Road Station Tomiura Biwa Club

Michi-no-Eki Tomiura Biwa Club is a roadside station that won the top prize at the National Roadside Station Grand Prix in 2000. When it opened, Tomiura Town was Japan’s top loquat-producing area, so it was named “Biwa Club” after loquats. True to its name, it offers an enormous variety of loquat-themed menu items—so many that you’d have to visit multiple times to try them all. A recommended item is the station’s original “Biwa Soft” (loquat soft-serve). Made fresh by hand every day using Minamiboso loquats, it’s enjoyable year-round. The loquats used are “Boshu Biwa,” a premium variety traditionally presented to the Imperial Household. Since 1909 (Meiji 42), they have been offered for over 100 years, and these luxurious loquats make every menu item tempting. The station also offers many activities: loquat picking, strawberry picking, grape picking (including the rare “Fujiminori” variety), traditional Chiba craft “Boshu uchiwa” fan-making, flower arranging, and more. On the 2nd floor, a gallery space hosts various exhibitions from time to time, making it a good spot for those who want to sightsee at a relaxed pace. Access is about a 15-minute walk from JR Tomiura Station.