If you're looking for the real McCoy, don't go to Odaiba. One look at the dusty, artificial beach on this dusty, artificial island in Tokyo Bay should allay any misconceptions you'll find anything genuine there.

And if it doesn't, know this: Odaiba's proudest moment came four years ago when it was the temporary location of the 'original replica' of the Statue of Liberty. So when you learn Odaiba is home to 'Little Hong Kong', don't expect a bona fide slice of Mongkok on the Tokyo waterfront. Little Hong Kong straddles two floors of Decks, a building that also houses Sega's huge Tokyo Joypolis, a virtual-reality theme park with games that let you simulate skydiving. Little Hong Kong lets you simulate being in the SAR - albeit in a time-warped, dreamy, Love Is A Many Splendored Thing era, complete with the periodic piped sound of low-flying planes. Little Hong Kong belongs to the category of development that Tokyo planners describe as 'shopping theme parks'.

To create the spend-inducing ambience of Hong Kong, Tokyo's mock-up uses old street signs, painted scenes, recreations of Chinese buildings, street furniture, plenty of red and gold paint, and no shortage of dragon embellishments. 'Growing' out of a fake stone wall is an artificial tree, from which hang little cages containing plastic birds. You get the idea.