Road Station Kobuchizawa

Roadside Station ‘Kobuchisawa’ is a well-equipped michi-no-eki (roadside station) at the foot of the Yatsugatake mountains—an ideal stopover during trips through Shinshu. Facilities include a farmers’ market selling fresh local produce, a section with local specialties, restaurants, a bakery, hands-on soba-making experiences, and even hot spring facilities. A particularly popular area is the “Farm to Table Market,” a direct-to-consumer produce market concept: fresh harvests go straight from the fields to your table without middlemen. You’ll find vegetables grown large with the blessings of the Yatsugatake nature, plus flowers, seeds, crafts, alcohol, sweets, and more—many handmade by local farmers. Locals also frequent this spot. The on-site Italian restaurant is popular, and its wood-fired pizza using freshly picked vegetables and local ingredients is a must-try. The bakery “Yama no Pan-ya Kuwanomi” is also a highlight, kneading dough in-house; pair the bread with jams from the jam workshop “Yume no Ki,” which offers handmade jams unique to the area. Another local specialty to try is “Enmei Soba,” and soba-making experiences (reservation required) are available. The attached day-use hot spring, “Enmei-no-Yu,” includes large baths, open-air baths, rock baths, and a sauna. If you’re short on time, you can still enjoy the free footbath. There is also a tourist information counter for Yatsugatake sightseeing tips, plus a nursing room, diaper-changing station, and wheelchair rentals—making it very family-friendly. Access: about 2 hours by car from Shinjuku and about 3 hours from Nagoya; about 3 minutes from Chuo Expressway “Kobuchizawa IC.”