that city beside the tokyo dome : December 29 2024

these nightwalker feet have a mind of their own, that i am quite sure now. they dragged me to somewhere with lots of activities. they even asked my hands to check google maps on how to get there. and here i am suddenly.

tokyo dome city

it is all the area directly surrounding tokyo dome and tokyo dome hotel. it is one of the largest entertainment areas in tokyo with approximately 38 million visitors each year. it has everything! and that includes a very wide japanese traditional park, indoor sports center, outdoor attractions area, a spa, restaurants, shopping, theaters, and of course the hotel and the dome itself.

the roller coaster, thunder dolphin, passing through this hubless ferris wheel came first into view. i could still remember that this was my very first roller coaster ride in my entire life. directly tried an extreme, i was trembling while waiting in that 2 hour queue. but i had to not show it, i was but a fledgling in a sea of senpais.

it was a cold december afternoon, i could still remember that very first massive drop. i dug my feet deep and clamped the safety bar with all my strength, i could not see the coaster tracks as all. and after that drop came this path right through a whole on the wall of this building, i surely ducked as if i was tall to begin with. it was so memorable! and that ride made me enjoy roller coasters from then on.

of course, a viking boat ride would also be present in this attraction city. my first and only experience of any viking boat ride was also this very boat. the first few swings were gentle, and i was just fine then. until it gained momentum and swung higher and higher. i think i was on the verge of passing out, and we were not even seated at the very. haven't rode since, but if someone asks me to come, i would gladly join.

this mini drop was also there. i haven't tried this ride here but tried once somewhere else. i think i'm good with that single time. i don't do well with free falls. height is not my thing to begin with.

there were also shooting games and a lot more hanging and spinning, and more free falling. i would probably melt down while riding that very tall structure; you are to stand on a wall-less circular carrier while that thing pulleys your carrier up and and down.

they also have this ride which rotates as it revolves inside this globe. lovers on a date would definitely enjoy this. i haven't tried it though, just read between the lines.

the dome finally came into view. of course i won't settle for a shot this far. she looks big even from afar though. so big that it has somehow became a size comparison standard for all wide constructions in japan, or tokyo at least.

so brightly lit! of course, it has to be; it is the "main" attraction of this whole area after all. even with all these lights, she still manages to stand out. and did i mention that this dome is an all purpose one used in all types of events? the main purpose was for baseball when it was completed in 1988; it became the main turf of the yomiuri giants, a team competing in the professional league. but it has been used in concerts, exhibitions and the like as well.

that christmas tree is tall! that must be 2 storeys high, i only saw the tip of the iceberg from the previous location. and it changes colors, amazing! that tall structure at the back is the tokyo dome hotel. i have been wondering for quite some time now why there seems to be a lot of people tonight. what is happening?

this is as close as i can get, there are just so many people coming out from the dome herself. it is very hard to move around specially when you go against the stream of people. i have attended 3 concerts in here so far, and this exact situation is always the case after the show is over.

are those light sticks? i had to zoom in on the screen and finally knew what was happening. it was a concert by Hey! Say! JUMP, an eight member jpop boyband which debuted in 2007. with that long of a history, they surely have accumulated lots of fans who grew up with them; thus, this explained this volume of avid fans.

i had to get away from the crowd, it is just too much. so here i went to the mall side of the "city", laqua. the ferris wheel and the roller coaster are accessible from this part of the area. restaurants and shopping areas are of course a staple.

the fountain show was ongoing when i came. and did you see the hole on the mall where the roller coaster enters?

the place was as brightly lit and well decorated as the area where i came before. outdoor shows are also hosted in this place. the spa can also be found in the upper floors of this mall complex. but i have never been in there though.

oh they know how to decorate! people moved very slowly at this place, they were busy taking pictures. directly above this passage was the roller coaster track.

here it is viewed from another angle. for the hot spring inside the spa, i heard that they drilled the area down deep and sourced the waters from there. it is a natural hot spring! this whole area came about in 2003.

the carousel looks so pretty. but i have never rode this one before. i rode the roller coaster and the ferris wheel multiple times already, but not the carousel. but it looks pretty. and i think there was one more ride in here.

oh there it is, a log flume ride. you ride in boats of two and drop down this waterfall at the very end. i wonder if it is still in operation though. it must be, the waters are still clear.

and this is the view from inside the mall. very pretty.

the indoor sports center is in another building on the other end past the dome, but as you can see it is impassable. the japanese park is also in those part, it is on holiday maintenance for this season.

check their website for more information in here.

i was very much surprised that this place was "walkable" from home. this nightwalker is very happy with that.

as always, AMPING KANUNAY!
stay safe!