Tokyo Bay's unexpected landmark.

Why is there a Statue of Liberty in Tokyo? It’s a question every first-time visitor asks. The answer lies in the "Year of France in Japan" (1998-1999). Paris loaned its Statue of Liberty—which stands on the Île aux Cygnes—to Tokyo for a year.

The statue became such a beloved fixture of the Odaiba skyline that when it was returned to France, a permanent replica was commissioned. Since 2000, she has stood as a symbol of the close ties between Japan and France, framed perfectly by the Rainbow Bridge.