Gotemba Kogen Hotel B,U

After having a lovely time in Gotemba Premium Outlets, I took several shuttle buses to Gotemba Kogen “Toki no Sumika”.
Toki-no-Sumika is a complex facility with hotels, cottages, onsen hot spas, tennis courts, soccer grounds, a skating rink, a church, and shops and restaurants. But there is something more in this season ! Yes, illuminations of the largest in Shizuoka Prefectrue ! !

Gotemba Kogen Beer

Telling the truth, it was my third visit there. The first time, I remember I had lunch in “Gotemba Kogen Beer” with their home-brew beer. The second was when flowers were in full bloom around. And this time, Illuminations I had been waiting for.
I got off the bus in the evening, in front of Gotemba Kogen Hotel B,U and strolled around to wait for the illuminations lit up. Along the main street was decorated “Tunnel of Lights” just as one covered with snow. I wondered how it would be lit up. I was getting more and more excited.
On the small hill is “Bell of Love”. I walked toward it to see the sunset and Mt. Fuji from there, and found it the very place for the Illumination Show. “The image of The Palace of Versailles” it said. I couldn’t miss it !

I passed through the gate and found The Bell of Love of my memories and Mt, Fuji in evening lights. The sunset told me how fast the time goes by. In a few moments, “The Little Prince” was lit, followed by outburst of spontaneous exclamation in the silent evening.
At 17:00, with the signal of lights-out, it started with a brisk music. First came on the laser technology on the water screen, and the fountain show illuminated in a variety of colors, followed by projected images on the water screen. You can see these pictures from here. I don’t know what the show in the Palace of Versailles is like but it absolutely enchanted us into a dreamy world.

The Little Prince was lit again after 20 minute entertainment to tell us the end of the show but we stayed there in the afterglow of the illuminations.
Now, finally, I was on my way to the archway ! Trees along the pathway had already been decorated with thousands of illuminations. I found some cute snowmen and reindeers on its way.＾＾
And here I was ! The breathtakingly illuminated archway ! I strolled through the 370m long tunnel just as slowly as possible not wanting to reach the end of it. Many couples and families seemed the same just as I felt. They stopped in the middle of the tunnel to have a talk or to take a look around.

Passing through the tunnel, I found many people flocking around “Gotemba Kogen Beer”. Some stepped in it to have their maybe gorgeous dinner and others went in food-products shop for their souvenirs. I liked people just lingering on the bench because I could tell how much they had loved it.＾＾
I stood in front of the Hotel B,U to take a shuttle bus. Available for Gotemba Sta. and Mishima Sta. I would strongly recommend you to use these shuttle buses because cars will be stuck in a bad traffic jam during this season.

Thank you and have a good day !

Gotemba Kogen “Toki no Sumika”
Access ： 20 minutes by free shuttle bus from Gotemba Sta., or 50 minutes from Mishima Sta.
Admission ： Free
Illumination ： Nov 12 – Jan 5 (16:30 – 22:00)／Jan 6 – Mar 6 (17:00 – 21:30)
“Illumination of Versailles” Show
Admission ： ¥1,000 for adults／¥200 for children ※Free for the hotel guests
Show time ： every 30 minutes from 17:00

“Shizuoka Guide” is our official English blog website for events & sightseeing. Always with you ! ＾＾

So, I’m standing just in front of the entrance of Gotemba Premium Outlets. This is a humongous outlet-center, actually one of the largest outlet centers in Japan, consisting of about 210 stores of well-known domestic or foreign brands, all of which offer outlet prices.
Despite the weekday, it was full of shoppers. I met a staff there to say hello and strolled about the “West Zone” first. I’m sorry that I can’t introduce all of world-famous brand stores at a time but you can find some of them in the picture.＾＾ Or please see the “Store Listing” from this official page.

For more efficient or fulfilling shopping, I would recommend you to visit the Information Center first. I did, of course, to have a guide map. Available in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean. What is more, you can talk to them in English in most cases. They have not only information of Outlets but one around Gotemba, including transportation to Hakone or Tokyo. I’m sure they would help you much.＾＾
It took me for more than an hour to shop around the West Zone. I browsed in various brand-name stores. They sell most of the products 25 – 65% off, or more !
Now, “West Zone” naturally indicates that there is “East Zone”. You are right ! These two zones are connected by a large bridge called “Great Dream Bridge”. And here is a special ! You will see when you turn around at the other end of the bridge. In Gotemba, 10 spots have been chosen as Mt. Fuji best-seen places and this is one of them. Especially, in winter, Mt. Fuji can be seen very wide and clear. I was so lucky then because I could run into a stunning scenery !

The East Zone is, I think, as large as the West Zone. I bustled into some sports shops to find some shoes for my Christmas present. New shoes might encourage me to walk or jog for exercise, right ? ＾＾；
In the East Zone, there stand some restaurants such as Sushi, Chinese, Italian and Hamburgers. I found a huge Food Court, “Food Bazaar” with seats of 750 chairs ! Many shoppers were there for their late lunch and so was I. I took a dynamic steak with garlic rice. It was splendid for its price＾＾

After lunch, I walked to a small hill, where a major playland in Shizuoka used to be. The vestiges still remained partly as it had been and to my surprise, the Ferris wheel was in service. I wanted to take a ride on it to overlook Mt. Fuji from above but due to strong wind, it had been temporarily out of service.
Now, maybe I shall inform you about general services of Gotemba Premium Outlets. It is always nice to buy something cheaper or of one grade higher with the same budget. Shopping in the evening may enchant you for romantic illuminations.＾＾

Thank you and have a good day !＾＾

Gotemba Premium Outlets

Access from Gotemba Station ： 15 minutes by free shuttle bus
Admission ： free
Open Hours ： Dec – Feb 10:00 – 19:00／Mar – Jul, Sep – Nov 10:00 – 20:00／Aug 10:00 – 21:00
Extra hours scheduled during the Year-end and New-year holidays and Golden Week holidays
Closed ： only once a year ( the third Thursday of Feb )
Other services ： Coin-lockers, ATM, nursing rooms, strollers and wheelchairs.
Happy Bag Campaign ： Jan 1 – 3, 2011
Premium Outlet Bargain ： Jan 21 – 30, 2011
Luner New Year Campaign ： Feb 1 – 28, 2011

“Shizuoka Guide” is our official English blog website for events & sightseeing. Always with you ! ＾＾

Walking up along the route 135 from Hatoba, in about 15 minutes maybe, you will see fancy houses in yellow or blue. That is the Ito Marine Town, originally for a drivers’ rest station, which has become one of the tourist spots in Ito. It has a natural hot spa facility, tour boat station and lots of souvenir shops and restaurants.
I took the tour boat there. You can choose from among two types, Haruhira-maru or Youmin Pirates. I took a ride on the dolphin ship of Haruhira-maru. Cute isn’t it ?

The inside of the ship is spacious enough. It can contain 90 people, goes the distance of 11.4km in about 45 minutes. What is special about this Dolphin Ship is that you can see fishes under the sea through the window. Be sure it does not mean you can always see them. It depends on how clear the water is. I was not lucky enough, then. Cloudy and murky for the unexpected wild waves caused by a gust of wind.

The tour guide lady was very kind and generous enough to take us another point for fish-seeing and it was paid off in a way because we all could see the shadows of fishes !＾＾

First, we headed for Teisijima Island. Actually, this is the uninhabited island. Only fishermen come for their tremendous dreams. I understand their ambitions as a fishing lover.＾＾

Next comes the Shiofuki-iwa, literally means a spouting rock. The spouting scene is to be made through a cave and can be seen depending on the tides, ebb and flow.

The final destination is Manaita-iwa on which a statue of Nichiren is. Nichiren sect is one of the religious schisms of Buddhism. He was exiled to Manaita-iwa by the Kamakura Shogunate for the excessive propagandism. Manaita means the cutting board in Japanese. As it shows, the rock is almost flat and goes underwater in high tide. He had been almost under the water when a fisherman found and helped him. Now, it is said that those who pray to it between Yobojima Islands can live out their dreams. I did, of course though I won’t confess what I’ve wished.＞＜

A lucky tourist may see a school of dolphins and flying fish on its way !

So much for my story about Ito. There are more attractive sightseeing spots such as Izu Kogen Plateau, Omuroyama, Komuroyama and the Lake Ippekiko. I’ll report them in the near future !

Please find the tourist information in the English website of Ito Tourist Association
.

Enjoy your travel !＾＾


Ito Marine Town
Admission ： Free
Open Hours ： Shops from 9:00 – 18:00, Restaurants from 11:00 – 20:30

The Dolphin Ship of Haruhira-maru
Departure time ： 9:40, 10:40, 11:40, 12:40, 13:40, 14:40, 15:40, (16:40)
Tour Fare ： ¥1600 for adults／¥1200 for school children／¥800 for elementary school children
Tour Time ： About 45 minutes

“Shizuoka Guide” is our official English website for sightseeing, always with you ! ＾＾