LaQua Tokyo Dome City
Activity > Tokyo > Culture > Ikebukuro
On my home from work I decided to grab a beer at the Yebisu Bar near LaQua Tokyo Dome City. On the way to the bar I took a few snapshots of the area around Tokyo Dome City. LaQua is a Spa, Shops & Resaurants and Attraction complex that is pretty much in the heart of Tokyo. I used to come here as a high school student and ride the rides in the Amusement Park but have not had so much free time since starting work. Rather than ride the rides... I now enjoy the Spa much more! If you are a tourist visiting Tokyo I think the Spa would be a great experience. Although the Spa is not set in a traditional Japanese Style Inn setting, the water is actually real "Spa" water (they drilled very deep for it) and it will relax you.
I have been to the Spa before and although it costs a lot more than a traditional Hot Springs you can find in the countryside, it is very convienient, clean and very large with a nice selection of baths. The Spa also has a variety of "extra" treatments you can pay even more money for if your looking to really pamper yourself after a hard days work. In some of the baths you can catch glimpses of Tokyo Dome lit up at night. The few times I have been there (weekday evenings), it hasn't been too crowded but I hear that on the weekends it can get quite crowded.
Tokyo Dome is home of the Giants, Tokyo's baseball team. If you come to the Tokyo Dome area during a game or event (like a concert or something), the area is Jam Packed with people. Even the trains are full of people so... try to avoid those times if possible. On this day the "National High School Baseball Competition" was taking place and they had a big board up showing how each high school from each prefecture was doing. This High School Baseball Competion is also very popular in Japan and shows us the up-and-coming "Star" players that may soon be headed to the Pro League.
Another picture I took is of the Ou Gate ( 王ゲート ). "Ou" was a famous baseball player and they dedicated this gate to him as a memorial.
