Gotemba
Discover Gotemba
Gotemba (御殿場), occasionally written Gotenba, is a city in Shizuoka, Japan. One of the starting points for the climb up Mount Fuji, Gotemba also offers premium outlet shopping. There are direct buses to Gotemba Station from Haneda Airport operated by Odakyu Hakone Highway Bus and Keikyu Bus every 2 hours during the day (2 hr, ¥2060).
Taste of Gotemba...
"Little America" exists on 246, with a McDonald's, Baskin Robbins, KFC, and Denny's all in a row. Local family restaurants include Jonathan's, Big Boy, Coco's, and Yoshino. Chain and local izakaya (food and drink bars) can be found around the station. Gotenba is lacking in genuine bars but has a few chain izakayas. Hibiki serves as a restaurant but very occasionally pulls out the stops for a good club event, with local and Tokyo DJs playing good electronic dance music and a crowd coming from neighboring towns. The Gotemba city website has a list of other sight seeing spots within the area. For those living within Gotemba or staying for a longer period, it might be worth it to contact the Gotemba International Association. GIA puts on various international and culture events in the city every year. Buses to Nagoya, Kyoto, and Osaka stop regularly at Tomei Gotemba; you can buy a ticket as you board. There's a bus from Gotemba station to Tomei Gotemba leaving every half an hour.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsThere are direct buses to Gotemba Station from Haneda Airport operated by Odakyu Hakone Highway Bus and Keikyu Bus every 2 hours during the day (2 hr, ¥2060). Service between Narita Airport and Gotemba is very limited. There are only two return services per day to the Gotemba stop on the Tomei Expressway (3 hr, ¥4100). It might be best to travel from Narita to Tokyo, then head to Gotemba from there by train or by bus. Gotemba Station is located on the JR Gotemba Line, which branches inland from the Tokaido Main Line at Numazu at the western end and Kōzu at the eastern end. Odakyu Railway offers a few daily limited express Romancecar services to Gotemba Station from their terminal in Shinjuku. These services are called the Fujisan (ふじさん) because of Gotemba's proximity to Mount Fuji. There are three round-trips on weekdays, and five round-trips on weekends and holidays. Trips take two hours and cost ¥2810. Seat reservations are compulsory....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Free shuttle buses operate every 15 minutes during the day between Gotemba Station, Tomei Gotemba Interchange bus stop and the Premium Outlets. The buses run during the operating hours of the Premium Outlets. If you want to climb Mount Fuji from the Gotemba side, there are buses from Gotemba Station to the Gotemba 5th Station. Buses take 40 min and cost ¥1110 one way or ¥1540 round-trip. Otherwise, walking is a good way to experience Gotemba's quaintness, as well as find random views of Mount Fuji. Mt. Fuji Taiko Festival A taiko (drum) festival held every August in Gotemba. Features local performers and various competitions. Gotemba Premium Outlets - Gotemba Premium Outlets offers brand names with a good variety of shops (from Armani to Adidas). A free shuttle bus runs everyone 20 minutes from 09:00 to closing hours from both Gotemba station and the Gotemba Tomei Express. On busy days, it's faster to walk there (half an hour to 45 minutes from the station).
Where to Stay
The Gotemba city website has a list of other sight seeing spots within the area. For those living within Gotemba or staying for a longer period, it might be worth it to contact the Gotemba International Association. GIA puts on various international and culture events in the city every year. Buses to Nagoya, Kyoto, and Osaka stop regularly at Tomei Gotemba; you can buy a ticket as you board. There's a bus from Gotemba station to Tomei Gotemba leaving every half an hour.
Money & Budget
Gotemba Premium Outlets - Gotemba Premium Outlets offers brand names with a good variety of shops (from Armani to Adidas). A free shuttle bus runs everyone 20 minutes from 09:00 to closing hours from both Gotemba station and the Gotemba Tomei Express. On busy days, it's faster to walk there (half an hour to 45 minutes from the station). "Little America" exists on 246, with a McDonald's, Baskin Robbins, KFC, and Denny's all in a row. Local family restaurants include Jonathan's, Big Boy, Coco's, and Yoshino. Chain and local izakaya (food and drink bars) can be found around the station. Gotenba is lacking in genuine bars but has a few chain izakayas.