If you haven’t visited a Michi no Eki roadside station in Japan yet, you’re missing out. 

A lot has been written about the wonders of Japanese convenience stores, but for many residents there’s another way to shop that’s arguably even more unique and charming, and it’s called Michi no Eki.

Literally translating as “Road Station“, these government-designated roadside rest stops are often found along highways and local roads in rural areas, and they serve multiple purposes: providing rest areas for travellers, offering local information, and supporting regional revitalisation by showcasing local culture and products.

Sometimes you can even stumble upon some surprising extra features, which is what happened to our reporter Maro recently, when she stopped in at Michi no Eki Minami Kiyosato in Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture.

Not only did it have a farm-fresh produce section, it also had a restaurant, a dog run, and…some sort of mysterious rail stretching all the way up the mountain behind it.

The rail line was steep and surrounded by trees, so from below, you can’t see where it leads to at all. The sight of it stretching towards an unknown destination sparked Maro’s sense of curiosity, so she headed to the “Lift Car” boarding point.

After paying 500 yen (US$3.23) for the round-trip fare, Maro took her ticket from the machine and pressed the button to request boarding.

The lift car seemed to be somewhere at the summit, but it didn’t take long for her to spot the light blue hues of the lift car reflecting the sunlight as it made its way down the slope towards her.

As it approached, Maro was immediately in awe of its presence, while also feeling slightly nervous that the single carriage might spin out of control and slide down towards her. Thankfully, that didn’t happen so she was able to admire the design details, with the words “Koinobori Village” printed above a carp streamer, in honour of the fact that the roadside station is famous for carp streamers.

▼ Over 450 carp streamers “swim” in the sky each spring during the annual Koinobori Festival.

Hopping aboard, Maro took a seat and admired the view as the little car took her up to the mystery destination. After a journey of a few minutes, with the guide explaining things as they went, Maro stepped out at “Higoi Station” at the summit, where she found herself surrounded by glorious flowers.

This was Minami Yatsugatake Flower Forest Park, and at the plaza right outside the station, red salvias and purple flowers were in full bloom.

Next to it was a shop where you could eat specialties like stone-oven baked pizza and honey soft serve ice cream.

▼ Maro treated herself to the park’s famous Honey Soft Serve and loved the pronounced deliciousness of the honey.

There’s lots to do within the park, including seasonal activities such as digging for sweet potatoes and pressed flower crafting experiences.

▼ This mountain-top park is more than a lookout area – it feels more like a tourist destination.

▼ Both the roadside station below and Flower Forest Park above have ponds with carp and ducks.

▼ The store at the roadside station has loads of dried flowers for sale.

The mountaintop views from the flower park make this a beautiful spot to relax and unwind, and young families will appreciate the many wide spaces for children to run around in.

As she walked through the park, Maro could hear the sound of a bell ringing intermittently. Looking around, she discovered this was the so-called “Bell of Hope” located at the top of a lookout deck.

According to locals, ringing the bell five times while making a wish will grant you your wishes, so Maro did just that, sending out her dreams to the universe.

From the adjacent observatory, you can take in a panoramic view of the surrounding mountains and the roadside station below.

The return trip was a bit of a thrill ride, as the steep view as you make your way down is pretty terrifying. The speed may have been slow, but the angle was like a roller coaster, making the descent much scarier than the ascent.

According to the guide on board, this rail’s incline is as steep as a ski jump. It’s a great way to experience the thrilling point-of-view of a skier without having to strap on a pair of skis, and visiting during the autumn leaf-viewing season makes for a colourful journey.

Those wanting a more leisurely journey can access the flower park by walking, which takes roughly 20 minutes. For us, though, the thrill of the car ride makes for a memorable experience, and it’s a unique find that remains little-known outside of local circles.

Site information
Michi no Eki Minami Kiyosato / 道の駅 南きよさと
Address: Yamanashi-ken, Hokuto-shi,  Takane-cho, Nagasawa 760
山梨県北杜市高根町長沢760
Open: 8:30 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Park Opening Hours: 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (Closed December to March)
Website

Photos ©SoraNews24
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