Rera Chitose Outlet Mall In Hokkaido - Great Discounts On Fashion And Souvenirs!

Hokkaido is a special sightseeing place, offering everything from snow-covered scenery and delicious seafood, all the way up to relaxing onsens (hot springs).

Situated in the central part of this region, is the city of Sapporo. It has many attractive features based on the seasons: in the winter there is skiing and numerous events such as the Sapporo Snow Festival , and in the summer you can enjoy the local food and drink, such as the many beer gardens and the ever popular Ghengis Khan (*1).

One place that you definitely want to stop in at, either on your way to or on your way back from Hokkaido, is Rera Chitose Outlet Mall.

*1 Ghengis Khan: lamb meat that is cooked yakiniku-style.

How Do You Get to Hokkaido's Rera Outlet Mall?

Rera is a little different from other malls in that it has an open-style design, with many of the shops lining the outside, facing a courtyard.

It's really close to New Chitose Airport, and you can get popular brand name goods at reasonable prices. But in addition to that, Rera makes full use of its open-style design and various events are held in conjunction with the different seasons there as well.

From the bus stop on the first floor of New Chitose Airport's terminal building (domestic and international service), it's only ten minutes to Rera by complimentary shuttle bus. There's also excellent access from Minami Chitose Station; from here it's only a three minute walk to Rera.

So as you can see, it's an outlet mall with easy access.

Next, we're going to feature our top five reasons why we think it's worth your while to visit Rera Chitose Outlet Mall.

Reason One: Its Events and Attractions Highlight the Four Seasons

Seasonal events and attractions that take full advantage of the spacious surrounding area, are also part of Rera's appeal.

During the summer months, you can enjoy going down a water slide among other activities in their specially constructed pool.

As you can see in the video, there are a host of unique activities when the winter season arrives. Everyone can enjoy snow rafting and 4W Motorbiking in Rera Snow Park, making this one of Japan's most unique outlet malls.

Reason Two: You Can Savor Cuisine from All Parts of Hokkaido!

Sora Kitchen, Rera's food court, had its renewal opening in October of 2017. Though usually hard to find in Sapporo, not to mention other parts of Japan, Hokkaido gotochi cuisine (regional cuisine) is available here in one spot.

So now we'd like to introduce three special items from Sora Kitchen's new menu.

Rera's Delicious Hokkaido Cuisine #1

Spa Katsu - This is regional cuisine that's considered to be soul food by the citizens of Kushiro city.

Essentially this is a rich meat sauce (*2) spaghetti, with a thick deep-fried tonkatsu (pork cutlet) placed directly on top. Indulge yourself in this full and satisfying dish with the delicious taste of the juicy pork.

*2 Meat sauce: a pasta sauce made from ground meat, onions and other ingredients that are first stir-fried, then simmered in a tomato mixture.

Rera's Delicious Hokkaido Cuisine #2

Butadon / Tondon (pork rice bowl) - This regional cuisine is also considered to be home-style food in the Tokachi area (part of the east side of Hokkaido).

Pork slices are marinated in a traditional sweet and salty sauce, then grilled to perfection bringing out its delicious aroma. Take one bite and you'll soon see that the pork and the rice are a perfect match for each other.

Rera's Delicious Hokkaido Cuisine #3

Sora Kitchen's soft ice cream uses only fresh Hokkaido milk. Though it has rich ingredients, this is a simple and honest ice cream characterized by a light, refreshing taste.

Reason Three: Bargain Sales Are Held Four Times a Year and More!

Many of the shops in Rera are exceptionally popular, such as shoe retailer Adidas, and electronic and home appliance store Laox.

Though regular outlet prices apply to all of the mall's merchandise products, sales are held four times a year in January, June, July, and October, in which customers can save up to thirty percent off on their purchase. In addition, there are sales to commemorate Chinese New Year (February) and China's National Foundation Day (October).

For visitors to Japan, many of the goods are duty-free regardless of whether it's a regular retail day, or a bargain sale day.

To find out when the sales are being held and for other general information, please refer to Rera's website below.

Official Homepage: Rera Chitose Outlet Mall.

Reason Four: You Can Buy Your Hokkaido Souvenirs Here in Bulk

At souvenir shop Hokkaido Shinhakken Factory (with "shinhakken" meaning "new discoveries"), they have a full line-up of unique, distinctly Hokkaido merchandise. With its close proximity to the airport, we've been told that many customers buy their Hokkaido souvenirs in bulk here.

Our recommendation is Jaga Pokkuru, a popular snack food made with Hokkaido potatoes.

Its appealing feature is its unique texture; a crispy outside combined with a soft, flaky inside. Due to its popularity as a can't-go-wrong souvenir among international visitors, there are many customers buying Jaga Pokkuru in boxes of five or ten.

Of course the shop carries all the famous, long standing favorites as well, such as Shiroi Koibito (a light sandwich cookie with a white chocolate filling).

Dried marine products also make popular souvenirs because even when you return back to your country, you can once again enjoy the flavors of Japan.

The photo above shows Hidaka Konbu, a Hokkaido brand of konbu (seaweed) which is harvested in the ice-cold waters of the Okhotsk Sea. This is a high quality product that is even used in Japanese ryotei (traditional Japanese restaurant).

The shop has an extensive selection of wine and spirits: there are seventy-nine different kinds of sake, and fifty-three varieties of wine available.

The top selling item is a locally brewed sake called Otokoyama from Hokkaido's Asahikawa area, also known for being the first Japanese sake in the world to win top prize at the Monde selection. It's a dry sake characterized by a clean, refreshing taste.

Reason Five: It Has Many Convenient Services for Visitors to Japan!

There's also a tourist information counter inside Rera Chitose Outlet Mall. If you have a concern, or just simply want to ask a question, then this is the place to go.

Stationed here are concierge staff who can serve customers in English, Chinese and Korean as well. They will be more than happy to give you Hokkaido sightseeing information and even make hotel and restaurant reservations for you, not to mention giving you all the shop details at Rera.

Discount coupons for shops in Rera are available, and they also offer service coupons for Don Quijote stores in the Sapporo city area. As soon as you arrive at Rera, we recommend stopping in at this information counter.

There are a variety of handy services inside Rera as well. In addition to free Wi-Fi access, there's also coin lockers for storing your belongings, a special prayer room for Muslim visitors, and a money exchange machine that will convert various currencies into Japanese yen.

Most credit cards are accepted here at Rera, so even if you find yourself a little short on cash, you can still enjoy a day of shopping.

Also, for those who would like to hit the open roads of Hokkaido and go for a little drive, there's a rent a car shop close by.

Create Some Special Memories of Your Trip to Rera

Starting in 2018, there will be a variety of new activities and events offered, such as an outdoor barbecue. Utilizing an open-style design that allows customers to feel the seasons, Rera is a mall that continually looks for new ways to make shopping here a special experience.

They also have many attractions and events especially geared for children, so next time bring the whole family for a day of fun.

For information on the mall's renewal and details on upcoming sales, please refer to the Rera Facebook page (in Japanese, English, and traditional Chinese).

Chitose Outlet Mall Rera

1-2-1, Kashiwadaiminami, Chitose-shi, Hokkaido 066-8765

Official Homepage: Rera Chitose Outlet Mall

Photos and text by Kazuma Takahashi
Sponsored by CHITOSE OUTLET MALL Rera