Today, I will introduce the Umi Hotaru Parking Area.
Umi Hotaru is a parking area located on the Kisarazu Artificial Island in Kisarazu City, Chiba Prefecture, and is part of the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line. This unique parking area is situated on a 100-meter wide, 650-meter long artificial island surrounded by the sea on all sides. The Kisarazu Artificial Island was constructed to transition the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line from a tunnel to a bridge.
Although Umi Hotaru is a parking area, its number of stores and the scale of its facilities are comparable to, or even exceed, those of a service area. It features a range of facilities including shops, restaurants, refreshment areas, an observation deck, and the Aqua-Line Theater, effectively making it a floating shopping mall in the sea. Designed to resemble a luxurious cruise ship floating in Tokyo Bay, the five-story structure has parking on the first through third floors and commercial facilities on the fourth and fifth floors. Umi Hotaru was renovated in 2019.
In this parking area, you can make a U-turn and head back in the direction you came from. This is a convenient system for those using Umi Hotaru as their destination. However, the toll fee remains the same as if you were traveling to the opposite side of the Aqua-Line.
Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line
The Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line is a toll road approximately 15.1 km long that crosses the central part of Tokyo Bay, connecting Kawasaki City in Kanagawa Prefecture with Kisarazu City in Chiba Prefecture. It opened on December 18, 1997. The Aqua-Line features Japan’s first sea-based rest area, Umi Hotaru, and includes an underwater tunnel on the Kawasaki side where ships frequently navigate. This underwater tunnel is Japan’s fourth longest (total length 9,607 meters). On the Kisarazu side, there is a bridge with the longest span in Japan (total length 4,384 meters). The opening of the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line reduced the travel distance and time between Kawasaki and Kisarazu by one-third, and the current traffic volume is about 48,000 vehicles per day (up to about 70,000 vehicles during major holidays). It is very convenient as it allows travel to Chiba Prefecture or Kanagawa Prefecture without passing through central Tokyo, making it popular among many people.
The regular toll for ordinary vehicles is 3,140 yen, but with ETC (Electronic Toll Collection System) discount, it is as low as 800 yen. Additionally, there are ETC time-based discounts on weekends and holidays. ETC is a system that allows vehicles to pass through toll booths on expressways automatically using wireless communication technology.
Mitsui Outlet Park Kisarazu
Among the 12 Mitsui Outlet Parks in Japan, Mitsui Outlet Park Kisarazu has the largest store area and the most stores. It is very easy to access, being right after the Kisarazu Kaneda IC on the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line.
See you next time.