Joypolis in Tokyo’s Odaiba disctrict boasts three floors of interactive games and virtual and real thrill rides for nonstop enjoyment. (Juan King/Stars and Stripes)
Summer is almost here and nothing spells fun and excitement better than a large indoor amusement park in Tokyo.
Odaiba, a man-made island in Tokyo, is home to Joypolis, one of a chain of indoor parks built by video game giant Sega. The Odaiba version, billed as the largest indoor theme park in Japan, boasts three floors of interactive games and virtual and real thrill rides for nonstop enjoyment.
A passport ticket grants you admission and on all the rides for the day for 5,000 yen, or about $36, for adults and 4,000 yen for children.
On the first floor, the Gekion Live Coaster, a ride that went overhead with its twisting track and screaming passengers, quickly grabbed my family’s attention. A short wait in a bustling atmosphere with blaring music had us soon experiencing what the excitement was all about.
Halfpipe Tokyo, a ride at Joypolis in Tokyo's Odaiba district, simulates the thrills of snowboarding. (Juan King/Stars and Stripes)
Halfpipe Tokyo was another we anticipated during a 45-minute wait. It simulated the thrills of snowboarding performed in a half-pipe of snow, a sport I have never experienced. After strapping in, my son and I needed some floor-pressing teamwork. We came out on the low end; my wife and mother earned the higher score.
Another standout ride was Transformers Human-Alliance Special, based on the popular movie franchise. For this experience, we strapped inside a yellow-and-black sphere for a jerky, spinning and upside-down flying simulation, all while battling alongside our allies, against the evil Decepticons.
Transformers Human-Alliance Special is just one of the fun rides at Joypolis, an indoor amusement park in Tokyo's Odaiba district. (Juan King/Stars and Stripes)
On the second floor, we sampled Pirate’s Plunder, Spicy Taxi and House of the Dead: Scarlett Dawn, the latter a zombie-themed first-person shooter game.
The top floor had adult-themed attractions, like Murder Lodge, a sensory deprivation horror experience, and Sadako: The Curse Psychic Manor, based on the Japanese horror movie. We steered clear of those and, with my son in tow, chose more family-friendly rides.
The simulated rides with large screens — Wild Jungle Brothers, Wild River: The Treasure Hunt and Wild Wing — fit the bill.
Wild Jungle Brothers, a ride at Joypolis in Tokyo, plummets you off cliffs, through caves and into deep jungle in a large, all-terrain vehicle. (Juan King/Stars and Stripes)
The Wild Jungle Brothers ride plummets you off cliffs, through caves and into deep jungle in a large, all-terrain vehicle to your final destination.
Another hurled you on a raft through a raging river, and the last had us high flying precariously through another unrealistic adventure. Each ride fits up to 12 passengers and lasts about five minutes.
There were plenty of food options on each floor, plus rest areas. We enjoyed delicious crêpes at a food truck inside, but later went to the Digital Entertainment Lounge food counter on the second floor to try some other snacks.
At Joypolis in Tokyo, a scanner allows you to transplant your face onto a floating manatee and feed it with the push of a button. (Juan King/Stars and Stripes)
While eating we observed other visitors engaging with interactive screens and games in that area. A digital facial scanner allows you to transplant your face onto a floating manatee and feed it with the push of a button.
Note that there are height requirements for some rides.
Joypolis in Tokyo’s Odaiba disctrict boasts three floors of interactive games and virtual and real thrill rides for nonstop enjoyment. (Juan King/Stars and Stripes)
On the QT
Directions: A short walk from Odaiba Kaihin Kouen Station. 1-6-1 Daiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo.
Times: Open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Costs: General admission is 1,200 yen for adults; 900 yen for children 7 to 17 years old; 5,000 yen passport ticket for adults; 4,000 yen for children.
Dress: Casual
Food: Plenty of snack options throughout the complex. Bring plenty of yen as some places do not take credit cards.
Information: 03-5500-1801; Online: tokyo-joypolis.com/language/english
