michi no eki
A UFO catcher that goes beyond plushies and figures.
Read More
New installations will provide welcome relief for families with young children while on the road.
Read More
Seems the people of Japan are listening to their stomachs when choosing the best of the nation’s roadside attractions.
When traveling in Japan, there are a number of quick and easy ways to see the whole country. You can take the Shinkansen, Japan’s bullet train that excels at speed and comfort. There are also a number of budget airlines including Peach, Air Asia, and Skymark Airlines that can make your trip quicker, but force you to sacrifice some amenities for a lower cost.
But if you have the time, there is no better way to travel around Japan than by hitting the open roads. Just like the US, there are many quirky best-kept secrets accessible only by car that are worth visiting. Some of the best places that really connect you with the locals are the roadside rest stops called Michi no Eki (literally “roadside stations“) that are perfect for taking a toilet or sleeping break, but are also hubs for local food, crafts and history.
Want to find the best roadside stations to visit? The travel website Trip Advisor has assembled a list of the best Michi no Eki for 2015, so gas up the car, it’s time for a road trip.
MOST POPULAR
Now
Red light district sushi restaurant in Tokyo shows us just how wrong we were about it
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Historical figures get manga makeovers from artists of Spy x Family, My Hero Academia and more
Sandwiches fit for a sumo served up in Osaka【Taste Test】
Tokyo Tsukiji fish market site to be redeveloped with 50,000-seat stadium, hotel, shopping center
Japan’s massive matcha parfait weighs 6 kilos, contains hidden surprises for anyone who eats it
Beautiful Red and Blue Star luxury trains set to be Japan’s new Hokkaido travel stars
Pokémon Sleep camping suite and guestrooms coming to Tokyo Hyatt along with giant Snorlax burgers
Japanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
Limited-edition Carbonara Udon will anger noodle purists and pasta lovers 【Taste test】
Weekly
- McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
All-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky lounge
More foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last month- Japanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
French Fries Bread in Tokyo’s Shibuya becomes a hit on social media
Studio Ghibli releases new action figures featuring Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind characters
New private rooms on Tokaido Shinkansen change the way we travel from Tokyo to Kyoto
Starbucks reopens at Shibuya Scramble Crossing with new look and design concept
Studio Ghibli glasses cases let anime characters keep an eye on your spectacles
Beautiful Ghibli sealing wax kits let you create accessories and elegant letter decorations【Pics】
Monthly
- McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Studio Ghibli releases Kiki’s Delivery Service chocolate cake pouches in Japan
New definition of “Japanese whiskey” goes into effect to prevent fakes from fooling overseas buyers
Our Japanese reporter visits Costco in the U.S., finds super American and very Japanese things
Studio Ghibli unveils Mother’s Day gift set that captures the love in My Neighbour Totoro
New Japanese KitKat flavour stars Sanrio characters, including Hello Kitty- All-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky lounge
- More foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last month
New Pokémon cakes let you eat your way through Pikachu and all the Eevee evolutions
Disney princesses get official manga makeovers for Manga Princess Cafe opening in Tokyo
Yearly
Sales of Japan’s most convenient train ticket/shopping payment cards suspended indefinitely- McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Sold-out Studio Ghibli desktop humidifiers are back so Totoro can help you through the dry season
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950s
Ghibli founders Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki contribute to Japanese whisky Totoro label design
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
Tokyo’s most famous Starbucks is closed
One Piece characters’ nationalities revealed, but fans have mixed opinions
We asked a Uniqlo employee what four things we should buy and their suggestions didn’t disappoint
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Japan’s massive matcha parfait weighs 6 kilos, contains hidden surprises for anyone who eats it
Beautiful Red and Blue Star luxury trains set to be Japan’s new Hokkaido travel stars
Pokémon Sleep camping suite and guestrooms coming to Tokyo Hyatt along with giant Snorlax burgers
Japanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
Limited-edition Carbonara Udon will anger noodle purists and pasta lovers 【Taste test】
Studio Ghibli’s “Bouncing Totoro” zoetrope gets its own merchandise at museum
No one knows what Bandai’s real-life Pot of Greed does, but it’s still pretty cool
Origami folded by gyaru – The first capsule toy it’s impossible to get a complete set of【Photos】
Akihabara pop-up shop sells goods made by Japanese prison inmates
Anime girl English teacher Ellen-sensei becomes VTuber/VVTUber and NFT
7-Eleven now has make-it-yourself smoothies in Japan, and they’re amazing
Tanuki warming itself in front of heater warms the hearts of Japanese Twitter users 【Pics】
Japanese cat book explains how cats see their human owners, and it’s not as objects of respect
-
