Ooedo Hot Springs Theme Park

Ooedo Hot Springs Theme Park   http://www.ooedoonsen.jp/daiba/

Japan is famous for their hot springs which help restore vitality, health and leave you with a smooth complexion. Maybe that's why Japanese girls have such beautiful skin! My favourite place in Tokyo by far is Ooedo Onsen Monogatari in Odaiba. It's a hot spring theme park where you can stay overnight or spend the whole day in to bathe, relax and eat.

 

There are a number of ways to access Ooedo hot springs. The official website provides in detail access information in English, Chinese, Korean and of course in Japanese.

 First thing that you have to do in the theme park is take our shoes off and store them in a locker. 

At the counter, the clerk gives you a tag that you slip around your wrist. This tag gets beeped whenever you purchase food, drinks or have a massage so you don't have to carry anything around on you. The general admission fee for adults is 1,980 yen but there are different rates depending what time of the day you go. Admission fee, meals, massages or any extra activities are paid for at the end when you leave. Again, they keep track of all of this with your tag. We were wowed by what a smart system it was. In fact, we felt a bit stupid as we tried to pay in cash but the waiter asked us to just hold out our wrists. Do not repeat the same mistake that we made.

For details on all the admission rates please refer to the Ooedo onsen official website. 

At first I was a bit trepidatious about baring my naked body to women I didn't know and to my bestie, but it's so normal to everyone that you start feeling slightly more comfortable.Within the big food halls, you can walk around in the kimonos provided by Oedo Onsen. There's definitely a festival feel in the air. I felt like I was in a Matsuri (Japanese festival).

"At Ooedo-Onsen-Monogatari, “Ooedo-Onsen” and “Kogane-no-Yu” are baths filled with 100% natural hot-spring water pumped from 1,400 meters underground. Bathing in these waters, composed mainly of sodium and chlorine ions, as well as calcium, magnesium ions and other elements, leaves a film on the skin that is gradually absorbed, which has many healthful effects and makes bathers feel pleasantly warmed. In addition to these two baths, Ooedo-Onsen-Monogatari has several other baths to suit all tastes." - credits to http://www.ooedoonsen.jp/higaeri/english/

As cameras within the hot springs and changing rooms are not permitted for good reason, photos below are credited to http://www.ooedoonsen.jp/higaeri/english/.

It feels like such a different world inside the theme park. As soon as you step in, you feel like you're not in Tokyo anymore. It's like you've been transported to a whole different place that's quieter, more peaceful and tranquil. It's definitely a place to relax and get away from the busy bustle of Tokyo city. Soaking your tired body in a bath of hot water which has healing properties; what better way than hat to end your holiday?

Read more: http://www.marindaleigh.com/2013/06/ooedo-hot-springs-theme-park.html#ixzz3Apl55Pwd

===============================================================================

Oedo Onsen Monogatari Guide (3 photos)

Photo size:

thumbnails   medium   large

by Patrick Shyu March 1, 2011    2 Comments

Oedo Onsen Monogatari (official site) is an "onsen amusement park" in Tokyo. I've lived in Tokyo for over a year, and I can say that this is now one of my favorite spots.

1 Oedo Onsen Monogatari - Oedo Onsen Monogatari is an onsen amusement theme park in Odaiba, Tokyo. While the baths are gender-separated, there is a "mini village" in the center where people can meet for food and refreshments. The yukata-clad bathers make for a colorful experience. - View on Flickr

Japanese onsens (hot spring baths) are one of the most relaxing experiences. Many of the "real onsens" however, are often a bunch of old guys huddled in a dark puddle of water. So, I actually prefer the more "commercialized" approach of Oedo Onsen Monogatari. Certainly, they do have a real onsen (with mineral water pumped from underground), but they also make the experience a whole lot more fun. One quickly realizes that you can only sit in an onsen for so long before wanting to do something else - like eat ice cream or grab a beer.

2 Oedo Onsen Monogatari - The foot baths at Oedo Onsen Monogatari, an onsen amusement theme park in Odaiba, Tokyo. - View on Flickr

There are many fun baths like:
- A real onsen with mineral water pumped up from underground.
- Outdoor onsen
- Jacuzzi-style onsen you can sleep in.
- Foot onsen, resemebling a creek outside.

They also have various other baths that they charge for like a "sand bath," the "fish bath" where fish eat dead skin off your feet, "stone slab bath," and others. I didn't find these necessary though.

Oedo Onsen Monogatari is in the Odaiba area, and costs from 2000 yen to 2900 yen for entrance, depending on whether you go after 6pm or before. I spent the day touring Odaiba, and then walked to Oedo Onsen Monogatari at 6pm for the discounted rate. The place is next to the Telecom Center station, on the Yurikamome train line.

3 Oedo Onsen Monogatari - Oedo Onsen Monogatari is an onsen amusement theme park in Odaiba, Tokyo. While the baths are gender-separated, there is a "mini village" in the center where people can meet for food and refreshments. The yukata-clad bathers make for a colorful experience. - View on Flickr

Odaiba Part Two - Trick Art Museum and Oedo Onsen

http://jennajapan-facebook-login.blogspot.kr/2013/08/tokyo-odaiba-part-two-trick-art-museum.html

 - Odaiba Part Two - Trick Art Museum and Oedo Onsen

Posted by Pugh Vida | Labels: aqua city, arcade, decks tokyo beach, ferris wheel, monorail, Odaiba, oedo onsen monogatari, Pokemon, shopping,Tokyo, trick art museum, Venus Fort, yurikamome

undefined

undefined

After lunch we finally made it to the Trick Art Museum. We had to wait maybe about 5-10 minutes to enter because they limit the number of people so that there aren't too many people trying to take pictures at the same time.

I love taking random pictures so this was a great place for me. So much fun! There's not too much to say so I'll just let you enjoy the pictures.

After the Trick Art Museum we went to another mall right next door called Aqua City. It's nice and has a lot of good stores, but it's less unique than Decks I think. We didn't spend too long there. Jonathan bought some omiyage (souvenirs) for the teachers at his schools and I went in Axes Femme and was really tempted by this dress. 

I didn't get any Dippin' Dots, but I liked how the one flavor was called Odaiba Rainbow because of the Rainbow Bridge. 

Before heading to the monorail I snapped a few pictures of the area outside of Aqua City.

We took the monorail to the area with Venus Fort. Odaiba's pretty small and it wouldn't have been a bad walk, but we had bought the day passes for 800 yen so it didn't cost extra and saved a bit of time.

We didn't ride the ferris wheel this time but I thought the clear cars were neat and looked kind of scary. I don't remember those. I guess I forgot about them.

First we went into a large arcade. I don't think either of us ended up playing anything there. I was kind of out of my spending money mood. They had these weird creepy animal things that kids could put money in and ride around the arcade. I would have loved that so much as a kid! I got excited about the lame little carousels outside of stores so who knows what excitement something like this would have caused.

We cut through the Toyota place to get to Venus Fort. It was emptier than last time. Maybe they were getting ready to bring some more stuff in. They did have a few interesting cars though, including this ADORABLE Pikachu car! Pikachu!

At Venus Fort Jonathan and I split up. I only had about half an hour but it ended up being enough time. First I took some pictures of Hello Kitty's Kawaii Paradise. 

It's pretty small and I had been there before so I didn't stay very long. I still want to eat something cute there sometime though. It was very quiet. Now that I think about it I'm not sure if I saw any kids at all. I know there were a few older girls in the gift shop, and a few men looking miserable on the benches at the entrance, but other than that I'm not sure.

So then I went into Venus Fort for a while. I mainly wanted to go to Kiddyland and I had trouble finding it. I didn't mind walking around though because it's really pretty.

I was a bit disappointed by the fountain area though because last time there had been a bunch of lights hanging from the ceiling that were sooo sooo soooo pretty! I guess that they had just been a Christmas thing. :( It was still pretty, but not as pretty as last time. 

I eventually found Kiddyland. It's not as huge as the one in Harajuku, but it's still a lot bigger than the one in Hamamatsu. There were some crane games in the back and I played one of them and won! It was a pretty easy machine though.

Then we got back on the monorail to head to Oedo Onsen Monogatari. 

I really recommend Oedo Onsen Monogatari especially for foreigners who have never been to an onsen. There are signs explaining what to do in English so it makes the experience much easier.

First you take off your shoes and put them into a locker. Then you go to the reception area and get a key for another locker. Next you pick out a yukata and go change in the locker room. You keep the key around your wrist and it has a bar code on it that you use to pay for things while there. You pay for everything at the end.

There are only a few yukata choices and none of them are that amazing, but the pink and purple one is cute enough.

The main area has a couple of gift shops, some games, and plenty of food. There is also free tea and water. We drank some tea before going into the onsen.

The onsen is split up in separate areas for men and women, but both areas have the same types of baths. First you go to a counter and get a few towels. Then you find an empty locker to put your clothes in and get undressed. Then you go to the onsen room and there are areas to clean yourself. After that you get in the baths! They were so hot! I could only spend a few minutes in there at a time. They were different temperatures and I think they ranged from 38 - 41 C (about 100 - 106 F). They felt really good though, especially the outdoor one. 

There were also two saunas, a wet one and a dry one. I spent a few minutes in the wet sauna and decided to try the dry sauna. I walked in there and felt like I would die. I saw the thermometer on the wall and it was over 80 C (176 F)! I had no idea saunas were that hot! I love heat, but that was just too much, so I spent like ten seconds in there, haha.

After the onsen I got some kakigori while I waited for Jonathan. It's Japanese-style shaved ice which has condensed milk. I got the chocolate banana flavor and it was delicious.

I bought a cute phone strap from one of the gift stores. We didn't ride the ferris wheel this time, but I rode it a few years ago. I just realized that the jewel on the strap fell off. :(

After we met back up Jonathan got some ice cream and then we went to the foot onsen outside. The foot onsen winds around like a stream and there are various textures and spacings of rocks on the bottom. It's supposed to be good for your feet to walk along the path, but it's kind of painful. It's fun and challenging though so we walked through the whole thing.

As we walked back to the monorail station later we saw some lightning in the distance (I thought I had seen some while in the foot onsen but hadn't been sure). Earlier in the summer I saw quite a bit of lightning in Iwata one night. I rarely saw lightning last time I was in Japan and have seen more this time, though it's still nothing like the storms I see in Kentucky.

Here's a video of my day in Odaiba. It includes part of the monorail ride, some of the vintage arcade games, an illusion at the Trick Art Museum, and some Hooters girls dancing to the Hamster Dance Song outside of Venus Fort. That was weird.

• 
 
• 
 
• 
 
• 
 
•