This site is a web media that delivers all kinds of trivia, from sightseeing and gourmet spots in the six Tohoku prefectures to local, customs, and history.
Iwate Prefecture has the most roadside stations with accommodation facilities out of the six Tohoku prefectures, with five roadside stations equipped with hotels, campsites, and RV parks specifically for overnight stays in cars
All of these roadside stations are located in areas surrounded by abundant nature, allowing you to spend a relaxing time in a convenient environment
Shizukuishi Anekko Roadside Station (Shizukuishi Town, Iwate County: National Route 46)
In the Shizukuishi region on the border between Iwate and Akita prefectures, girls of marriageable age are called "anekko."
"Shizuku-chan" holding vegetables
has an image character named Shizuku-chan an older sister dressed in the costume worn at the Yosare Festival held every August who welcomes visitors throughout Shizukuishi Anekko
The station is surrounded by rich nature, and it is a roadside station where you can sleep in your car or camp at the adjacent auto campsite, as well as enjoy a bath in the natural hot springs
The auto camping site is in the upper left direction of this diagram
Shizukuishi Town has many hot springs and is affectionately known as " Ideyu no Sato" (Hot Spring Village ). In 2021, it was ranked second in the Jalan National Roadside Station Grand Prix
The spacious Rainbow Park (Koyanagi Sabo Park Campground)
It is well maintained and you can enjoy swimming in the river
On the opposite side of the Shizukuishi River from the roadside station is an auto camping site called " Rainbow Color Park, " which has 21 plots equipped with water sources and toilets.
There is an area where you can drive your car and sleep in it, and if you take advantage of the rental plan for all camping equipment, including tents, you can enjoy authentic outdoor camping even if you arrive empty-handed
A view of the auto camping site. The hexagonal roof building on the right is the toilet, and the roof visible in the back center is the kitchen
Komakusa Restaurant: A wide variety of specialty dishes
The menu uses many ingredients from Shizukuishi, and we especially recommend Shizukuishi Beef Sirloin Steak Bowl
Other noodle dishes on the menu include " Warm Tomato Noodles " and " Shizukuishi Wasabi Cold Noodles
Kobiru Kitchen: Enjoy light meals at your leisure
The kitchen's name, " Kobiru, " is a dialect of the Shizukuishi region that means " laid back ." Popular dishes include the hearty " Anekko BurgerHitomebore Soft Serve Ice Cream made with locally grown rice .
Part of the Kobiru menu
Authentic handmade soba noodles at Sobadokoro Shizukuan
The soba noodles, which are hand-made using buckwheat flour milled in-house from Shizukuishi, are renowned for their exquisite taste
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, soba noodle making experiences were popular, but they are currently suspended and there are growing calls for their revival
Direct from the farm Shizukuishi & Local Products Shizukuishi
The direct sales include local agricultural products, processed foods such as wild vegetables, mushrooms, pickles, freshly baked bread and rice cake sweets, as well as popular bento boxes
The local products corner has a wide selection of souvenirs, including Shizukuishi beef miso , and the dressing-like " Wasabi Negaa
A rare frozen venison vending machine
A rare game meat vending machine
The first wild game vending machine in Tohoku has been installed at the entrance to the direct sales area
Not only seasoned meat but also plain venison is sold
The venison caught in Otsuchi Town in Sanriku is frozen and many of the dishes are seasoned and processed, making it a popular choice for camping meals
The Japanese Herb Garden: Surrounded by the scent of herbs
The greenhouse in the center is the herb garden, and the entrance to the auto camping site is on the left
The garden is filled with the aroma of herbs, and a variety of herbs are grown, including Japanese herbs such as shiso.In addition to processed products such as herbal tea and herbal essences, potted plants are also sold
Please note that it is closed during the winter season from late March to early November
Hashiba Onsen Shinhashiba no Yu
Shin Hashiba no Yu sells day fishing tickets for the Shizukuishi River and other areas
The alkaline simple hot spring water, which flows directly from the source, is known for its skin-beautifying properties, and this is a day-trip hot spring where you can enjoy both the hot spring and sauna bathing
The sauna is set at a low temperature of 90°C, allowing you to take your time in the bath, and when combined with the cold water bath made from local famous water that is gentle on the skin, it is said to help relieve daily fatigue and restore both body and mind
This year, a new free foot bath was opened near the hot spring facility
The small foot bath in the foreground is for dogs
There are facilities for both people and dogs, so you can enjoy the park with your pets (it will be closed during the winter)
Large dog run "Wanwan Park"
The roadside station seen from the dog run, with the parking space for the dog run in the foreground
It is divided into two sections, one for small dogs and one for medium and large dogs, so even your little dog can play safely
Please use this as a relaxing place for your dog while taking a walk in Koyanagi Sabo Park
Shizukuishi Anekko Roadside Station <Information>
Facility name: Roadside station Shizukuishi Anekko
Opening hours: Komakusa 11:00-16:00 (Saturdays, Sundays and holidays until 20:00, last order 30 minutes before closing), Kobiru Kitchen 9:00-17:00, Shizukuan 11:00-15:00
Opening hours: Direct from Farm Shizukuishi and Bussan Shizukuishi 9:00-17:00, Shin Hashibanoyu 9:00-20:00 (reception: 19:30)
Located just after exiting Towa IC on the Kamaishi Expressway, it is adjacent to hot spring facilities and accommodation facilities and is nicknamed The Village of Bishamonten and Yorozu Tetsugoro
The temple is close to Narushima Bishamon-do, known for its baby crying sumo tournament, and is nicknamed after Yorozu Tetsugoro
there is also trial workshop where you can try making processed foods such as bread and juice
The shop sells processed mulberry products and honey, a specialty of Towa Town, as well as juice and jam made with aronia
Ajidokoro Towa
The building on the far left is "Ajidokoro Touwa"
The 100% buckwheat soba noodles, curry rice made with plenty of vegetables from Towa, and tempura bowls are very popular
Hotel Folkloro Hanamaki Towa
Hotel Folkloro is a B&B-style hotel adjacent to a JR station, but this is the only one that is adjacent to a roadside station and is called a rural resort
There are 35 guest rooms (Western-style rooms and Japanese-Western style rooms), a cafe bar and a book lounge, and the hotel is connected to Towa Onsen by a corridor, making it easy to come and go
Towa Onsen, where 100% of the water flows directly from the source
The water quality is simple hot spring (hypotonic, weakly alkaline, high temperature hot spring), which is gentle on the skin and has little irritation, making it safe for small children to bathe in. There is also an open-air bath and sauna
This is the only hot spring in Tohoku where carbonated spring water with dissolved carbon dioxide gas flows freely, and it is popular as the stimulation of the carbon dioxide promotes blood circulation
Restaurant Hidakami
There is a beer garden on the restaurant terrace, and you can also play park golf in the large garden (bio garden)
The restaurant at Towa Onsen serves everything from light meals to plated and set meals, and in the summer you can enjoy a beer garden on the terrace facing the garden (a Western-style model garden)
Towa Roadside Station <Information>
Facility name: Roadside Station Towa
Address: 147-2, Yasutawara 6-ku, Towa-cho, Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture
Phone number: 0198-42-3006
Business hours: Restaurant Hidakami 11:00 - 21:00 (LO 20:45), Ajidokoro Towa 11:00 - 15:00 (LO 14:30)
Roadside Station Ohno (Hirono Town, Kunohe District: National Route 395)
Panoramic view of "Michinoeki Oono" Source: Wikipedia (File name: Michinoeki Oono in Iwate.JPG Photographer: Aratsuku)
This roadside station is located within the Oono Campus ," a social experimental facility established as experiential tourism zone by the former village of Oono, which merged with the town of Hirono, with the cooperation of the University of Tokyo
You can use the various facilities within the Ohno Campus, and Green Hill Ohno, you can also enjoy meals at the restaurant, herbal baths, and saunas.
yakata Ono inside the roadside station Akadori Ramen , made with local chicken stock and miso, is served, Direct from the Farm Ono sells fresh vegetables and Ono Milk
Various experiences such as woodworking, pottery making, and stargazing at the observatory are also popular
Tanohata Roadside Station - Wind of Thought (Tanohata Village, Shimohei District: National Route 45)
Tanohata Roadside Station Source: Wikipedia (File name: Michinoeki Tanohata Shii no kaze.jpg Photographer: Yasu)
" Wind of Thought )" was renovated and reopened in April 2021 due to construction work on the Sanriku Coastal Road.
There is a private RV parking space with power for five vehicles, and the spacious area allows you to spread out tarps and tables and even cook using fire
Shiyuisoukan on the premises, you can enjoy a stay in an old Japanese house (maximum 20 people, more than that must be discussed) limited to one group per day.
Restaurants and farm shops offer a wide variety of souvenirs, including fresh seafood such as seaweed, sea urchin, abalone, salmon, squid, and crab, as well as dishes and processed products such as mountain vegetables and mushrooms
Roadside Station Thanatata Wind of Thought <Information>
Facility name: Roadside Station Tanohata Wind of Thought
Address: 151-6 Sugakubo, Tanohata Village, Shimohei District, Iwate Prefecture
Phone number: 0194-32-3555
Business hours: Cafeteria 11:00-14:00, Fast food 10:00-16:30, Retail and direct sales 9:00-17:00
Iwaizumi Roadside Station (Iwaizumi Town, Shimohei District: National Route 455)
Roadside Station Iwaizumi (Baseball field lights in the background on the left) Source: Wikipedia (File name: Michinoeki Iwaizumi.jpg Photographer: Yasu)
Next to the roadside station is Rakuten Eagles Iwaizumi Stadium
The restaurant Iwaizumi Tankaku beef steaks, and the souvenir shop and farm produce direct sales store, also known as Wakuwaku House
Italian Gelato ViTO x IWAIZUMI which uses milk and yogurt from Iwaizumi Milk , is gaining popularity as the first Italian gelato specialty store in Tohoku.
Fureai Land Iwaizumi located on the opposite bank of the Omoto River camp, stay in cottages, or even the Blue Train Nihonkai the park is currently closed from April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025 due to a complete renovation.
There are five roadside stations in Iwate Prefecture where you can stay overnight, each with its own unique characteristics that make them interesting places to stay
You can enjoy the unique flavors of each region, from restaurants and souvenirs to fresh vegetables sourced directly from the farm, so why not stay overnight and take your time to savor the local flavors?
I am a former Edo guy who loves Morioka, loves the six prefectures of Tohoku, and loves history, gourmet food, travel, sports, alcohol, and singing. We'll introduce you to some interesting, delicious, and good things about Tohoku!
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