The Ichihara Service Area (SA), which reopened in March 2012, is characterized by a stylish orange building inspired by the town of Tateyama. The concept is “TABI MARKET BOSO FOOD CENTER – Eat and Travel Market in Boso,” and it is a service area that concentrates on Boso, with a food court using Boso ingredients and a “TABE TABI SHOP” featuring seafood, mountain delicacies, and Boso’s famous products.
There is also a dog run, a small hill for children to enjoy, and flower beds for pets and families to enjoy. The dog run is open 24 hours a day and has two separate entrances, one for small dogs and the other for large and medium-sized dogs. The dog run is open 24 hours a day and has two separate entrances, one for small dogs and one for large and medium-sized dogs, as well as covered benches and a pet waste receptacle. Near the dog run, there are several small hills where children can play and, depending on the season, catch grasshoppers by hand. Children can also be seen playing tag or climbing up the hills and rolling around on the way down.
The flower beds are planted with kochia, which are at their best in autumn when their leaves turn red. The SA can be accessed from a public road, making it an easy place to stop for a walk, shopping, or a meal. A giant “Chiiba-kun”, Chiba Prefecture’s mascot character, welcomes you as you enter the entrance.
If you are in doubt about what souvenirs to buy, please refer to the “Popular Souvenirs Ranking” signboard. At Ichihara SA, BayFM will hold a “summer campaign” featuring a raffle and other events as a regular summer event.
The SA is also decorated for each season, such as Christmas and New Year’s, so you may be able to experience a different atmosphere if you visit during those seasons. In addition, a “robot lawnmower,” one of the few that have yet been installed in this SA, is mowing the lawn automatically. The robot mower has been designed to Chiba Prefecture’s unique Chiiba-kun specifications, so if you are interested in robots, why not stop by and see for yourself?
In the food court consisting of five restaurants, “Kama-yaki Gohan no Umiyama Shokudo” is popular for its Boso Kaisen-don (fresh local seafood bowl), oyakodon (chicken and egg bowl), and katsudon (pork cutlet bowl) made with Chiba Prefecture’s Genki Pork. This restaurant specializes in rice, using Chiba’s delicious rice cooked in a rice cooker. Another restaurant “Kanoka” offers a variety of dishes from the standard menu of soba and udon noodles to curry with pork cutlet made with Chiba Prefecture’s Genki Pork. There is also a ramen shop, Nabeton, popular for its red hot tantanmen noodles.
The popular Tokyo-based cafe “WIRED CAFE”, which opened its first store on the Ichihara SA (up line) expressway, offers carefully selected coffee from farms around the world and peanut soft serve using peanuts produced in Yachimata, Chiba Prefecture, which is available only on the Ichihara SA up line route. There is also a hamburger chain restaurant, Lotteria, which sells limited burgers such as “Katsuura Tantan-men Burger” and “Genki Pork Menchi-katsu Burger,” which are only available here during certain periods.
Harakuchi Bakery, a bakery that prepares fresh bread baked in a stone oven every morning, is popular for its honey sugar toast. Dog-friendly bread is also available at this bakery. There is also an outdoor terrace where you and your dog can enjoy a meal together.
There is also “Harakuchi Farm” that sells soft-serve ice cream, cream puffs, and other sweets, and “Maruten” that makes deep-fried fish cakes. The “TABE TABI SHOP,” which offers a wide variety of seafood, mountain vegetables, and specialty products of Boso, is a well-stocked shopping area with a wide range of products, from standard souvenirs to regional delicacies, all selected by the shop’s own staff. “Chiiba-kun” goods, pet treats and toys are also available.
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