[Second Press Release] "Roadside Station Ishikawa" in Ishikawa Town, Fukushima Prefecture Grand Opening Approaching on Friday, September 18

“Michi-no-Eki Ishikawa” (operated by Sakura no Mori Co., Ltd.; President: Takahito Kawagoe), the first of its kind in Ishikawa Town, Fukushima Prefecture, will hold its grand opening on Friday, September 18, 2026, at 11:00 a.m., marking the 37th Michi-no-Eki to open in the prefecture.

Featuring agricultural products such as apples and locally produced brand-name beef, the facility will offer a diverse selection of gourmet foods, sweets, and souvenirs—all made with ingredients from the mountains and the sea that can only be enjoyed here. These unique products combine the delicious flavors of local ingredients with a touch of playfulness. Furthermore, as a hub for local history, culture, and tourism information, the station will promote the charms of Ishikawa Town and the wider Fukushima region to visitors both within and outside the prefecture.

First Announcement: https://www.atpress.ne.jp/news/626256

Official Website: https://www.michinoeki-isikawa.com/

“Michi-no-Eki Ishikawa” Grand Opening in Ishikawa Town, Fukushima Prefecture, on Friday, September 18!

■ A “Food Theme Park” Packed with the Charms of Apples

The facility’s concept is “~Polished, Radiant Flavors; Bonds Weave Together—Bringing Smiles in Full Bloom Here in Ishikawa Town~.” Thanks to the climate with significant temperature fluctuations and abundant water in the Abukuma River basin, Ishikawa Town is home to a rich variety of agricultural products, including apples and rice.In Fukushima Prefecture, where spring arrives early and warms up quickly while winter arrives late and brings snow, apples spend a long time growing on the trees. By receiving ample sunlight, they develop exceptional juiciness and sweetness.Furthermore, the terrain—surrounded by mountains, a characteristic of mountainous and hilly regions—creates a significant temperature difference between day and night. As a result, the sugar produced during the day is not consumed but is slowly accumulated within the fruit overnight. The fertile, well-drained soil prevents the fruit from absorbing excess moisture, further concentrating its flavor.When you cut into these apples—which have slowly absorbed honey-like sweetness while hanging on the tree—you’ll find juice that overflows and a gleaming beauty. At our station, we offer the apples grown by local producers in a variety of ways.

Apple Image

Located on a site of approximately 20,000 square meters, the facility features about 50 different items and menu options, including apples.In the “Retail Area,” you’ll find a lineup of approximately 670 items, including seasonal local produce such as apples and rice, original products and souvenirs developed in collaboration with local businesses, as well as prepared foods and boxed lunches. In addition to apple-themed gourmet items, you can enjoy a diverse selection of Fukushima-exclusive meals and sweets centered around the bounty of the mountains and the sea—such as“Ishikawa Honey Beef”—raised with meticulous care in a mountain-side barn surrounded by nature—as well as seafood delicacies. You can enjoy a diverse array of Fukushima-exclusive meals and sweets centered on the bounty of the mountains and the sea at the “Sakura no Mori Dining Hall,”“Fukumiri Sweets,” a dessert workshop specializing in apples, offers a wide range of apple-themed products. Additionally, there will be a bakery and a crepe & gelato shop where you can easily enjoy the delicious flavors of apples and Rakuo Milk in one-handed, on-the-go treats.

Image of the “Michi-no-Eki Ishikawa” cafeteria

Outdoors, in addition to a grassy plaza that can be used as a children’s playground, there is a dog run. We aim to create a facility that local residents can enjoy on a daily basis. For tourists and day-trippers, the local trading company “Sakuraiz” will provide information on tourist attractions and lodging facilities within the town, creating an opportunity to explore Ishikawa Town starting from the Roadside Station.

We look forward to welcoming you to our station, which is filled with the spirit of Fukushima’s Ishikawa Town.

■ The “guardian fruit” that ripened at the town’s entrance and the catchphrase “#KomamoriApple”

Ishikawa Town is also known for the komainu (guardian dogs) at Ishitsutsukowake Shrine, a town-designated cultural property.Just like the komainu standing at the shrine’s entrance, the komainu now standing at the entrance to the Roadside Station welcome visitors, protect the facility, and watch over Ishikawa Town. The round shape of the bitten apple conveys gentleness, while its red color radiates a brightness that seems to invite vitality and good fortune.Combining “koma” from “komainu” (guardian dogs), “mamori” from “to protect,” and “ringo” (apple)—which adds color to Ishikawa Town—this monument truly symbolizes both culture and cuisine, and continues to watch over the town with vigor even today.

The “Komamori Apple” Monument at Roadside Station Ishikawa

■ [Retail Area] From seasonal produce to original products where “apples take center stage”!

In the retail area, agricultural products delivered by our contracted producers—ranging from seasonal fruits like apples and pears to vegetables—are displayed in abundance.In addition, we offer a selection of products made with carefully selected ingredients—from apple-based confections and sweets, such as financiers and cakes from “Michi-no-Eki Ishikawa’s” original brand “Fukumiri,” to seasonings essential for everyday cooking. The lineup includes approximately 670 items, including boxed lunches and prepared dishes.

Image of the “Michi-no-Eki Ishikawa” Farmers’ Market

Here, we’d like to introduce a selection of “Fukumiri” products.

(Left) Baked Apple Financier (Financier) Starting at 249 yen (Right) Fluffy Fukushima Apple Bûche Starting at 280 yen

<Product Overview>

A crispy yet moist financier made with apples.

Product Name: Baked Apple Financier

Price: 249 yen (tax included) and up

Allergens: Wheat, Eggs, Dairy, Almonds, Soy, Apples

<Product Overview>

This product features diced apples and is made with special attention to the baking process.

Product Name: Fluffy Bûche with Fukushima Apples

Price: 280 yen (tax included) and up

Allergens: Wheat, Eggs, Dairy, Soy, Apples

(Left) Fluffy Apple Cheesecake 1,815 yen (Right) FUKUSHIMA Apple Jam 950 yen

<Product Overview>

A soufflé cheesecake packed with chunks of apple.

Product Name: Fluffy Apple Cheesecake

Price: 1,815 yen (tax included)

Allergens: Wheat, Eggs, Dairy, Soy, Apples

<Product Overview>

This apple jam is characterized by its crisp, refreshing sweet-and-sour flavor.

Product Name: FUKUSHIMA Apple Jam

Price: 950 yen (tax included)

Allergens: Apples

Spice-Infused Apple Dry Curry: 864 yen

<Product Overview>

Enjoy the savory flavor of Fukuyama Kogen pork combined with the sweetness of apple jam.

Product Name: Spiced Apple Dry Curry

Price: 864 yen (tax included)

Allergens: Wheat, dairy, soy, chicken, pork, apples, sesame

■ [Dining Venue] Apples in layered bento boxes and ramen!? A restaurant where you can heartily savor the bounty of Fukushima

~“Sakura no Mori Shokudo,” where we serve gourmet dishes that delight the eyes alongside apples~

“Sakura no Mori Shokudo,” a restaurant with an eat-in area seating approximately 75 people, offers unique, limited-edition dishes that are a feast for the eyes as well as the palate.The highlight is the “Whole Apple Treasure Chest” (serves about 4 people), which lets you enjoy a variety of side dishes—including rice topped with conger eel, whitebait, and ground beef—served in a multi-tiered box modeled after a large apple. Additionally, the “Sea and Mountain Giant Bowl” (serves about 4 people) lets you enjoy both seafood and mountain delicacies—such as Ishikawa Honey Beef roast beef, croquettes,and deep-fried conger eel—all served in a large rice bowl—as well as the “Sea and Mountain Giant Bowl” (serves approx. 4 people), and the “Sakura Petals Drifting 3-Shaku Udon” (serves approx. 2 people), made with “Chōmei Udon” noodles measuring about 90 cm in length. The menu features dishes that make a strong impression both visually and in scale.Additionally, the menu features the “Ishikawa Honey Beef Luxury Sukiyaki Rice Bowl” made with the town’s locally produced “Ishikawa Honey Beef” brand,as well as a dish that transforms “Cabbage Mochi”—a traditional dish from Fukushima Prefecture—into a thick-sauced ramen, and dishes featuring apples in various forms. You can enjoy the diverse culinary charms unique to Ishikawa Town and Fukushima as a whole, all highlighting the deliciousness of local ingredients.

Here is a selection of items from the menu.

(Left) Treasure Chest of Whole Apples: 8,250 yen (Right) ~Connecting Fukushima~ Sea and Mountain Giant Bowl: 7,150 yen

<Product Overview>

This platter, packed full of Fukushima’s finest delicacies, serves 3–4 people.

Menu Name: Whole Apple Treasure Chest

Price: 8,250 yen (tax included)

Allergens: Wheat, Eggs, Dairy, Squid, Beef, Sesame, Salmon, Soybeans, Chicken, Pork, Apples

<Note 1> The shirasu (baby sardines) used in this product are caught using fishing methods that may result in contamination with shrimp and crab.

<Note 2> Because this product contains honey, please do not give it to infants under 1 year of age.

<Product Overview>

This generously piled rice bowl weighs a total of 2 kg and is topped with a variety of cutlets made from ingredients sourced from both land and sea, such as Ishikawa honey beef and conger eel.

Menu Name: ~Connecting Fukushima~ Huge “Sea and Mountain” Rice Bowl (Serves approx. 4)

Price: 7,150 yen (tax included)

Allergens: Shrimp, wheat, eggs, dairy, beef, sesame, soybeans, chicken, pork, apples

<Note> Because this dish contains honey, please do not serve it to infants under 1 year of age.

(Left) 3-Shaku Udon with Falling Cherry Blossoms: 2,200 yen (Right) Braised Pork Ramen: 2,200 yen

<Product Overview>

These dishes feature “Chōmei Udon”—a long, firm noodle approximately 90 cm in length that offers a satisfying chew and rich flavor.

Menu Name: “Cherry Blossoms in the Wind” 3-shaku Udon

Price: 2,200 yen (tax included)

Allergens: Wheat, Eggs, Sesame, Soybeans

<Product Overview>

A hearty ramen topped with a whole slice of braised pork and a soft-boiled egg.

Menu Name: Braised Pork Ramen

Price: 2,200 yen (tax included)

Allergens: Wheat, Eggs, Dairy, Soy, Chicken, Pork

(Left) Ishikawa Honey Beef Deluxe Sukiyaki Bowl: 2,695 yen (Right) Seafood Blossom Teppen Bowl: 1,870 yen

<Product Overview>

This dish features a generous serving of Ishikawa Town’s Honey Beef shoulder roast in a rice bowl.

Menu Name: Ishikawa Honey Beef Deluxe Sukiyaki Rice Bowl

Price: 2,695 yen (tax included)

Allergens: Wheat, Eggs, Dairy, Beef, Soybeans

<Product Overview>

This special dish is finished right in front of the customer by topping it with shirasu (baby sardines).

Menu Name: Seafood Blossom Teppen Rice Bowl

Price: 1,870 yen (tax included)

Allergens: Wheat, Eggs, Salmon Roe, Salmon, Soybeans

<Note> The shirasu used in this product is caught using fishing methods that may result in some shrimp and crab being mixed in.

(Left) Sakura no Mori Seafood Bento with Miso Soup: 1,595 yen (Right) Seafood Yukke Bowl: 1,265 yen

<Product Overview>

This seafood bento features seafood as the main attraction and also includes regional specialties.

Menu Name: Sakura no Mori Seafood Bento with Miso Soup

Price: 1,595 yen (tax included)

Allergens: Wheat, Eggs, Dairy, Squid, Sesame, Soybeans

<Product Overview>

Aosa seaweed is placed on top of the rice, and seafood marinated in an apple-based soy sauce glaze is arranged on top of that.

Menu Name: Seafood Yukhoe Bowl

Price: 1,265 yen (tax included)

Allergens: Wheat, Eggs, Sesame, Salmon, Soybeans, Apples

■ [Specialty Shops] Apples take center stage in a diverse lineup of unique sweets, bread, and gelato!

Inside the station, in addition to retail areas and dining spots, you’ll find specialty shops where you can enjoy sweets, baked goods, crepes, and gelato. At the sweets shop “Fukumiri Sweets,” we offer everything from classic items like apple pie and apple candy to unique ways to enjoy apples through our sweet creations.At “Oishikawai Apple Bakery,” you’ll find “Apple Curry Buns” with apples hidden inside, “Fresh Donuts” featuring a chewy, fluffy dough filled with apples and custard cream,“Apple Bread” that looks just like an apple, and “Chewy Apple Bread” made with a yuzumi dough that’s chewy and moist. Additionally, at “Oishikawai Crepe & Gelato,” you’ll find the “Crunchy Apple Butter Crepe,” featuring a large crepe wrapper,“Apple Candy Gelato” made with apples, and rice-based gelato—for a total of 8 varieties. We offer the delicious flavors of seasonal fruits, carefully selected for their quality, in a variety of Japanese and Western-style sweets. Here, we’d like to introduce a selection of our products.

~Apple Sweets Workshop “Fukumiri Sweets”~

(Left) Crispy Apple Pie 400 yen (Right) Round Apple Pie 400 yen

<Product Overview>

Sliced apples and almond-scented custard are layered on top of a crispy, flaky crust and baked to perfection. This thin-crust apple pie boasts an irresistibly crispy texture.

Product Name: Crispy Apple Pie

Price: 400 yen (tax included)

Allergens: Milk, Eggs, Wheat, Almonds, Apples, Oranges, Gelatin

<Product Overview>

Diced apples are carefully simmered with caramel, apple juice, cinnamon, and other spices, then enclosed in the pastry and baked.

Product Name: Round Apple Pie

Price: 400 yen (tax included)

Allergens: Milk, Eggs, Wheat, Soy, Apples, Oranges

(Left) Crispy Apple Candy “Apo” 580 yen (Right) Apple Candy Pie 600 yen

<Product Overview>

We’ve coated stick-shaped apples with candy to give them a crispy texture. When enjoyed alongside a pie topped with caramelized apples and a hint of cinnamon, it’s just like eating a fresh apple pie!

Product Name: Crispy Apple Candy “Apo”

Price: 580 yen (tax included)

Allergens: Milk, wheat, soy, apples

<Product Overview>

Topped with an apple cream puff coated in candy and filled with diced domestic apples, this apple pie is perfect for eating on the go.

Product Name: Apple Candy Pie

Price: 600 yen (tax included)

Allergens: Milk, Eggs, Wheat, Soy, Almonds, Apples

~“Oishikawai Apple Bakery,” a bakery born in Ishikawa-cho that loves fruit~

(Left) Apple Curry Bread 380 yen (Right) Apple Custard Fresh Donut 380 yen

<Product Overview>

A curry bread packed with chunks of apple, offering a perfect balance of sweetness and spice.

Product Name: Apple Curry Bread

Price: 380 yen (tax included)

Allergens: Wheat, Eggs, Milk, Soy, Apples, Beef, Sesame, Chicken

<Product Overview>

We’ve filled a chewy, fluffy dough—aged for three days—with crisp apples and smooth custard cream.

Product Name: Apple Custard Fresh Donut

Price: 380 yen (tax included)

Allergens: Wheat, Eggs, Milk, Gelatin, Apples

(Left) Apple Bread 480 yen (Right) Chewy Apple Bread 800 yen

<Product Overview>

We’ve packed this cute bread—which looks just like an apple, bursting with apples, jam, and custard—full of delicious flavor.

Product Name: Apple Bread

Price: 480 yen (tax included)

Allergens: Wheat, Eggs, Milk, Soy, Gelatin, Apples

<Product Overview>

We’ve kneaded plenty of apples and jam into this chewy yuzumi-style white bread.

Product Name: Chewy Apple Bread

Price: 800 yen (tax included)

Allergens: Wheat, dairy, apples, soy

~The Ingredients Take Center Stage!! “Oishikawai Crepes & Gelato”~

(Left) Oishikawai Apple Crepe (with cream topping) 950 yen~ (Right) Crispy Apple Butter Crepe 1,000 yen

<Product Overview>

These crepes feature our signature chewy crepe batter filled with apples, apple sauce, black tea jelly, and puff pastry.

Product Name: Oishikawai Apple Crepe

Price: 950 yen (tax included) and up

Allergens: Milk, Eggs, Wheat, Almonds, Sesame, Apples, Gelatin

<Product Overview>

A large crepe with a crispy crust filled with custard, cinnamon, and apple preserves.

Product Name: Crispy Apple Butter Crepe

Price: 1,000 yen (tax included)

Allergens: Milk, Eggs, Wheat, Almonds, Sesame, Apples, Gelatin

(Left) Assorted Gelato (8 varieties total) Starting at 400 yen (Right) Gelato Wrapped in Mochi That Tastes Just Like an Apple 750 yen

<Product Overview>

Enjoy gelato made with carefully selected ingredients such as Rakuo Milk, apples, blueberries, and rice.

Product Name: Assorted Gelato (8 varieties total)

Price: 400 yen (tax included) and up

Allergens: Vary by gelato flavor

<Product Overview>

This cute gelato looks just like an apple—it’s made by wrapping apple candy gelato in a pale pink mochi wrapper.

Product Name: Apple-Like Mochi-Wrapped Gelato

Price: 750 yen (tax included)

Allergens: Dairy, wheat, soy, apples

*All images are for illustrative purposes only.

*All product and menu prices include tax.

■ Media Preview / Pre-Opening / Grand Opening: Event Overview

Thursday, the 17th: Media Preview

Date and Time: Thursday, September 17, 2026, 10:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m.

Eligibility: Media representatives only

Thursday, September 17: Pre-Opening

Date and Time: Thursday, September 17, 2026, 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Eligibility: General public (town residents only)

Friday, September 18: Grand Opening

Date and Time: Friday, September 18, 2026, 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Program: Starting at 10:00 AM—Station Opening Ceremony (scheduled to include remarks by the mayor, congratulatory speeches by guests of honor, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony)

　　　11:00 AM – Grand Opening

Target Audience: Media Representatives, General Public

■ Facility Overview

Name: Michi-no-Eki Ishikawa

Address: 58-1 Ohashi, Ishikawa-machi, Ishikawa District, Fukushima Prefecture

Area: Approx. 20,000 m²

Parking Capacity: 170 standard vehicles, 14 large vehicles, 3 spaces for people with disabilities, 2 considerate parking spaces

Facility Amenities: 27 restrooms / Information Center, Rest Area, Tourist Information Center,

　　　　　　　 Baby Care Area, Emergency Power Supply, Public Wi-Fi, Retail Shops,

　　　　　　　 Food and beverage facilities, lawn area, dog park, EV charging stations

Hours of Operation: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

　　　　　　　 Retail Shops, Lawn Area, and Dog Park: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

　　　　　　　 Sakura no Mori Cafeteria: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Last Order: 3:00 PM)

　　　　　　　 Fukumiri Sweets: 9:00 AM–

　　　　　　　 Oishikawai Apple Bakery: 9:00 AM–

　　　　　　　 *Sales end once items are sold out for each time slot (scheduled)

　　　　　　　 Oishikawai Crepe & Gelato: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Facility Management and Operation: Sakura no Mori Co., Ltd.

Official Website: https://www.michinoeki-isikawa.com/

Exterior and Interior Images of “Michi-no-Eki Ishikawa”

■ Facility Management and Operations

Designated Manager: TTC Co., Ltd.

Representative: Yasuyuki Kawagoe, Representative Director

Address: 686 Kamitaga, Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture

Main Business Activities: Planning, development, wholesale, and sales of branded products, as well as quality control;

　　　　　　　 development and operation of brand stores, regional revitalization consulting services,

　　　　　　　 general store production, development and operation of food theme parks,

　　　　　　　 operation of roadside stations; planning, development, wholesale, and retail of tourist souvenirs;

　　　　　　　 planning, development, wholesale, and sales of beauty and health-related products; hot spring business;

　　　　　　　 Sixth-sector business (agriculture)

Official Website: https://www.ttc-gr.co.jp/

Facility Operator: Sakura no Mori Co., Ltd. (a wholly owned local subsidiary of TTC Co., Ltd.)

Representative: President and CEO Takahito Kawagoe

Address: 284 Kanosaka, Ishikawa-machi, Ishikawa District, Fukushima Prefecture

Main Business Activities: Management and operation of the “Ishikawa” Roadside Station (scheduled to open on September 18, 2026),

　　　　　　　 Development, manufacture, and sale of tourist souvenirs; processing and sale of crafts and folk art;

　　　　　　　 sale of food products, operation of restaurants, and operations related to regional trading company business

Official Website: https://www.sakuranomori-fukushima.com/