Want a good view of Mt Fuji? The Gotemba Premium Outlets is so near to the iconic mountain that you can get a marvelous view of it on a clear day from the mall’s East Zone entrance. Which goes some way towards compensating for the 90-minute direct bus ride from Tokyo Station.
By far Japan’s most popular outlet mall, this Gotemba venue is laid out like an old American town, with 200 or so shops spread across two zones connected via a pedestrian bridge. The directory here reads like a list of the world’s most coveted brands: Alexander McQueen, Alexander Wang, Balenciaga, Bodum, Bose, Burberry, Celine, Dyson, Fendi, G-Shock, Givenchy, Gucci, Issey Miyake, Kenzo, Nikon, Prada... you get the idea.
You could make this a stopover in your day trip to the onsen resort of Hakone but it’ll take a full day to properly explore the entire mall. Don’t worry, there are ample restaurants and cafés here to keep you going.