Before I hit off from Suzuka Circuit, I would like to share my experience of buying stuffs like food and souvenirs there. This circuit has its very own hotel called Suzuka Circuit Hotel which is often fully occupied prior to any major race like this Suzuka 8Hours and Formula 1. That was one of the reasons why I had to rent through Airbnb and had ended up at Megumi san’s place in Kawage.
This hotel is located right next to Motopia. It is very convenient for spectators but I believe for major races, spectators would find it hard to get rooms because it would be fully booked by the race crews and their entourage.
There is a restaurant in the hotel called “Saro-Tabeyo” that offers buffet lunch and dinner. For more information browse through the Suzuka Circuit website (http://www.suzukacircuit.jp/en/experience/restaurant/
). It’s only a ten minute walk from the grandstand to this restaurant. I decided to try the buffet lunch since it doesn’t cost a bomb, only ¥1,950.
This restaurant is certainly not a fancy five-star restaurant, but it looks decent enough and has a comfortable dining area. It provides more than fifty varieties of food on my last count. Here, food is served in a nine compartmental plate which is rather unique not found in most international standard dining restaurants.
The foods served were fresh and they tasted delicious. I am not really a food type of person but if I had three rounds of buffet that day, that would have meant something, right?
Feast your eyes in this restaurant for its decoration. Since all facilities belongs to the circuit and it is only natural to find posters and banners of Suzuka 8Hours. Even the water dispensing machine is fully decorated with Suzuka 8Hours branding!
Another unique part about this circuit is that it has a small church complete with wedding programs. Couples could get married with a wedding convoy passing the grandstand in front of thousands of spectators who come for Suzuka 8Hours or Formula 1. I can’t explain much since I did not witness any wedding during this trip. However I understood a gist of it from the poster which hung right in front of the restaurant and some explanations from Masashi san.
If one finds the buffet a little on the high side, worry not as there are plenty of foods available all around the circuit. There are plenty of stalls setup all over the circuit including some at the grandstand that are clean and affordable. The food ranges from potato chips to hot ramen. They are everywhere. So if you are here to watch any race, not to worry as you will not go hungry.
