Rainbow Bridge

Tokyo’s Rainbow Bridge, a suspension bridge spanning Tokyo Bay to connect Shibaura Wharf and the Odaiba waterfront area, is one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks, particularly at night. The bridge was completed in 1993 and was painted all in white to help it better blend in with the Tokyo skyline. During the day, solar panels on the bridge collect and store energy to power a series of colorful lights that turn on after sundown and give the bridge its name.

If you’re planning to spend a morning or afternoon at Odaiba, Tokyo’s futuristic “New City” filled with shopping and arcades, check to see if the pedestrial path across the Rainbow Bridge is open. If so, you can walk across in less than 30 minutes with excellent harbor views along the way. From the various observation platforms you can spot Tokyo Tower, the Kanebo building and Skytree.