return to the seaside.

Built on reclaimed land, the Disney resort on Tokyo Bay is one of the world’s most successful theme parks. It closed after the earthquake liquefied its parking lot and cut electricity.

Though the Main Street Electrical Parade has been suspended and opening hours shortened, the Magic Kingdom in Japan is back at almost full swing, promising visitors hours of seaside fun.

Tokyo Disneyland replicates Disneyland in California, but its setting is unique. The neighboring Disney Sea, which reopened on April 28, is an adult-oriented resort that is a strong reminder that Tokyo is a maritime city perched on the Pacific Ocean.

Robot trains

Exploring the capital’s waterfront provides insights into how this great metropolis works and plays.

One of the easiest ways to get a feel for Tokyo’s coast is to head to Shinbashi station near Ginza and hop the Yurikamome monorail.

The fully-automated trains hurtle past Tokyo Tower and over the sleek Rainbow Bridge to Odaiba, an artificial island on the bay built in the 19th century to ward off American gunships.

Today, a scaled-down Statue of Liberty stands at an ideal spot for visitors to photograph the bridge at sunset with Tokyo’s lights behind.

The all-American replica is at Decks Tokyo Beach -- one of the island’s shopping malls and amusement areas. It houses Tokyo Joypolis, which ranks among Japan’s largest arcades, with rides and games, and no fewer than five stores specializing in takoyaki octopus balls.

All-seeing

The boldly designed headquarters of Fuji TV, next door, centers on a giant spherical observation deck bathed in colored light.

Another stop along the monorail, the Museum of Maritime Science (Fune no Kagakukan) is a ship-shaped facility with plenty of model ships and views of Tokyo’s freight terminals.

Odaiba may be a dating spot with its own Ferris wheel for romantic rides, but you don’t have to be arm-in-arm with someone to enjoy Oedo Tokyo Onsen Monogatari, the island’s standout attraction.

It’s a hot spring that evokes Edo -- the samurai castle town that became Tokyo. Dress up in a yukata bathrobe (samurai motifs for guys, geisha for gals) and stroll the ersatz Hirokoji medieval street, complete with ninjas throwing flying stars, before soaking in the indoor and outdoor baths.

The cranes unloading cargo and planes zooming into Haneda Airport outside make it a somewhat surreal experience.

Things past

Odaiba sees lots of traffic because it’s at the mouth of the Sumida River. Long-distance ferries sail south for the Izu and Ogasawara Islands, parts of Tokyo with Maui-like beaches, while smaller boats ply the river, passing beneath colorful bridges along with fishing boats, tugs and log barges.

The architecture along the Sumida was much more inspiring in Edo times, when the river was spanned by graceful wooden arches such as Ryogokubashi and bustled with gondola-style water taxis that carried customers to the Yoshiwara red-light district.

The modern suijo-basu (water bus) ferries stop at Asakusa, where a five-minute walk westward leads to the gateway to Tokyo’s most famous temple, Sensoji.

Honoring an image of the Buddhist goddess of mercy fished from the Sumida centuries ago, Sensoji has a long approach with dozens of shops that conjure the carnival atmosphere of Edo.

Look for sweet and crunchy age-manju -- deep-fried bean buns -- a traditional treat.

Onward and upward

From the temple, a 20-minute walk eastward, crossing Azumabashi bridge, leads to the foot of the city’s newest landmark, Tokyo Sky Tree.

At 634 meters, it’s the world’s tallest freestanding communications tower and is due to open in spring 2012 with an observation deck and restaurants near the top.

For visitors without a head for heights, there will be a mall with hundreds of shops, an aquarium and a planetarium at the base of the steel behemoth.

By far the best way to experience Tokyo’s waterfront is on a yakatabune cruise boat during the summer fireworks shows.

These low-slung, old-school pleasure craft usually take parties of 20 or more for a night of traditional lantern-lit feasting on tatami mats, though operators can tailor itineraries to suit customers' needs.

Watching the fireworks explode over Tokyo Bay, or upstream off Asakusa, perhaps with a cup of sake in hand, and you’ll be partying like it’s 1799.

In a city of constant change, thankfully some pleasures remain the same.