Is the life-size Unicorn Gundam statue still in Odaiba in 2026?

Yes, but only until August 31, 2026. Bandai Namco announced on May 15, 2026 that the statue's display at DiverCity Tokyo Plaza will end after nearly nine years. It's free to view outdoors day and night until then; the Gundam Base store inside the mall stays open.

What time does the Gundam statue transform?

Daytime transformations run at 11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00, and after-dark projection shows run at 19:00, 19:30, 20:00, 20:30, 21:00 and 21:30. Times can change for events or weather, so check the official site on the day.

How do I get to the Gundam statue and Gundam Base?

Both are at DiverCity Tokyo Plaza in Odaiba. Take the Yurikamome line from Shimbashi or Toyosu to Daiba Station, or the Rinkai line to Tokyo Teleport Station (through-running from Shinjuku/Shibuya/Osaki on the JR Saikyo line). Either is about a 5-minute walk.

Where's the best place to buy gunpla in Tokyo?

The Gundam Base Tokyo on DiverCity's 7F has the widest range and is tax-free with a passport. In Akihabara, Yodobashi Akiba carries current kits at list price, AmiAmi discounts new kits, and Surugaya and Mandarake stock secondhand and out-of-print ones.

Is there still a Gundam Cafe in Tokyo?

Not as a permanent restaurant. The Gundam Cafe chain — Akihabara, Odaiba, Fukuoka, Osaka and Yokohama — closed permanently in early 2022. Through August 31, 2026, a temporary GUNDAM Café food truck operates at DiverCity Tokyo Plaza for the statue's finale; otherwise plan around the Gundam Base store and the Odaiba statue.

Gundam in Tokyo: Unicorn Statue, Gundam Base & Buying Gunpla

Odaiba's life-size Unicorn Gundam transforms daily — but its display ends Aug 31, 2026. The schedule, the Gundam Base superstore, and where to buy gunpla.

The short version

Odaiba's life-size RX-0 Unicorn Gundam statue still stands in front of DiverCity Tokyo Plaza, and it still "transforms" several times a day — but its display ends on August 31, 2026, so if seeing it in person is on your Japan list, this is the summer to do it. Inside the same mall, The Gundam Base Tokyo on the 7th floor is the official gunpla superstore. Together they make Odaiba a half-day Gundam pilgrimage — and everything below is free to see except what you choose to buy.

See the statue before it's gone (ends Aug 31, 2026) ★

The 19.7-metre statue has stood on the 2F Festival Plaza (the open-air deck in front of the mall) since 2017. On May 15, 2026, Bandai Namco announced at Gundam Conference SPRING 2026 that the display will conclude on August 31, 2026, after nearly nine years. Bandai has hinted at a future "Gundam Landmark" elsewhere, but nothing is confirmed — so treat this as a last chance at this exact spot. For the finale, the statue wears a commemorative decal decoration — "RX-0 Unicorn Gundam Ver. TWC FINAL", designed by mecha designer Hajime Katoki — from June 20, 2026 through the final day.

Cost: free. It's outdoors in a public plaza; no ticket, viewable day and night.
Best time: come for a transformation (day) or a projection show (after dark) — schedule below.
Photo policy: photography is completely fine outdoors; this is one of Tokyo's most-photographed spots.

Transformation & night-show schedule

The statue runs on a fixed daily timetable (times can shift for events or weather, so check the official site on the day):

Daytime "Unicorn Gundam Transformation": 11:00, 13:00, 15:00, 17:00 — the head opens, panels light up and it shifts from Unicorn Mode to the red-lit Destroy Mode (a few minutes each). Note: after a 2025 mechanical fault, the movement was only partially restored — some shoulder motion is still limited.
After-dark shows: 19:00, 19:30, 20:00, 20:30, 21:00, 21:30 — projection-mapping programs on the mall wall behind the statue, each a different short film.

The Gundam Base Tokyo (gunpla superstore)

On DiverCity 7F, The Gundam Base Tokyo is Bandai's official flagship for gunpla (Gundam plastic kits): the widest range anywhere from entry-grade to Perfect Grade, store-exclusive and limited kits, paint and tools, display galleries, and build benches where you can assemble on the spot.

Floor: 7F, DiverCity Tokyo Plaza.
Hours: generally 10:00–21:00, in line with the mall — confirm on the official site before you go.
Tax-free: yes — bring your passport; tax-free is available on qualifying purchases (typically ¥5,000+). See our tax-free shopping guide.
Payment: cash, cards, IC and QR all accepted.

Getting to Odaiba

Two trains drop you within ~5 minutes' walk of DiverCity:

Yurikamome line (the automated waterfront monorail) — ride from Shimbashi or Toyosu to Daiba Station (Odaiba-Kaihinkoen also works). It's the scenic option over Rainbow Bridge; not covered by the JR Pass.
Rinkai line — to Tokyo Teleport Station, ~5 minutes' walk. The Rinkai line through-runs with the JR Saikyo line from Shinjuku / Shibuya / Osaki, so it's the fastest from the west side.

Both pair with a Suica / PASMO IC card. Akihabara to Odaiba is roughly 30–40 minutes either way.

Where else to buy gunpla

You don't need Odaiba to buy kits — Akihabara has the deepest stock in Tokyo:

Yodobashi Akiba — a giant hobby floor with a wall of current gunpla at list price; tax-free counter in-store.
AmiAmi — discounted new kits inside Radio Kaikan.
Surugaya & Mandarake Complex — secondhand, vintage and out-of-print kits (Mandarake also ships overseas).

Slot it into a day with our one-day Akihabara itinerary.

Shipping kits home & tax-free tips

Boxed kits are light but bulky, so they fill a suitcase fast. Most big shops and the Gundam Base can arrange overseas shipping, or you can consolidate and send a box yourself — the same logic as our guide to shipping figures from Japan. Good news for builders: gunpla count as 'general goods' for tax-free, not consumables — so they aren't sealed in a tamper-evident bag, and you're free to open and build a kit while you're still in Japan (you just have to take it out of the country within six months of arrival). Only consumables like food and cosmetics must stay sealed and unopened — and that distinction is being phased out from late 2026 anyway. Just keep your passport handy when you leave, since tax-free purchases are recorded electronically against it and customs can check at departure.

Note: the Gundam Cafe is closed

If an old guide points you to a Gundam Cafe, ignore it — the entire chain (Akihabara, Odaiba, Fukuoka, Osaka and Yokohama) closed permanently in early 2022. No permanent Gundam Cafe operates in Tokyo today — the one summer exception is a temporary GUNDAM Café food truck at DiverCity, running on operating days through the statue's finale on August 31, 2026. Plan around the Gundam Base store and the Odaiba statue instead.