tonarie YOKKAICHI

tonarie YOKKAICHI (トナリエ四日市) is a large mixed-use commercial complex located in Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture, Japan. It sits adjacent to the Yokkaichi City Museum and the Miyako Hotel Yokkaichi, about a five-minute walk from Kintetsu Yokkaichi Station. The facility includes a multi-story shopping center, a hotel wing, and a multi-level parking structure with over 1,000 car spaces and about 250 bicycle spaces. It is connected to the neighboring Jibasan Mie and Miyako Hotel, allowing visitors to move between them without going outside. The plaza in front of the complex, known as Citizens' Park, hosts festivals and flea markets. The complex first opened on November 3, 1991, as Amu Square, anchored by the Matsuzakaya Yokkaichi store. After Matsuzakaya withdrew in 2001 and the remaining specialty stores closed in July 2002, the entire facility shut down. From March 2004 to March 2005, the Mitsui Fudosan Group redeveloped the site. The upper floors, including the 109 Cinemas Yokkaichi cinema complex and a game center, opened first on November 20, 2004, under the name Amu Square. On March 12, 2005, the full complex reopened as LaLaport Square Yokkaichi (ララスクエア四日市), managed by Mitsui Fudosan Commercial Management, with Apita Yokkaichi as a key tenant. On January 18, 2021, the facility was acquired by Nihon Escon (now ESCON, part of the Chubu Electric Power Group) and renamed tonarie YOKKAICHI. Today the complex houses a range of tenants organized into the Apita zone, specialty store zone, and restaurant zone. The first floor is occupied by Apita, the second floor by Don Quijote operated by UD Retail, and the third floor by Kojima x Bic Camera. The sixth floor features 109 Cinemas Yokkaichi, the only cinema complex in the city aside from the adult cinema Ropponica Yokkaichi. The facility also includes a blood donation room on the fifth floor and various dining and service tenants. tonarie YOKKAICHI serves as a central retail and entertainment hub for Yokkaichi, combining grocery shopping, electronics, cinema, and dining under one roof. Its official website provides information on opening hours, events, and news, reflecting its role as an active community-oriented commercial destination.

The site of tonarie YOKKAICHI was formerly the location of Mie Prefectural Yokkaichi Technical High School, which relocated to the Hiei area in 1982. The land on the west side of Kintetsu Yokkaichi Station was purchased by Yokkaichi City (through the Yokkaichi City Land Development Public Corporation) from Mie Prefecture. In January 1987, Yokkaichi City announced that it would develop 15,000 m² of the total 27,000 m² area through public solicitation, requiring a complex with commercial facilities, a city hotel, and parking. Four joint venture groups applied. In September of that year, the Yokkaichi City Development Public Solicitation Committee selected the proposal by Mitsui Fudosan and Fujita Industries. As a result, the project was developed in an integrated manner together with a park and museum. On November 3, 1991, the complex opened as Amu Square, anchored by the Matsuzakaya Yokkaichi store. It was a large mixed-use facility consisting of a commercial wing, hotel wing, and multi-level parking structure. The opening of Amu Square stimulated other commercial facilities in Yokkaichi to expand or open new stores. However, just ten years after opening, in 2001, Matsuzakaya withdrew. The facility continued operating with only specialty stores, but in July 2002 those stores also closed, and the entire complex shut down. After Amu Square closed, the Mitsui Fudosan Group carried out redevelopment from March 2004 to March 2005. On November 20, 2004, the upper floors (4th to 6th floors), including the cinema complex 109 Cinemas Yokkaichi and a game center, opened first, and the facility reopened as Amu Square. With support from Yokkaichi City's central city revitalization promotion measures, the following year on March 12, 2005, the full complex grand-opened as LaLaport Square Yokkaichi (ララスクエア四日市), managed by Mitsui Fudosan Commercial Management, with tenants including Apita Yokkaichi. The name 'Square' in the predecessor Amu Square was coincidental. On January 18, 2021, the facility was acquired by Nihon Escon (now ESCON, part of the Chubu Electric Power Group), and the name was changed to tonarie YOKKAICHI. The complex continues to operate as a central retail and entertainment destination in Yokkaichi, with tenants such as Apita, Don Quijote, Kojima x Bic Camera, and 109 Cinemas Yokkaichi.

• Mie Prefectural Yokkaichi Technical High School relocates to the Hiei area, freeing the site for redevelopment.

• Yokkaichi City announces public solicitation for development of 15,000 m² of the 27,000 m² site, requiring commercial, hotel, and parking facilities.

• Yokkaichi City Development Public Solicitation Committee selects the Mitsui Fudosan and Fujita Industries proposal.

• Amu Square opens with Matsuzakaya Yokkaichi as the core store.

• Matsuzakaya withdraws from the facility.

• Remaining specialty stores close, and the entire complex shuts down.

• Mitsui Fudosan Group begins redevelopment of the site.

• Upper floors (4F-6F) including 109 Cinemas Yokkaichi and a game center open first, and the facility reopens as Amu Square.

• Full complex grand-opens as LaLaport Square Yokkaichi (ララスクエア四日市) under Mitsui Fudosan Commercial Management, with Apita Yokkaichi and other tenants.

• Nihon Escon (now ESCON, Chubu Electric Power Group) acquires the facility and renames it tonarie YOKKAICHI.

A central community shopping and entertainment complex in Yokkaichi, offering everyday groceries, electronics, cinema, and dining under one roof.

• Apita Yokkaichi store

  Supermarket on the first floor, part of the Apita zone.

• Don Quijote (2F)

  Discount store operated by UD Retail on the second floor.

• Kojima x Bic Camera (3F)

  Electronics retailer on the third floor.

• 109 Cinemas Yokkaichi (6F)

  Cinema complex on the sixth floor, the only cinema complex in the city aside from the adult cinema Ropponica Yokkaichi.

1. 1トナリエ四日市 公式サイトtonarie.jp
2. 2トナリエ四日市 - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org
3. 3tonatie YOKKAICHI - Wikidatawikidata.org