New spots in Iwate Prefecture are packed with great people, baseball, and famous restaurants! I went to three new road stations! Local report [Iwate Prefecture]

New roadside stations are opening one after another all over Japan, but in Iwate Prefecture, three new roadside stations have recently opened over the past five years.

While providing a place for a drive break, they also promote local specialty products and souvenirs, and new discoveries are made every time you stop by.

In this article, we will visit and report on three road stations that have been founded in Iwate Prefecture since 2020.

Hanamaki Southwest (Hanamaki City: Iwate Prefectural Route 13)

This roadside station opened on Iwate Prefectural Route 13 in the southwest area of ​​Hanamaki City on August 7th, 2020, and is adjacent to a convenience store and gas station.

The nickname is " Kenji and Kotaro no Sato

Chieko Sho, depicting his wife , but after Chieko passed away, he moved to Hanamaki City at the age of 62, and spent about seven years living alone and cooking alone.

The Takamura Kotaro Memorial Museum is located near the roadside station, where letters to Kenji, who had interacted with the Takamura Sanso

In addition, there will be a corner introducing the two of them at a rest area that provides road information, and goods are sold at the direct sales store.

Mirakuen is a yakiniku restaurant that is rare at a roadside station.

This restaurant serves yakiniku, set meals and cold noodles, which are rare for a roadside restaurant, and is loved by Hanamaki as a famous restaurant for yakiniku and hormones.

Hormone is popular because you can enjoy the rare "teppo" (rectum), but the nearby main store is open only for dinner time, so it is crowded during lunch time.

JA Iwate Hanamaki's direct sales store for agricultural products "Suginoki"

In addition to souvenirs, JA Iwate Hanamaki , and locals come to visit us for shopping.

It is also popular for its many sweets handmade by local farmers, such as the traditional Iwate sweets " Kirisensho " and " Ganzuki

Tohoku Rokken trivia media: NEFT

What was "Kirisensho" that pitcher Kikuchi Yusei thought would be in the national category? [Iwate Prefecture]

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/39245

"Kirisensho" is a local sweet made from steamed rice flour, and is served at celebrations in the central part of Iwate Prefecture, or as a snack when planting rice or farming. The other day, major leaguer Kikuchi Yusei, born in Morioka, introduced him on his X account, saying that he thought it was a national sweet. Today I learned that my favorite food, Kirisensho, is a food that only comes to Iwate. I thought it was a national region. pic.twitter.com/vwzmJnMQ0K— Kikuchi Yusei (@Yuseikikuchi16) January 22, 2025 In this article, we will introduce the hometown that has been loved in Iwate...

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Outside the store vending machines sell the original roadside station "Shio Anpan," which ranked second in Tohoku in the "Jalan Local Bread General Election" last year, and can be purchased 24 hours a day.

keep it up! Hanamaki Higashi High School!

In one corner of Suginoki, there is a corner selling cheering goods in the purple color of the Koshien regular school Hanamaki Higashi High School, about a five-minute drive from the roadside station.

In addition to Otani Shohei and Kikuchi Yusei, who are active in the major leagues in the US, it is also famous as the high school that Sasaki Rintaro, who has produced many Japanese professional baseball players and has attended Stanford University.

Hanamaki Southwest <Information>

• Facility name: Roadside Station Hanamaki Seinan
• Location: 7-203 Todoki, Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture
• Phone number: 0198-29-5522
• Opening hours: Production Hall "Suginoki" 9:00-17:00, Dining Hall "Airakuen" 11:00-14:00, 17:00-21:30　
• URL: Roadside Station Official Website (Hanamaki Seinan)

GOOGLE MAP

Blue Country Fudai (Fudai Village, Shimohei District: Muramichi Ekimae Line 1)

Fudai Village, located on the Sanriku Coast, is the hometown of former professional baseball player Ginji (now ambassador of the team) of the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, and is also known as a famous kelp production area.

was located on September 25th, 2021 (Reiwa 3) at Fudai Station on the Sanriku Railway in Fudai Village, where the blue sea and sky are spread out at 40 degrees north latitude, and is nicknamed Blue Country

The waiting room, which also serves as a kiosk, has a ticket counter for the Sanriku Railway, and when the train arrives near, the lamp lights up to let you know.

Even though it is a roadside station, it is a roadside station that is fun to use not only by car, but also to board the Sanriku Railway to stop by.

"Aide" antenna shop in Fudai Village

The store also serves as a waiting room at Fudai Station, with a Sanriku Railway ticket counter and an entrance and exit directly connected to the platform.

In addition to the village's seafood, there are many sweets such as karinto, a unique Sanriku region.

Our favorite souvenir from Fudai Village is "Kombu Flour," and we also recommend noodles such as cold noodles, ramen, udon, and somen noodles, kneaded with flour with a rich sea-loving flavor.

The fast food sold at the shop includes " Konbu Soft Ao no Kuni Burger with kelp noodles , and fried mochi.

The collaboration burger between a local butcher and bakery goes perfectly with the delicious kelp flavor, the juiced noodles and crispy, fragrant, grilled buns. Another recommended gourmet food that sells at the kiosks is fried mochi.

there is restaurant called TOFoku Shoku , which mainly serves dishes made with local tofu Cat's Eye , which looks like a time travel to the Showa era

Blue Country General <Information>

• Facility name: Roadside Station Ao no Kuni Fudaii
• Location: 5-3, No. 9th Land Disposable Copperya, Fudai Village, Shimohei District, Iwate Prefecture
• Phone number: 0194-35-2411
• Opening hours: Shop 8:00-17:00
• Opening Hours: TOFoku Dining Hall 10:00-15:00
• Opening Hours: Coworking Snack "Cat's Eye" 10:00-15:00
• Closed: TOFoku Shoku Restaurant, Tuesdays, Cat's Eye, Monday to Fridays
• URL: Roadside Station Official Website (Ao no Kuni Fudai)
• URL: Blue Country Fudai Official Website

GOOGLE MAP　

Iwate Kitasanriku (Kuji City: National Route 45, Route 395)

Opened on April 19, 2023, this is the 36th roadside station in Iwate Prefecture, and it has a food court where you can sell local specialties from Kuji City, Hirono Town, and Noda Village and enjoy gourmet food.

In addition to seafood and agricultural products, the specialty products also sell decorations made from processed Kuji amber and Noda Village marine rose, making them popular souvenirs.

plaza where the first Pokemon plays are set up in the northeastern north , and there is also an outdoor plaza where children can play to the heart of their lives and events can be held.

In addition, donuts and smoothies related to Pokemon are sold at the food court, and Pokemon wrapping is painted inside the building, making it a roadside station that children can enjoy.

The bright rest area offers tourist information about the Kitasanriku region in an easy-to-understand manner by municipality, and there is a free charging corner that is compatible with various smartphones and is available for free.

Wide and bright food court

The food court features ramen and soba Maruho Nishiyama Shokudo , which mainly serves set meals , and offers a wide range of food menus.

Standonuts a parfait with donuts, soft serve ice cream, and Kinako Soft is popular, where you can enjoy the aroma of shorthorn beef curry donuts and kinako flour.

Adjacent facilities include convenience stores and gas stations

There is a convenience store next to the roadside station, where you can buy food and drinks even during times when the kiosks and food courts are closed, and there is a gas station.

Iwate Kitasanriku <Information>

• Facility name: Roadside Station Iwate Kita Sanriku
• Location: 3-2, Toriya No. 7-cho, Natsui-cho, Kuji City, Iwate Prefecture
• Phone number: 0194-66-8830
• Opening hours: Product sales and direct production facilities 9:00-19:00
• Opening Hours: Food Court 10:30-18:30
• Opening hours: Gas station 8:00-19:00
• Closed: January 1st
• URL: Roadside Station Iwate Kitasanriku Official Website

GOOGLE MAP　

summary

In addition to the introduction of roadside stations in Iwate Prefecture in this article, two more new roadside stations will be launched in April 2025.

We would like to visit and report on these road stations after they open, so please look forward to it!