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Daiba Park is perfect for photographing Rainbow Bridge
Rainbow Bridge is one of my favorite places in Tokyo. I often go to Daiba Park, which is on an island, to photograph it. It’s a bit underutilized by photographers. One of the city’s most iconic architectural structures will be so close that you’ll almost be able to throw a stone at it! Go there, and you’ll go home with great pics.
You’ll also see another city legend from the park, Tokyo Tower. But there’s more. Ships and boats pass under the bridge. Buildings are everywhere. Planes will be above. Odaiba and the Statue of Liberty will be behind you. It’s a fantastic place for photos.
Daytime is great to shoot it all. But, you might be better off waiting for the sun to go down. The night will be alive, and the scene will look better. Daiba Park is incredible.
A brief history of Daiba Park
Daiba Park is a historic place. It is on one of a series of artificial islands the Shogunate built in the nineteenth century. They created them to house cannon batteries to defend Tokyo from a feared foreign attack. Today, you can see some of the mounts where the guns sat.
What Tokyo landmarks are visible from Daiba Park?
- Shinagawa Wharf area
- Sunsets (during the warmer months when the sun will be near the bridge)
- Tokyo Tower
- Water traffic (occasionally, large passenger ships will appear)
When to photograph Rainbow Bridge from Daiba Park?
Disclaimer – all these are my personal opinions:
- Sunset and later is the best time to photograph the bridge.
- Wait to press the shutter until water traffic passes under the bridge.
- After sunset, the bridge lights come on. It is a picturesque scene.
- The sun sets to the far left of the bridge in late winter. In the warmer months, it will be closer to or behind the bridge.
- For this location, both HDR and long-exposure photos work well.
- The island is very close to the bridge. The 16-55 mm has been enough for me. I haven’t found much need for a wide-angle or long zoom.
Problems with this Daiba Park
- In winter, it can get bitterly cold.
- Daiba Park is on the water, so the wind can be powerful.
- The location is far from Odaiba-Kaihinkoen station. It’ll take about fifteen minutes.
- Be careful if you put your gear on the ground because there are ant nests.
Where is Daiba Park?
Daiba Park is close to Rainbow Bridge. The closest station is the Yurikamome line’s Odaiba-Kaihinkoen Station. See it here on Google Maps.
Location shot from Odaiba beach:
Wrapping up
Daiba Park is one of my favorite places to photograph Rainbow Bridge. And as it is near Odaiba, there are other places to visit once you are finished. There is the beach and the Statue of Liberty.
Of course, the main thing is the view of the bay, especially Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Tower. Fans of them won’t be bored.
For more articles about Rainbow Bridge, look at:
If you want to see a real pro shoot this spot, look at Elia Locardi’s photos of the bridge:
Please leave your questions or comments below.