If Tokyo’s futuristic Odaiba gets a little too overbearing with its defiant architecture, and the sight of the Statue of Liberty overlooking the Rainbow Bridge creates confusion, you can always escape to a piece of Italy right in the heart of Odaiba.
Located just a short stroll away from the water, Venus Fort is a shopping mall unlike no other in Tokyo. Once you step inside, you stand amidst Italian architecture, with marble columns and statues, a massive two-tier fountain with fair maidens, ornate chandeliers that drop from the sky, even Italian Cypress trees and Juliet balconies adorned with pretty flowers.
With over one hundred shops, fashion and accessory boutiques, cafés, eateries even a casino with a roulette table and blackjack, it was easy to lose a couple of hours from soaking up the atmosphere. Just remember to look up at the false sky on a ceiling that changes colour depending on the time of the day. As we were there later in the afternoon, we enjoyed sunset skies and muted colours.
Venus Fort is easily accessed from the overpass exit of the Rinkai Line Station Tokyo Teleport. Just follow in the direction of the Ferris wheel and be prepared for an Italo-Japanese experience.
Italian Caffe & Ristorante
Faux ceiling
Venus Fort, Tokyo
Venus Fort, Tokyo
[…] a lasting impression. There is a quirkiness in its culture, a fascination with high-tech toilets, creativity in its shopping malls, cleanliness of its streets, a safety factor and the efficiency of public transport. I am enamoured […]