Nagano Prefecture · Chubu
道の駅 花の里いいじま
Take a break between two Alpine ranges at Iijima's farm market, with apple pie, gohei mochi, seasonal fruit and flowers.
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Eat, shop, play, take in the view or rest. Choose from the station’s strengths to suit your day.
Peaches, watermelons, blueberries, wild vegetables, apples and flowers take turns in the spotlight. If shopping brought you here, start with the market.
Look for freshly baked pies, slices, apple custard and seasonal pies. Go early for whole pies made in limited quantities.
Furusato no Aji Iijima, south of the market, and the fast food counter by the entrance offer a bite before you return to the car. Oyaki are filled, grilled or steamed buns.
Choices include baka-don horse meat rice bowl, Ajikoma-don, sauce katsudon (a pork cutlet rice bowl with sauce) and ni-hachi soba (buckwheat noodles made with roughly 80% buckwheat).
The waterwheel out front and views of the Southern and Central Alps give this station its character. Weather makes a difference if you come for photos.
Add a lakeside walk, cherry blossoms, camping grounds or river play to turn a market stop into a short Iijima drive.
Rather than trying to cover every facility, decide what matters most today. Buy apple pie before browsing the farm market, or eat lunch at Miyoshi and save sweets for later. To take a piece of Iijima's season home, make time for the fruit and flower shelves.
Choose between apple pie fresh from the oven and pie to take away
Choose Ina Valley flavors in baka-don, Ajikoma-don or sauce katsudon
Browse seasonal peaches, apples, flowers and wild vegetables before leaving
Hana no Sato Iijima is a roadside station on Prefectural Route 15, with the Central Alps behind it and views toward the Southern Alps. Its draws are apple pies baked in the workshop, gohei mochi (grilled rice cakes) scented with sansho pepper, horse meat dishes and sauce katsudon at the restaurant, and a farm market whose selection changes with the seasons. Look for wild vegetables in spring; blueberries and cherries in early summer; peaches and watermelons in summer; apples and flowers in autumn; and nagaimo yams and leafy greens in winter. For a short stop, try a sweet and the market; at lunchtime, eat at Miyoshi. In good weather, add Senninzuka Park or Yotagiri Park for a drive through Iijima's food and scenery.
Apple Pie Lab is an obvious destination, but there is plenty on either side of it: gohei mochi or oyaki for a light bite, horse meat or sauce katsudon at Miyoshi for a full meal, and fruit and flowers at the farm market. Mix sweets, a meal and shopping to suit your day.
Official arrival updates show wild vegetables, butterbur shoots and asparagus in spring, blueberries and cherries in early summer, and peaches and small watermelons in summer. The changing shelves make it worth dropping in to see what is there.
Prefectural Route 15 makes the station easy to stop at, while the waterwheel out front and mountain views make it more than a shopping break. On a fine day, continue to Senninzuka Park or Yotagiri Park for more of Iijima's scenery.
Spend your time at the station or add somewhere nearby. These ideas help you plan around your companions and the weather.
When time is short, browsing baked goods at Apple Pie Lab and making a circuit of seasonal fruit and flowers at the market still gives you a sense of the station. Pause by the waterwheel before driving on.
Parking lot → Apple Pie Lab → farm market → waterwheel area.
Freshly baked and limited items vary by time of day. Market shelves may be depleted toward evening.
At Miyoshi, options include baka-don made with horse meat, Ajikoma-don featuring local miso, Ina Valley sauce katsudon and ni-hachi soba. There is room to add gohei mochi or soft serve afterward.
Miyoshi → farm market → Furusato no Aji Iijima / fast food counter.
Miyoshi mainly serves lunch. Check what is open on Mondays, Tuesdays or later in the afternoon before planning a visit.
Iijima's identity as a flower-growing town shows in bouquets, potted flowers, alstroemeria and garden cyclamen. Buying flowers as well as fruit lets a memory of the stop continue at home.
Farm market → flower and plant section → check seasonal arrivals and ask about shipping.
Flowers and fruit vary by season and delivery. Follow shop guidance for gifts or items you want held.
A short drive from the station, Senninzuka Park has views of Jogai Pond and the Central Alps, cherry blossoms, a campground and mallet golf; its appeal changes with the season. Walk by the lake after sweets and market shopping for a lasting impression of Iijima.
Hana no Sato Iijima → Senninzuka Park. Especially suited to blossoms, autumn leaves or clear mountain views.
The campground and park facilities have closing days and seasonal hours. Even for a walk, check the weather and footing.
Yotagiri Park is a nature park along the Yotagiri River, with camping, barbecues, tennis, a pool and opportunities for river play. Pick up lunch or snacks at the station before heading to the water.
Hana no Sato Iijima → Yotagiri Park campground / pool.
Waterside activities, the pool and camping have seasonal schedules and reservation conditions. Check the official calendar before setting out.
The official website lists 9:00–18:00 from April to October and 9:00–17:30 from November to March. The Iijima tourism site also lists an 18:30 closing time from April to October; for an evening visit, follow the station's official information.
Hours are a guide. The official homepage describes regular service as mainly lunch; reserved visits are handled separately.
Closes at 16:00 in winter. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays, according to the official website.
Hours are a guide. Freshly baked and limited-quantity items vary by time of day.
The station is otherwise listed as open every day; check individual shops for their days off.
Stars show the editorial recommendation for each age group on a five-point scale. Read the reasons alongside each rating.
The station centers on shopping and food. At this age, favor a short break and plan around feeding and diaper changes.
For longer outdoor time, consider moving on to Yotagiri Park or Senninzuka Park instead of staying at the station.
Gohei mochi and soft serve offer easy snack options, but the station mainly has shops and food. Watch walking distance and nearby vehicle routes.
At busy times, it may help for one adult to shop while another watches the child.
The waterwheel, flowers, soft serve and a short shopping trip can be fun at this age. Add a park for a half-day outing.
Pair the stop with Yotagiri Park in summer or a Senninzuka Park walk in spring or autumn.
Apple pie, gohei mochi, mountain views and nearby parks give children choices of their own.
For river play, camping or a lakeside walk, use the station as a place to pick up food and snacks.
The station centers on shopping and food. For active play, extend the trip to Senninzuka Park, Yotagiri Park or Agri Nature Iijima.
Gohei mochi, soft serve and apple pie appeal to children. For eating in the car, consider packaging and wipes.
For Yotagiri Park, bring water-play gear. For a station-only visit, make practical use of shade, breaks and a brief cold treat.
Fruit, flowers and souvenirs can be heavy, so look at what you want to buy before moving farther away.
Miyoshi and the gohei mochi counter have limited hours. For a meal, arriving just before the lunch rush can make the visit easier.
Visibility of the two Alpine ranges depends on weather. On cloudy days, focus on food and shopping.
Permanent spaces and dated events are listed separately. Events can change both the atmosphere and crowds; use the official links for details.
Checking event dates.
The second floor of the farm market building occasionally hosts exhibitions of artwork, giving you another reason to stop even on a rainy day.
Exhibitions and seasonal flower arrivals meet here. Rhododendrons, alstroemeria and garden cyclamen reflect Iijima's flower-growing identity.
Peaches, watermelons, wild vegetables and blueberries make each seasonal arrival a small event. Check official updates when shopping is the main purpose.
Iijima's cherry blossoms, autumn festivals, rice-bale marathon and New Year's Eve fireworks can give a visit another seasonal dimension.
Practical ideas and things to consider when spending time here.
Across visitor reviews, even stays of under an hour leave impressions of apple pie, gohei mochi, soft serve, flowers and the market. Choosing one thing to eat can work better than lingering.
Reviews and videos often show travelers stopping specifically for Apple Pie Lab. Even without lunch, sweets and the market make a worthwhile break.
The flower-growing character appears on the shelves as well as in the scenery. Alstroemeria and garden cyclamen vary with season and stock; check official updates or Instagram if flowers are your main aim.
Visitor reviews sometimes describe this medium-sized station's parking lot as nearly full on holidays. Around the overlap of lunch, shopping and sweets, allow time to find a space.
The setting offers views of the Southern and Central Alps, but on cloudy or hazy days food and shopping may be a better focus. In clear weather, consider the waterwheel area or Senninzuka Park.
The station centers on its market and food. For active outdoor play, pair it with Senninzuka Park or Yotagiri Park, using the station for lunch, snacks and shopping.
Official videos show the market and nearby park before you visit. Audio and captions are in Japanese.
If the video does not load, watch it on YouTube
This external video conveys the atmosphere of a visit to Apple Pie Lab. It is not an official video; check the shop for its current products.
Opening and closure days, individual businesses and facilities for children or dogs can affect your plans.
Specialities, places to eat, sweets and bakeries can all give you a reason to stop. Check individual menus for current prices and availability.
A meal, a sweet treat, market shopping or something to take away: choose a focus for the day instead of trying everything at once.
Stop here first for the aroma of Shinshu apples and butter. Think of pie slices for eating right away and mini apple pies for taking home.
Seasonal pies and whole pies are made in limited quantities; choices may narrow later in the day.
Baka-don, Ajikoma-don, sauce katsudon and ni-hachi soba make a distinctly Ina Valley meal. This can be the main stop on a day when sweets alone will not do.
Regular service is mainly at lunch. Check the shop's hours and days off.
For a small snack, try the counters south of the market and beside the entrance. Sansho in the gohei mochi and seasonal soft serve or gelato flavors can make even a short stop memorable.
Furusato no Aji Iijima is closed Mondays and Tuesdays and closes at 16:00 in winter. Check day and time if gohei mochi is your main reason for coming.
The market is a strong final stop. In late September 2026, official arrival updates listed apples including Akibae and Shinano Sweet, chestnuts, Nijisseiki pears, matsutake and koutake mushrooms. Summer brings peaches and small watermelons; early summer brings blueberries and cherries, and spring brings wild vegetables.
Arrivals change with weather and season. Ask the market about gifts and shipping.
The market says it ships throughout Japan. Alongside fruit for yourself, choose seasonal peaches, apples or flowers as Iijima gifts.
Shipping availability, boxes and quantities differ by item. For gifts, ask earlier in the day.
If the map does not load, open it in Google Maps
Take a break between two Alpine ranges at Iijima's farm market, with apple pie, gohei mochi, seasonal fruit and flowers.
Add chestnut sweets and cafe time right next to the roadside station.
Add views of Jogai Pond and the Central Alps to an after-lunch walk.
Add riverside time, cherry blossoms and camping to a shopping trip at Tagiri no Sato.
After apple pie and the market, add chestnut sweets or cafe time. It also works for a short rainy-day break.
On a clear day when apple pie and the market are not quite enough, add a lakeside walk, blossoms, autumn leaves and mountain views.
Works well with Tagiri no Sato when children want active play, for spring blossoms or summer riverside time, and for supplies before or after camping.
For family trips or weekends, follow the Iijima ingredients and flowers seen at the market with a rural experience or an overnight stay.
Send your travel companions a possible stop.
