Shonan T-Site

shonan t-site1

The average visitor to Japan has probably never heard of the Shonan area, although there’s a good chance they’ve actually been there – Kamakura and Enoshima Island being a couple of its top tourist destinations.

Shonan is a laid-back coastal area along Sagami Bay that is hugely popular because of its proximity to Tokyo and Yokohama. The rich and famous own many of the posh homes here, and it’s one of the top places that Japanese people want to live in.

So it’s no surprise when Tsutaya announced the opening of a new T-Site in Fujisawa city, following the huge success of the first one in upscale Daikanayama Tokyo. The concept behind it is what Tsutaya calls “cultural navigation.”

 
shonan t-site2

shonan t-site3

shonan t-site4

shonan t-site5

shonan t-site6

shonan t-site7

shonan t-site8

shonan t-site9

shonan t-site10

shonan t-site11

shonan t-site12

With internet shopping being ubiquitous in Japan, where you can find almost anything you want online and have it delivered to your doorstep, the T-Site idea is to help curate the endless sea of choices, especially in the areas of travel, design, food, fashion and photography.

They do it with a team of highly knowledgeable staff who individually oversee their respective sections, hand selecting the products that go on display every day. And being a physical store, there’s also the advantage of being able to see and touch the products, which is something online shopping doesn’t have. There’s nothing like the feel of a nice, solid paperback in your hand.

Shiori and I dropped by the brand new Shonan T-Site one evening last month to check it out. I love this place. It’s a lot less crowded than Daikanyama, and has a more relaxed, open feel to it. It’s also much bigger, but the space is carefully designed in such a way that it’s always cozy and never overwhelming.

 
shonan t-site13

shonan t-site14

shonan t-site15

shonan t-site16

shonan t-site17

shonan t-site18

shonan t-site19

shonan t-site20

shonan t-site21

shonan t-site22

shonan t-site23

shonan t-site24

shonan t-site25

Comfortable sofas and chairs are found in almost every corner, inviting you to grab a book off the shelf and while the afternoon away. There’s a pet grooming service, cooking school, electric bike shop, and lots more. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants too, including a Starbucks.

The architecture is gorgeous and the staff a lot friendlier than Tokyo – people who live near the beach are pretty chill. If you’re ever near Fujisawa, be sure to check out the Shonan T-Site. It’s great as part of a day or bicycle trip with a bunch of friends.

 


INFO

Get there
Fujisawa Station (Odakyu line), take the North exit. 6 minutes from the station by bus.

Phone
04 6631 1515

Hours
8.00am – 12am daily

Website
tsite.jp

Map

Comments

Loading…