In the fall, we traveled back to Japan to tour the country, camping and meeting people along the way. The goal was relatively simple, stop at each Campfield and Snow Peak operated store north of Tokyo as the halfway-point. Knowing we'll have to cover the southern half another time.
Starting in Tokyo, we flew up to Hokkaido and 'road-tripped' south back to Tokyo over a couple weeks, stopping and staying at every Snow Peak Campfield along the way.
If you haven’t taken the time to read our primer on this trip and how to get camping gear in Japan, you may want to take a few minutes with that article.
A map of where we traveled and camped.
Of every Snow Peak door in the country, the Tokyo Land Station is arguably the most visited. Not only is it in an incredibly easy to access location, but it offers a wide sampling of what Snow Peak has to offer in the country, and can be a great way to 'dip your feet in' if you're still feeling a bit jet-lagged from your flight.
Getting to Snow Peak's Tokyo Land Station
To be upfront, this is not the most picturesque local that Snow Peak has to offer. I still believe that the Kyoto Arashyama Land Station holds firmly on to that award. However, where spots like Kyoto Arashiyama and Campfields lose out a bit is their proximity to the urban cores most people are visiting. Kyoto Arashiyama is a 45 minute train ride from the Kyoto JR station. Tokyo's Land Station though? About 500 feet.
This means even if you're not staying in downtown Tokyo, hopping onto one of the big train lines such as Yamanote, Marunochi, Chūō, and Keihin-Tōhoku will quickly get you there. It also means that it's just a short walk to the Ginza shopping district of Tokyo, as well as the Imperial Palace. Being at such a core hub of the city and other attractions makes it the perfect spot to slot into your day without disrupting the flow of your travel or having to make special plans to venture a little further out.
Located inside of a mall, the store opens each day at 11:00am. A little later than I like to start my day, but I could say that about many things in Japan which typically doesn't come to life until later in the morning.
Located In A Mall?
Yes, you read that right - a large outdoor retailer is located inside of a multi-story shopping center in the heart of Tokyo. Unlike most malls in America, Japanese shopping malls are still an incredibly popular way to shop, and Snow Peak takes advantage of this, with two of their three Tokyo stores being located directly within a shopping center (the other being LUMINE Shinjuku). These mall locations can be found scattered around the country in larger regions. And while they don't offer the amenities or limited gear of bigger stores, they can still be a great quick stop.
However, as a Land Station, the Tokyo store gets the best of both worlds with a cafe, large selection of gear and apparel, limited items, and new releases + festival launches.
The Gear Side of Tokyo Land Station
If you've been to the Snow Peak HQ4 Portland Store in the United States, you may be familiar with the layout of the Tokyo Land Station. On one side is the retail space with demo tents/shelters/layouts, plus plenty of gear to thumb through. On the other is a restaurant, where Snow Peak gear like Ti-Single cups are used to serve drinks.
The Tokyo Land Station is structured in the same way. Walking in, you're greeted with a large demo area set up with some of the latest gear. You're also likely to find Japan exclusive pieces like the Takudo or Glow stove being used (though we suggest not trying to bring one home).
The aesthetic, despite its mall wrapper, is Snow Peak to a T, and once inside it's easy to forget how you got here.
Going deeper in, you'll quickly see what you likely came for towards the front. This includes Festival launches, New Releases, and Limited Items specific to the Tokyo Land Station. The Tokyo Land Station in particular has a variety of Eco Cups, Stickers, Bags, and their own purple-hue of anodized Mugs, Cups, Sporks, and Backpacker's Cups.
Further back is where you'll find the larger selection of gear. While most of these are standard items, there's still a number of reasons to get excited and geek out.
First, we have been able to confirm that yes, Snow Peak Land Station Tokyo is now Tax Fee. This means you can save yourself the 10% sales tax located throughout Japan as long as you have your passport available. Combine that with the (at the time of writing) strong dollar in comparison to the Japanese Yen, it's often like shopping new Snow Peak product at a 30% discount, though you do need to figure out how to get it home. However, if you're in the market for a large product like a Land Lock Shelter, you can save enough that paying the $80 or so to check it as an extra bag will still let you come out way ahead. Just know that you may run into some issues with warranty due to it being a grey market import.
You'll also find a few more Japan-only items that are not limited. For instance, products like the Collapsible IGT series may be more likely to be in-stock, and others like the Kaen Alcohol Stoves are compact pieces that the US doesn't receive.
In addition to gear, you'll also find Tents and Shelters from Snow Peak, as well as Snow Peak Apparel and the Snow Peak Eat line of food.
Snow Peak Eat, while also a style of restaurant like what can be found at the Snow Peak HQ1 Campfield and Field Suite Spa, is also a line of make-at-home or camp meals. Snow Peak offers two varieties, a frozen selection of pizzas, sausages, and meats. The other is a non-perishable offering of curry and pasta sauces. The Tokyo Land Station only offers the latter, and while in our opinion they're much more in line with a backpacking meal, it can still be a fun souvenir to grab for your next camping trip back at home.
The Snow Peak Cafe at the Tokyo Land Station
Looking to the other side of the space is where you'll find a Snow Peak Cafe. The Cafe line of restaurants from Snow Peak is the fastest/cheapest tier of dining they offer with Snow Peak Eat and Restaurant Seppou rounding out the group (Snow Peak's US location, Takibi, would sit between Eat and Seppou).
Each Cafe offers a unique menu, Kyoto Arashiyama's Cafe for example makes burgers and hot dogs. At Tokyo it's a selection of curry with various cocktails.
While a little pricier than most Japanese lunch options (head under the JR train tracks for a real Kaishain style lunch), a meal and highball can be had for around $14 per person. And as a food service, if you're a member of the Snow Peak Japan Points program you'll earn 2x Life Points. However, a Japanese address and phone number are required.
With nice views of the city, the Cafe opts for Gray Folding Chairs and the Single Action Table Medium to sit at.
I opted for a venison curry with a yuzu highball. A heartier lunch to continue my day of walking. And like every Snow Peak dining experience, it has yet to disappoint.
Final Thoughts
Sitting down for the first time all morning was a nice break. While I didn't purchase much on this journey as it was my first day on this trip to the country, I did start to prep for camping in the coming weeks.
I love this location simply due to its location. I was unconcerned about grabbing any/all gear that may have caught my eye because just as I had flown into Tokyo, so I would I be flying out in a few weeks - and that meant any pickups I may have missed could be purchased before I headed back to the states.
In that way, the Snow Peak Tokyo Land Station is a perfect booked to your trip. Kick off with a known good meal that doesn't take hunting down, see the friendly faces in the staff that work there, and start to immerse yourself in the world of camping in Japan.
