Highly ranked roadside station! Excellent access! Introducing the charms of "Roadside Station Lalan Fujioka" in Fujioka, Gunma

• Table of Contents
• "Lalan Fujioka Roadside Station" is popular nationwide
• Enjoy gourmet food and shopping at the Fujioka Roadside Station Lalan
• Fun spots to visit with kids
• Facility Overview

"Lalan Fujioka Roadside Station" is popular nationwide

In the summer, the playground is bustling with children playing in the water.

Roadside stations, unique to Japan and a facility that creates a lively atmosphere in the local area, began in January 1990 when a proposal was made that "it would be nice to have roadside stations with restrooms like train stations," and the basic concept is to create lively places with unique features that are created together with the local community and serve as a place to rest, provide information, and foster local cooperation. The first registration took place in 1993, with 103 roadside stations being created, and now there are more than 1,200 roadside stations throughout Japan.

Many of these facilities mainly consist of shops selling local specialty products, food courts serving dishes made with local ingredients, and tourist information centers offering seasonal tourist information, and many people visit roadside stations not just to rest, but as a way to visit. They are classic tourist spots that you definitely want to visit when you come to Japan.

Among the many roadside stations across the country, one that ranks highly is "Roadside Station Lalan Fujioka." Opened in 2000, it is visited by more than 2 million people a year.

From here, we will introduce the reasons for the popularity of Roadside Station LaLa Fujioka and provide useful information for sightseeing.

Enjoy gourmet food and shopping at the Fujioka Roadside Station Lalan

A gourmet plaza lined with many restaurants and sweet shops.

In one corner of the Fujioka Roadside Station, there is a "Gourmet Plaza" lined with restaurants and sweet shops. In addition to places to eat ramen, soba, udon, sushi, and more, there are also cafes where you can enjoy sweet treats and shops that sell sweets. You can choose a restaurant depending on your mood at the time, and it is a place you can enjoy again and again.

There is also a shop run by the meat wholesale market that sells Gunma's "safe, secure, and fresh" Joshu beef and Joshu wheat pork, as well as a "Tourist Products Center" that has a selection of local craft souvenirs.

Inside the Tourist Products Center. Please take your time choosing souvenirs in the spacious store.

On the opposite side of the Gourmet Plaza is the Agri Plaza, which houses a direct sales store selling the city's agricultural products, fresh foods, and prepared dishes, as well as restaurants. The direct sales store stocks a wide variety of vegetables and flowers picked that morning in Fujioka. We offer safe and secure fresh vegetables that have been painstakingly grown by producers in the city.

There are always plenty of freshly picked vegetables and fruits on display. Each product is delivered by local producers first thing in the morning, so they are fresh every day. The products available change with the season, so you can enjoy the taste of what is in season at that time.

Next to the farm store is a restaurant that uses local ingredients, with the beef stew being a particularly popular dish.

Joshu beef stew, slowly simmered in a traditional demi-glace sauce that has been handed down for 30 years.

Yayoihime strawberries from Fujioka, which go on sale at farm shops from around December every year, are so popular that customers line up to buy Yayoihime before the shops even open. Fujioka City is the largest strawberry producing area in Gunma Prefecture, and in 2024, an original character for the city, Yayoihime-san, was created to improve the brand power of Yayoihime strawberries from Fujioka.

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"Yayoihime-san" has a cute smiling face.

Yayoihime YouTube (Please support us!)

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The local soft serve ice cream at Roadside Station Lalan Fujioka is "Yayoihime Soft Serve."

In recent years, local soft serve ice creams made with local ingredients and processed products have been gaining attention as roadside station gourmet foods, and Roadside Station Lalan Fujioka also has its local soft serve, Yayoihime Soft Serve Ice Cream. It uses plenty of Yayoihime strawberries from Fujioka, and the sweet aroma of strawberries fills your mouth. It is sold at Lalan Teahouse BetsuBara all year round, so be sure to try it when you come to Lalan Fujioka.

Between the Gourmet Plaza and the Agri Plaza is the Flower Exchange Center.

Inside the building there is a cafe where you can enjoy light meals, a florist, and a souvenir shop.

Additionally, the event plaza on the first floor and the gallery on the second floor are used as venues for various exhibitions and local cultural activities, while the multipurpose space hosts a variety of classes.

A flower exhibition featuring Fujioka's specialty, Cymbidium. Various events are held throughout the year.

Fun spots to visit with kids

At the roadside station Lalan Fujioka, there is a mini amusement park called "Märchen Plaza," which is rare for a roadside station. The mini Ferris wheel is an Italian-made mini Ferris wheel, of which there are only a few in the country, and it has a retro feel and is a symbol of Lalan Fujioka. You can ride the Ferris wheel for 100 yen, and there are also a full-scale merry-go-round and coin-operated playground equipment, all of which can be enjoyed at a leisurely pace for around 100 to 200 yen.

[Fairy Tale Plaza]

Operating hours: Weekdays 10:00-16:30 (April-November) Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays 10:00-17:00 (April-November)

* Winter business hours from December to March are shortened by 30 minutes (all days)

Closed: Open everyday (except New Year's Day) *May be closed depending on weather

The "Fureai Hiroba" in the center of the Fujioka Roadside Station Lalan hosts various events throughout the year, but with its fountain and stream, it becomes a place where you can splash around in the water from early summer to late autumn. On warm, sunny days, the area is bustling with children playing energetically. Chairs, tables, and parasols are set up around the fountain, so moms and dads can take a break while watching their children play.

In winter, the entire roadside station is illuminated, especially around the Fureai Hiroba.

200,000 lights are condensed into the roadside station, so although it is compact, you can enjoy a very gorgeous view. Also, since you can see this illumination for free, it is a perfect place to stop by at the end of your trip or on your way back from a day out.

The illuminations are on every year from late October to the end of January.

Fujioka City Tourist Information Center is here to help you with sightseeing and surrounding information!

Fujioka City Tourist Information Center offers a wide range of information, including sightseeing, hot springs, souvenirs, events, and information on the surrounding area. Please contact the Tourist Information Center if you would like to rent a bicycle or use a wheelchair. Fujioka Roadside Station Lalan Commemorative Tickets and Fujioka City Tourism Promotion Character Goods are also available for purchase.

Perfect for touring the city! Free bicycle rentals available

The bicycle rentals available at the Fujioka City Tourist Information Center are perfect for touring the city.

Roadside Station Lalan Fujioka offers free bicycle rentals.

The shopping street in Fujioka is about 15 minutes from the roadside station, Lalan Fujioka. The shopping street is home to many confectionery shops and liquor stores that represent Fujioka.

Why not try renting a bicycle and enjoy touring the town at your own pace while feeling the fresh breeze and not worrying about time?

[Bicycle rental]

- Number of bicycles available for rental: 5 (3 electric-assisted bicycles, 2 regular bicycles)

・Rental hours: 10:00-16:00

・Usage fee: Free

・Return time: by 16:30

How to use: Please complete the procedure at the Fujioka City Tourist Information Center. Advance reservations are also possible. The phone number is 0274-50-9933.

Click here for details on bicycle rentals

Other services and facilities

[Free parking]

Number of vehicles: 419 (11 large vehicles and buses, 400 small vehicles, 8 disabled vehicles)

[Baby Room]

Facilities: Private nursing room, baby bed, diaper dustbin, and purified water heater for milk.

・Usage hours: 9:00-17:00

[Convenience store (ATM)]

・Business hours: 24 hours

・Two types of ATMs are available: "E-net" and "Japan Post ATM"

[EV fast charging station]

・Number of vehicles: 1 (up to 30 minutes at a time)

・Usage hours: Available 24 hours

・Usage fee: 500 yen/time

・Payment method: Cash only

[Express bus stop]

・Expressway buses bound for Narita Airport, Haneda Airport, Tokyo Disneyland®, Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, Tokyo Station, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Toyama, and Kanazawa stop here. Toilets, a waiting room, and a parking lot for pick-up and drop-off passengers are available.

[Paid parking lot]

Number of units: 218

・Usage hours: Available 24 hours

・Fee: 〇Paid parking lot No. 1: 600 yen/day 〇Paid parking lot No. 2: 500 yen/day

・Payment method: Cash only

[Services and facilities available 24 hours a day]

・Toilets and public telephones

Roadside Station Lalan Fujioka Overall Map

Events are held regularly!

At the roadside station, Lalan Fujioka, various events are held throughout the year, mainly on Saturdays and Sundays, such as photo exhibitions, gourmet events promoting the local strawberry "Yayoihime," street performances, and general merchandise sales. There are also food trucks selling bread, crepes, baked manju, and more, so be sure to check them out.

Roadside Station Lalan Fujioka Event Information

Facility Overview

Address: 1131-8 Naka, Fujioka City , Gunma, 375-0005

・Access: Immediately after exiting the Fujioka IC on the Joshinetsu Expressway/From the Joshinetsu Expressway heading north (towards Nagano), you can go directly from Fujioka PA without getting off the expressway. If you are coming by train, take the Megurun bus from Gunma Fujioka Station on the JR Hachiko Line (City Loop Line, Mitsugi - Takayama Line, or Fujioka - Kamihira Line) and get off at the Lalan Fujioka bus stop.

・Telephone: 0274-24-8220 (Lalan Fujioka Management Office)

・Business hours

[Agri Plaza]

Farmers' market: 9:00-18:00, Closed: Open everyday (except New Year's Day)

European Restaurant Bande Meur Weekdays 11:00-18:00 (LO 17:30), Saturdays, Sundays and holidays Lunch 11:00-15:30 (LO 15:00) Dinner 17:00-21:30 (LO 21:00), Closed: Open everyday (may be closed temporarily)

[Flower Exchange Center]

Flower Square 10:00-17:00, Closed: Tuesdays

Cafe Raspail Weekdays 10:30-17:00 (last orders 16:30), Saturdays, Sundays and holidays 10:30-17:30 (last orders 17:00), Closed: 2 irregular days a month

Orchid Specialty Store Orchid House 10:00-18:00, Closed: Open everyday

Nebokedo 10:00-19:00, Closed: Open everyday

Lalan Chaya BetsuBara 10:00-17:00, Closed: Open everyday (except New Year's Day)

[Gourmet Plaza North Building]

Toraya Main Store : 10:00-18:00 (last order for eat-in is 17:00), Closed: Open everyday (except New Year's Day)

Soba Restaurant Shibaan Weekdays 11:00-15:00, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays 11:00-15:30, Closed: Thursdays

Ramen Shun 11:00-20:15 (last order 19:45), Closed: Open everyday

Keikiya Warai Wave 10:00-17:30, Closed: Wednesdays (open on public holidays)

Sakanaya Sushi Uoken 11:00-21:00 (last order 20:30), Closed: Mondays (open on public holidays, closed the following day)

Gateau Festa Harada 9:30-19:00, Closed: Open everyday (except New Year's Day)

Family Mart 24 hours

[Gourmet Plaza South Building]

Nikunoeki 9:30-18:30, Closed: Tuesdays (open on public holidays)

Daishoen 11:00-20:00 (last order 19:30), closed on Tuesdays

Tourist Products Center Weekdays 9:30-19:00, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays 9:30-19:30, Closed: Open everyday

Fujioka City Tourist Information Center 9:30-17:00, Closed: Open everyday (except 12/29-1/3)

Click here for the official website of Roadside Station Lalan Fujioka