It's definitely the season for autumn leaves. Aiming for a striking photo, I stopped by Bitchu Matsuyama Castle to take photos of the sea of โโclouds and autumn leaves. I also previously stopped by to photograph the Japanese rollers.
Both locations are about 15 minutes away, making it a convenient base of operations.
This facility opened in October 2000 as a new forum for urban and rural exchange.
It offers fresh, safe vegetables and local specialties from the Kibi Plateau, as well as a restaurant and convenience store. The facilities are a little outdated.
It's located just off Kayo Interchange, 3 minutes toward Okayama along National Route 484. It's about an hour's drive from Okayama City or Kurashiki City (about 20 minutes on the Okayama Expressway).
๐ ฟ๐44 cars ๐3 cars ๐ป
[Visited September 5, 2025]
- I stopped off to pick up some souvenirs before taking the Kayo Interchange on the highway home.
- Parking available
- Restrooms available
- The facility itself isn't particularly large, but they do have some souvenirs.
- Other reviews mentioned there being no trash cans, but there were some in the building next to the restrooms.
- There was a mini waterwheel.
- There was a Lawson convenience store.
- There were also souvenirs. Apparently, blueberries are famous.
- They also had Chiya Beef Curry (pre-packaged curry).
- There was also a restaurant (Kayo), though I didn't use it.
In the end, it was great!
I used this station during my trip.
There's a convenience store (Lawson) and a restaurant. They sell a variety of "medaka" (meatballs) in front of the store. It was almost closing time, but lots of people still came in looking for vegetables.
It seems the convenience store closes around 6pm.
The roadside station's Wi-Fi was fast and easy the whole time! I'm so happy.
May 11, 2024, just before 3 PM. I stopped by for a stamp rally.
This roadside station is notable for its blueberry promotion, killifish sales, waterwheel, and agricultural product sales.
I ordered a 100-yen parfait loaded with blueberries, but the blueberries were frozen, so I couldn't finish it all, lol.
They also had blueberries, blueberry jam, blueberry sauce, blueberry salt, and more.
They also had chocolate crunchies with interesting packaging, such as "Kakinotane x Chocolate: I Want to Drown in Chocolate," "Pachipachi Candy x Chocolate: I Want to Experience a Sparkling Love," and "Pistachio x White Chocolate: Since the Day We First Met."
Frequently Asked Questions
Visitors can enjoy blueberry picking, blueberry jam-making, miso-making, tofu-making, and hand-made soba noodle experiences. There's also a dog run area.
Yes, you can enjoy live video footage of Dollarbird nest boxes at the station, as the area is known for these rare birds.
The yuzu miso (citrus miso) is highly recommended and pairs well with oden or vegetable sticks. Handmade products like miso, jam, and tofu from local residents are also popular.
The station is approximately 3 minutes by car from Kayo IC on the Okayama Expressway, making it easily accessible for travelers on the highway. It's conveniently positioned as a rest stop for those exploring Okayama Prefecture or traveling through the region.