Written by Felix Wilson
Tokyo doesn’t always live up to its reputation as a high-tech metropolis, but when it comes to experiencing virtual reality (VR), Tokyo is right at the forefront.
Interested in seeing what all the fuss is about? We’ve give you a rundown of the best options.
Joypolis
Joypolis, Sega’s high-tech theme park on Odaiba, offers a number of VR opportunities. The first is their Zero Latency VR experience, which allows for up to 6 players at once. It’s a wire-free setup, so it really is free roaming within the confines of the room.
There are several stories to choose from, such as fighting in a zombie apocalypse or aboard a space station against murderous robots. Stories last around 15 minutes but can go up to 30 minutes for special promotions. Reservations are required with the basic stories costing ¥2,200 on top of park admission. You must be 13 years or older to play.
They also offer Tower Tag: a gamer-vs-gamer VR experience. This doesn’t require an advanced reservation, but expect to spend plenty of time waiting in line though. It costs ¥900 but is included in a Joypolis passport ticket.
Tickets
There are two pricing systems in play at Joypolis. The first is a standard admission fee of ¥1,200, and then pay-as-you-go for the attractions. This can be effective if you’re only interested in two or three rides, but less so if you plan on spending the day.
The second is a passport ticket, which effectively lets you try as many rides as you’d like. This gets cheaper as the day goes on. But be warned, odds are if you turn up too late, you’ll spend all your time waiting for a single ride.
Children: ¥4,000
Red° Tokyo Tower
Having opened inn April 2022, Red° Tokyo Tower is the latest place to go in Tokyo for e-sports, AR, and VR gaming. There are several zones and floors so there’s a lot to choose from, but the main VR activities are on the third and fourth floors where you’ll find many battle and shooting games. The first floor is more for kids (a tame VR boat race) and costs extra. Red° is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Tickets
The price for a passport ranges from ¥2,500 to ¥3,200, depending on the time of year, and gets you access to the games on the second through fifth floors. You can also get a night passport and enter after 5 p.m. for ¥1,300 or ¥1,500.
Cheapo bonus tip
If you’re looking for a more unconventional experience, private VR pornography rooms have popped up throughout Tokyo. From what I’ve seen, prices blow the competition out of the water, starting from ¥2,000 for a couple of hours with a PC loaded with adult films and a VR headset. Presumably tissues and hand sanitizer are included…
For more tech-based fun in Tokyo, visit these spots to come up close and personal with robots.
