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After leaving Sengen Taisha, our next stop before leaving Shizuoka was
Gotemba
Premium
Outlets (御殿場プレミアム・アウトレット).
The outlet is located in the eastern outskirts of Gotemba city in
Shizuoka Prefecture, about an hour's drive from Fujinomiya. The nearest
motorway exit is Gotemba IC (御殿場
IC) on the Tômei Expressway. If you're coming from Tokyo or
Yokohama and have an ETC card, it's a bit closer to use the ETC-only
exit at Ashigara
SA (足柄
SA). |
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I'd known for a long time that there was a large outlet near Mt Fuji,
but during my previous travels, I had focused more on western Japan and
never had the chance to visit. However, shopping at an outlet in Japan
is no longer a 'must-do' for me! After living in the UK, my
desire to shop urges have drastically decreased. Moreover, shopping for luxury
goods and European/American brand clothes and accessories in Japan isn't
necessarily cheaper than in the UK (some items are actually dearer). For
Todd, however, it's different; shopping at Japanese outlets is still
cheaper than in Hong Kong. That's why it was his request to visit,
and I'm glad we arranged to stop by! |
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Looking at Mt Fuji on the road out of
Fujinomiya (photo by Todd) |
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Looking at Mt Fuji again as we exit the car
park |
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West Zone, Gotemba Premium Outlets |
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For most of the journey, we had an uninterrupted view of Mt Fuji, which
felt wonderful! The outlet has 4 multi-storey car parks scattered
around, and parking spaces are plentiful and free. If you're not visiting
during peak season, you can check online to see which car park is
closest to your preferred stores. But if it's the peak season, like
today, no matter which car park you choose, it's really up to chance.
Once inside the outlet area, staff will direct you to a designated car
park. We ere directed to P2, which is close to the West Zone. |
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Gotemba Premium Outlets is the largest outlet in Japan, with a
commercial space of 61,000 square metres and about 290 brand stores.
This is almost double the size of the largest outlet in the UK, Cheshire
Oaks Designer Outlet, which has a commercial space of 37,000 square metres and 145 stores. The entire outlet is divided into three areas:
West Zone, East Zone, and Hill Side. |
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The top floor where we had lunch at 'Hyôrokutei'
(located in Hill Side) |
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Todd's lunch – Steamed eel and chicken rice box
(鰻と鶏せいろ蒸し重,
JP¥1,800) |
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We arrived at Gotemba around 13:00, and the first thing we did upon
entering the outlet wasn't shopping but finding something to eat! I
grabbed a map of the outlet near the entrance and looked for something
to satisfy our hunger. Since I didn't get to eat eel in Shimoda, I was
determined to try it here. So, I chose the eel-specialty restaurant 'Hyôrokutei'
(瓢六亭), located in
Hill Side's High Street (the top floor). Once I decided, we dashed
straight from the West Zone to Hill Side. |
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Taking the escalator to the top floor, I could already smell the strong
scent of grilled eel from afar! The name 'Hyôrokutei' means 'Six
Gourds', which in Japanese culture represent 'no illness and
long-lasting health'. Hyôrokutei only has two branches, one at the
outlet and the original shop at Fujiya Ryokan (富士屋旅館,
a traditional Japanese inn) in Yugawara (湯河原),
near Hakone (箱根). As a
restaurant in a well-known traditional inn, the quality here seemed pretty
reliable. |
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My lunch – Premium grilled eel rice box (鰻重【上】,
JP¥4,800) |
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In Japan, much like in the UK, staff usually ask for drinks first
before ordering food, so the first thing I did was check the drinks
menu. Todd went with usual Coke, and I opted for a Calpis Soda (Yoghurt-flavoured
soda). For the meal, Todd went for the eel and chicken combo, while I,
having not had eel for a year, of course chose the full eel option! The
portions come in three sizes: 'Superior' (並),
'Premium' (上), and 'Tenkamusô'
(天下無双, Deluxe). Each
set comes with pickles and soup. |
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Hyôrokutei uses freshly caught eel, which is slaughtered and grilled on
the spot – not frozen or pre-made eel. They use the traditional Kansai
method of grilling, where the eel is not steamed first but grilled
directly over charcoal, giving it a crispy skin and firm, thick meat
with a rich smoky flavour! |
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View of Mt Fuji from Hill Side Bridge
(connecting Hill Side to East Zone) |
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The Great Dream Bridge (connecting West Zone and East Zone) with Mt Fuji |
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After our meal, it was time to shop. Our main target was
the East Zone, which has stores like Adidas and Nike, which Todd wanted
to visit, and New Balance, which I liked. |
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East Zone mainly features traditional sports and casual
brands, including The North Face, Columbia, Timberland, and Levi's. West
Zone focuses on luxury brands such as GUCCI, Burberry, Prada, and Calvin
Klein. Hill Side features newer brands, lifestyle products, and
restaurants, like Angès b, Lululemon, Seiko, Zwilling, Sanrio, and Lego.
However, these categories are not strict, and there are exceptions, so
it's best to
consult the outlet map for more details. |
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Why did I say at the start of the article that I'm glad
we included the outlet in our itinerary? Because I wore the wrong shoes
to Japan this time. I packed a pair of shoes that weren't ideal for a
long day of walking. The first two days in Tokyo were mainly spent
walking and using the train services, and my feet were already in pain!
After leaving Tokyo and driving, we didn't walk much, so it was
manageable. But now we were heading back to Tokyo, where it would be
packed trains and more walking. If I didn't buy a suitable pair of
shoes, my feet would be in agony! |
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The only pair of shoes I bought from the outlet |
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I was focused, and once I got to New Balance, I headed
straight for the clearance area. On the rack in my size, I spotted the
'990v6 Made in USA' right away. After trying them on, they felt perfect
– light, with a roomy toe area, and the cushioning and rebound on the
sole were excellent. Since it was on clearance, the price was quite
reasonable at JP¥24,320 (about £125). |
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Is it cheaper than in the UK? Comparing clearance items, the UK is
actually cheaper. At JD Sports, an authorised retailer in the UK, the
regular price is £200, but after discount, it's £135. During clearance,
it could be further discounted by 15% or more. Plus, in the UK, during
Black Friday before Christmas, you can often get double discounts, I've
even bought three pairs of shoes from 'Made in England' series without
spending £200 – two pairs of '1500' model and one pair of '670' model. |
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After I bought my shoes, it was Todd's turn to shop, and of course, he
also bought something. Most stores in the outlet offer tax refund
services, so foreign tourists can show their passports at checkout and
have the tax deducted directly. No need to drag around a bunch of
shopping bags to the tax refund counter, saving plenty of time! After
shopping, it was time to leave Shizuoka and had back to Tokyo... |
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