Lovina

Lovina (ラビナ, LOVINA) is a shopping complex integrated into Aomori Station in Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by JR East Aomori Commercial Development (JR東日本青森商業開発), a company within the JR East Group. The facility opened in 1986 on the site of a former apple market adjacent to the station's east exit. Its name is a coined word derived from "Loving Aomori," reflecting affection for the region. For much of its history, Lovina stood as a separate building next to Aomori Station's fourth-generation station house; passengers had to exit the station and walk outside to move between the two structures. This changed in April 2024, when the JR Aomori Station East Exit Building opened on the former site of the old east exit station house. Floors one through three of that new building became a commercial facility called &LOVINA (アンドラビナ). With the opening of the new building, a passage connecting the third floor of &LOVINA to the station's faregate concourse was completed, marking the first time in the station's history that the station house and the station building were directly connected indoors. Lovina and &LOVINA together form a multi-floor retail destination. Lovina spans five floors and houses tenants including a bookstore, beauty salon, MUJI (which expanded to occupy an entire floor in July 2024 as the largest MUJI in Aomori Prefecture), ABC-MART, Doutor Coffee, JINS, and a gift and daily market on the first floor with around 20 shops. &LOVINA occupies floors one through three of the JR Aomori Station East Exit Building, with themed floors: "Pit stop" on the first floor (cafes, restaurants, food, drugstores including Matsumoto Kiyoshi, Starbucks Coffee, and Saizeriya), "Be myself" on the second floor (fashion, goods, and services including PLAZA and DAISO), and "Play my fun" on the third floor (fashion and goods, including Standard Products and Kojitsusanso). The third floor also features the "Sorami Terrace" overlooking the Aomori waterfront and a connecting passage to the station's faregate level. The JR Aomori Station East Exit Building also houses administrative facilities on the fourth floor — the Aomori Citizens' Art Exhibition Hall and the Aomori Jomon Station "Jomojomo" — and a wellness hotel called ReLabo on floors four through ten, which opened in July 2024. A connecting passage between the second and third floors of Lovina and &LOVINA was completed on July 19, 2024, enabling integrated movement and shopping across both buildings. Lovina remains an active retail landmark in Aomori City, serving both local residents and travelers passing through Aomori Station. Its tenant mix has evolved over the years, with major renovations in 2024 that refreshed its second and third floors and introduced new tenants. The complex is part of a broader portfolio of JR East Aomori Commercial Development facilities, which also includes A-FACTORY, Aomori Shunmikan at Shin-Aomori Station, and Apries at Hirosaki Station.

Lovina opened in 1986 on the site of a former apple market that was removed adjacent to the east exit of Aomori Station. At the time, it stood next to the station's fourth-generation station house, but the two buildings were not physically connected; anyone moving between the station and Lovina had to go outside and re-enter. The name Lovina is a coined word meaning "Loving Aomori." For decades, Lovina operated as a standalone station building with multiple floors of retail. A fifth-floor event hall called "Lovina Hall" existed at one point; by 2020 it had become a children's space called Mokumoku Wood Education Plaza. The space between Lovina and the fourth-generation station house was nicknamed "Ebina," a play on "between the station (eki) and Lovina," and a sign with that name was installed during the old station house era. A rabbit mascot character named "Rabichan" also existed at one time. A major transformation came in 2024. On April 26, the JR Aomori Station East Exit Building opened on the former site of the old east exit station house. Floors one through three of the new building became the commercial facility &LOVINA. Simultaneously, a passage connecting the third floor of &LOVINA to the station's faregate concourse was completed, achieving the first indoor direct connection between the station house and station building in the station's history. On the same day, the Aomori Citizens' Art Exhibition Hall and the Aomori Jomon Station "Jomojomo" opened on the fourth floor of the new building. On July 11, the wellness hotel ReLabo opened on floors four through ten. On July 19, a connecting passage between the second and third floors of Lovina and &LOVINA was completed, enabling integrated movement and shopping across both buildings. Also on July 19, MUJI reopened on the third floor of Lovina, expanding to occupy the entire floor as the largest MUJI in Aomori Prefecture, and the second floor of Lovina fully reopened with nine stores including ABC-MART and Doutor Coffee. On November 29, Marion Crepe opened its first Aomori City store on the first floor of Lovina. Before the &LOVINA name was publicly announced, some prospective tenants recruited under the tentative name "Aomori Lovina North Building Store." Lovina and &LOVINA are operated by JR East Aomori Commercial Development, which also operates A-FACTORY, Aomori Shunmikan at Shin-Aomori Station, and Apries at Hirosaki Station.

• 2024

  JR Aomori Station East Exit Building opens; &LOVINA opens on floors 1–3; passage to station faregate concourse completed.

• 2024

  Wellness hotel ReLabo opens on floors 4–10 of the new building.

• 2024

  Connecting passage between Lovina and &LOVINA floors 2–3 completed; MUJI expands to entire 3F of Lovina; 2F reopens with nine stores.

• 2024

  Marion Crepe opens its first Aomori City store on Lovina 1F.

• 1986

  Lovina opens on the former apple market site adjacent to Aomori Station's east exit.

A station-integrated shopping complex serving Aomori Station travelers and local residents, operated by the JR East Group.

• Lovina (main building)

  Five-floor station building with retail, services, and dining, including MUJI, ABC-MART, Doutor Coffee, JINS, and a gift & daily market.

• &LOVINA

  Commercial facility on floors 1–3 of the JR Aomori Station East Exit Building, with themed floors: Pit stop (1F), Be myself (2F), Play my fun (3F).

• Sorami Terrace (そらうみテラス)

  Observation area on the third floor of &LOVINA overlooking the Aomori waterfront.

• Gift & Daily Market

  First-floor zone of Lovina with around 20 shops including Jupiter Coffee, Nagai Kujira Mochi, Shinjuku Saboten, and Wakuwaku Hiroba, plus an ATM corner.

1. 1Wikidata: Lovinawikidata.org
2. 2Wikipedia (Japanese): ラビナja.wikipedia.org
3. 3Lovina official sitejre-abc.com