When Lala Garden opened in November 2007, it was hailed as the beginning of a new era for Kasukabe. And certainly, if you look at the way the West side of the station has developed apace since then, those words would appear to be true. However, Lala Garden itself has not exploded in the way predicted, making it one of Saitama’s less crowded and more relaxing shopping centres. For the first two years of its existence, it was amusingly referred to by the locals as “GaraGara Garden” (sparsely populated!)
At present around 80 shops and restaurants occupy the 63000-square-meter retail space over Lala Garden’s three floors. Among the more prominent names are Caldi Coffee House, for those vital foreign cooking ingredients; no-logo specialist Mujirushi (proving surprisingly good for home ware), Libro (for all your favourite Japanese magazines and books) and – perhaps the biggest coup of all – Mitsukoshi. A grand department store this is not, but several smart shirts and neckties are contained within, along with upmarket kitchenware. (And who said Kasukabe was tacky!) Rivalling Mitsukoshi for the big draw accolade is Uniqlo, situated on the second floor, while the Gap Generation, Right On and ABC Mart are among other big names present. Meanwhile, George’s – at the back entrance – offers quirky interior goods (especially cushions and floor cushions), and a selection of useful toys for kids.
The best aspect of Lala Garden is surely its third-floor United Cinema, which continues to lag behind the shops in the popularity stakes (probably because it doesn’t play 3-D movies yet). That said, it is a wonderful place to go at weekends to see the latest flicks, with several showings attended by less than 25 people. When Michael Jackson’s This Is It was playing, you could have moonwalked in there! Special deals for female customers are available on Wednesdays.
After the movie, why not check out one of the restaurants just along from the cinema? Their prices are pretty reasonable compared with Tokyo. Of these, the Italian restaurant Benini has an appealing all-you-can-eat buffet menu for around 2000 yen, and a nice selection of wines. And for quick and easy eating options, try the takoyaki or the crepe outlets situated in the main entrance lobby. There are also a few restaurants just across the street from the main entrance, with the yakiniku joint particularly tasty and welcoming.
At the back end of 2011, Lala Garden was boosted by the opening of – try not to laugh – the Kasukabe Convention Hall. A rival to Yurakucho or Honolulu it may never be, but this resplendent six-storey structure represents Kasukabe’s most ambitious step forward in a long, long time – and has already attracted performances from the Yoshimoto Comedy Company. If there’s a decent show on, it may be worth combining your Lala Garden shopping trip with this.
