Best outlet shopping destinations
Best outlet shopping destinations
Massive open-air retail centers and discount designer collection avenues
Serious outlet shopping destinations go well beyond a single discount mall: they tend to combine a genuine concentration of brands, real price reductions rather than token discounts and enough scale that a dedicated day actually pays off. The best of them have built reputations specifically around this kind of retail tourism.
The destinations on this list range from large purpose-built outlet villages outside major cities to shopping districts where discount retail sits alongside regular city life. Some require a car or organised transport to reach. Others are accessible by public transit. Visiting on a weekday rather than a weekend also tends to mean shorter queues at the most popular stores within these outlet villages.
Checking which brands are actually represented before travelling saves wasted time, since outlet selection varies significantly even within the same country.
Lists by region
Town in Japan
Karuizawa
Cool highland resort at the foot of Asama
Karuizawa Prince Shopping Plaza has about 240 stores in a pine forest setting. Shinkansen trains from Tokyo reach the town in about an hour. Cool mountain air draws city residents to the resort town in summer. The Old Karuizawa Ginza street offers jam shops and small bakeries.
City in Japan
Gotemba
Mt. Fuji foothills, outlets and lava caves
Gotemba Premium Outlets has about 290 stores with views of Mount Fuji. On clear days the snowcapped volcano rises behind the shopping streets. Direct highway buses from Tokyo's Shinjuku station take roughly 90 minutes. Food stalls sell Shizuoka green tea, fresh noodles and sweet treats.
City in Japan
Chiba
Suspended monorail, port tower and bay views
Mitsui Outlet Park Kisarazu has about 300 stores across Tokyo Bay from the capital. Highway buses cross the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line, a long bridge and tunnel. Japanese and foreign brands sell clothing, shoes, bags and homeware. Visitors can eat ramen and sweets in the food court.
City in Japan
Tokyo
Japan's capital of temples, towers and food
Tax free counters in Tokyo shops give tourists refunds with a passport. Highway buses from Shinjuku reach Gotemba Premium Outlets in about 90 minutes. The Kisarazu outlets in Chiba are reached by bus across Tokyo Bay. Many stores hold big seasonal sales in January and July each year.
City
New York City
Five boroughs of skyline, food and museums
Buses to Woodbury Common leave from Manhattan each morning for a full day of shopping. Jersey Gardens in Elizabeth, New Jersey, is a closer outlet near Newark airport. Nordstrom Rack near Union Square offers discounted brand clothing on many floors. Shoppers should bring a tote bag and comfortable walking shoes.
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