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Hokkaido

Pia 21 Shihoro Roadside Station

道の駅 ピア21しほろ

Shihoro beef, potatoes, potato chips and a café: a roadside stop for Shihoro's food on Routes 241 and 274.

Updated Michi-no-Eki JournalRead in Japanese

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph

Location
Shihoro Town, Kato District
Road
National Route 241 / National Route 274
Hours
9:00–17:00
Opening until 18:00 is listed for Golden Week and Obon. Nijiiro Shokudo is open 11:00–15:00.
Parking
Cars: 148 / Large vehicles: 11
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How to enjoy

Choose how to enjoy your visit

Eat, shop, play, take in the view or rest. Choose from the station’s strengths to suit your day.

Eat first
Nijiiro Shokudo

Make Shihoro beef steak, hamburger steak or a beef rice bowl the focus of lunch.

Take a lighter break
CAFE KANICHI Kanichi

Coffee, burgers and fries from 9:00; food last order is around 16:30.

Shop before leaving
PIA 21 SHOP

Browse potato chips, produce, yogurt, smoked turkey and original products.

With children
Rest area and children's corner

Take an indoor break before or after eating, especially on rainy, windy or cold days.

In clear weather
Shihoro Highland Nupuka no Sato

Drive up for views of the Tokachi Plain; check the winter closure and Tuesday closing first.

To finish the day
Shihoro Onsen Plaza Ryokufu

Take a longer post-drive break in its continuously flowing moor hot-spring water, colored by plant-derived organic matter.

Takase's Pia 21 Shihoro notes

Come for a break and plan a Shihoro meal to take home.

Takase sees Pia 21 Shihoro as a place to organize lunch, toilets, shopping and a child's break in one stop. Settle lunch with Shihoro beef, load up on potato chips and vegetables, then pause at the café. At the junction of Routes 241 and 274, it helps ease hunger and fatigue before the next Tokachi drive.

Highlights

Michi-no-Eki Pia 21 Shihoro stands near the junction of Routes 241 and 274 on the way from Obihiro toward Kamishihoro and Ashoro. It brings Shihoro's food into a short stop. At Nijiiro Shokudo, choose Shihoro beef steak, hamburger steak or a beef rice bowl. CAFE KANICHI Kanichi offers a lighter break with a Shihoro beef burger, Shihoro-style fries and carefully brewed coffee. PIA 21 SHOP is rich in local products: producer-return potato chips, potatoes, haskap berries, sea buckthorn, yogurt and smoked turkey. There is also an indoor rest area and children's corner, a large information display and brochures. Even without a sit-down meal, you can combine a toilet stop, shopping and a break for children. Editor Takase describes it as a place to load the flavors of Shihoro's fields and cattle into the car before heading into northern Tokachi.

  • #Shihoro Town
  • #Shihoro beef
  • #Potatoes
  • #Producer-return potato chips
  • #Nijiiro Shokudo
  • #CAFE KANICHI Kanichi
  • #PIA 21 SHOP
  • #Children's corner
  • #Shihoro Highlands
  • #Shihoro Onsen
Why I like it

Reasons to stop here

01

Shihoro beef at both the restaurant and café

The official site says Nijiiro Shokudo buys whole Shihoro cattle for its dishes. For a substantial meal, try the Kensaki steak or hamburger steak; for a lighter stop, choose the café's 100% Shihoro beef burger. Kensaki refers to the shovel-shaped iron serving plate, recalling the pioneering era.

02

The potato-growing town in the shop and snacks

PIA 21 SHOP's producer-return potato chips, the farmers' surplus vegetable market and the café's Shihoro-style fries make the town's fields tangible. You can buy chips by the box, have a snack and pick up ingredients for dinner in one stop.

03

Reset the drive in the indoor rest area and children's corner

The open space joins the rest area and children's corner, so adults can sit while children play. On a Tokachi drive with changeable weather, having an indoor place to pause is useful.

04

Continue to Nupuka no Sato, the hot spring or a bicycle ride

The visit need not end at the station. In clear weather, head for Shihoro Highland Nupuka no Sato; in the evening, try Shihoro Onsen; for a gentle look around town, use Charitabi Shihoro's bicycle rental. Food and rest here can be the starting point for exploring the wider town.

Route idea

Ways to plan your stop

Spend your time at the station or add somewhere nearby. These ideas help you plan around your companions and the weather.

A lunch break en route from Obihiro toward Kamishihoro or Ashoro

Make Shihoro beef the purpose of lunch

If you can arrive around lunchtime, make Nijiiro Shokudo the main stop. Choose between a fuller Kensaki steak or hamburger steak and a lighter beef rice bowl, beef soba or udon according to how much driving remains.

Parking → toilets → Nijiiro Shokudo → PIA 21 SHOP → café or children's corner.

The restaurant is generally open 11:00–15:00. At weekend lunchtime, check seating and serving times first.

Dinner shopping and souvenirs

Take home potato chips and vegetables

Look for producer-return potato chips, the farmers' surplus vegetable market, yogurt, smoked turkey and takeaway prepared foods to bring Shihoro to the dinner table. The station is convenient for planning how to load a box of chips into the car.

PIA 21 SHOP → produce → chilled goods → takeaway → back to the car.

Produce and popular products vary with the season and time of day.

Families with young children and rainy or windy days

Make a short stop at the café and children's corner

When a restaurant meal feels too much, adults can pause over coffee or fries at the café while children move around briefly in the indoor children's corner. It is suited to a short reset on a long drive, rather than a large outdoor playground visit.

Toilets → café → children's corner → brochures and information display → departure.

When busy, keep playtime short and leave clear paths for people using the dining area.

Clear days and photo stops

Add the views at Nupuka no Sato

After eating and shopping at the station, drive up to Shihoro Highland Nupuka no Sato for views across the Tokachi Plain from the farming town. Even without camping or staying in a cottage, a short viewpoint stop changes the feel of the outing.

Roadside station → Shihoro Highland Nupuka no Sato → back toward town if needed.

Check the winter closure, Tuesday closing, weather and mountain-road conditions.

An evening finish or an adult outing

Take a longer break at Shihoro Onsen

Add Shihoro Onsen Plaza Ryokufu after Shihoro beef and shopping at the station, and food, shopping and a hot spring fit into half a day. Its continuously flowing moor hot-spring water offers a relaxing pause after a day of driving.

Roadside station → Shihoro Onsen Plaza Ryokufu → toward Obihiro or Kamishihoro.

Check the final admission time, restaurant closing days and temporary closures on the official site.

Exploring town from spring to autumn

Get to know town with Charitabi Shihoro

If you want to see more than the road through town, pair the visit with tourist bicycle rental to take in field roads and local shops. Use the toilet and shop at the station first, then choose a short, manageable route.

Roadside station → bicycle rental reception and a ride around town → café break.

Check the rental location, hours, weather and wind in advance.

Hours

Opening hours

Roadside station and PIA 21 SHOP
9:00-17:00

Opening until 18:00 is listed for Golden Week and Obon. The tourism association also lists 18:00 closing from April to October; prioritize the official site and social media.

Nijiiro Shokudo
11:00-15:00

A lunch option for Shihoro beef dishes.

CAFE KANICHI Kanichi
9:00-17:00

Food last order 16:30. Opening until 18:00 is listed for Golden Week and Obon.

Closed days
Year-end and New Year holidays

The station’s official site lists December 31–January 4; the regional roadside-station directory lists through January 5. Check the latest station notice before visiting.

Family

Visiting with children

Stars show the editorial recommendation for each age group on a five-point scale. Read the reasons alongside each rating.

Age 1 and under
★★★☆☆

Best for toilets, an indoor rest and brief shopping. For feeding, diaper changes and stroller routes, check the arrangements on the day and plan a short stop rather than a long stay.

Avoid the restaurant's busiest period; the café and shop may be easier to use.

Ages 2–3
★★★★☆

A short spell of movement in the children's corner and a soft serve or fries can help this age group reset.

Indoor play suits a brief stop. When crowded, split shopping and child-break duties first.

Ages 4–6
★★★★☆

The large information display, children's corner and fries can be paired with the nearby hot spring or highlands.

Choose Nupuka no Sato on a clear day, or the café and hot spring in rain.

Elementary-school age
★★★★☆

Combine Shihoro beef, potatoes, bicycle rental, the fishing park and the hot spring to connect local food with experiences around town.

In summer, look for fireworks and haskap berries; in winter, prioritize road conditions and indoor rest.

Indoor rest

Use the open space and children's corner for a short change of pace.

Lunch rush

Nijiiro Shokudo focuses on lunch; plan the order of stops before children get hungry.

Weather

Tokachi's wind, temperature changes and snow affect comfort; do not push an outdoor detour.

Rest

Ideas for a restful stop

  1. 1
    Use the parking lot and toilets first

    The site lists 148 passenger-car spaces and 11 large-vehicle spaces, making this a convenient roadside break. On arrival, check the toilets and how busy the building is.

  2. 2
    Choose restaurant or café to suit your energy

    Choose Nijiiro Shokudo for a full lunch or the café for a lighter break. After 15:00, focus on the café and shop rather than the restaurant.

  3. 3
    Keep shopping manageable

    Decide on chilled goods, potato chips and produce first, so it is easier to judge travel time home and whether you need to keep items cool.

Event

Make an event part of your visit

Permanent spaces and dated events are listed separately. Events can change both the atmosphere and crowds; use the official links for details.

Checking event dates.

Spaces used for events

Open rest space

Rest space, children's play, the large information display and brochures make a useful indoor pause whatever the weather.

Official social media

Follow station updates on shortened hours, seasonal products, the anniversary festival and the New Year festival.

Shihoro Town Tourism Association

Follow seasonal town information such as the summer festival, haskap picking, bicycle rental and winter events.

PIA 21 SHOP

Watch for changes in seasonal vegetables, original products, online-shop items and takeaway food.

Local feel

Reasons to return

Practical ideas and things to consider when spending time here.

The restaurant is for lunch; the café covers morning through late afternoon

Nijiiro Shokudo is listed as open 11:00–15:00, while the café opens at 9:00 and has a 16:30 food last order. If you miss the lunch window, there may still be burgers, fries and coffee.

Source: Official site

Producer-return potato chips are a reason to shop here

The official site recommends buying boxes of these signature PIA 21 SHOP chips. Reviews and visitor accounts also often mention box purchases and chip-focused visits, so they deserve a prominent place among the souvenirs.

Source: Official site and Tabelog review trends

Families can make a brief indoor reset

The official site describes a children's corner connected to the rest area, a large information display and brochures. As this is not an outdoor play area, it suits a short break from rain, wind, snow or waiting for a meal.

Source: Official site

Parking is ample, but lunch and popular products depend on timing

The Tokachi Tourism Federation lists 148 passenger-car spaces, 11 large-vehicle spaces, 3 accessible spaces, 20 motorcycle spaces and one fast EV charger. Parking capacity is ample, while queues for lunch and popular souvenirs can vary by time of day.

Source: Tokachi Tourism Federation

Shihoro's seasons change the shop and nearby events

Bicycle rental from spring to autumn, early-summer haskap berries, summer-festival fireworks, autumn harvests and winter road conditions all affect how to stop here. Check the tourism association's updates as well as the station's opening hours.

Source: Tokachi Shihoro Town Tourism Association

Nupuka no Sato suits clear skies; Shihoro Onsen is an option in poor weather

The tourism association describes Nupuka no Sato as a viewpoint over the Tokachi Plain and Shihoro Onsen as a hot spring with continuously flowing moor water. Choose the highlands in good weather and the hot spring if conditions turn.

Source: Tokachi Shihoro Town Tourism Association
Before your visit

Things to check before setting out

Opening and closure days, individual businesses and facilities for children or dogs can affect your plans.

  • The roadside station generally opens 9:00–17:00; it lists opening until 18:00 during Golden Week and Obon.
  • Nijiiro Shokudo is open 11:00–15:00. For lunch, plan your arrival time first.
  • CAFE KANICHI Kanichi is generally open 9:00–17:00, with food last order around 16:30; it offers light food outside restaurant hours.
  • The tourism association sometimes lists 9:00–18:00 from April through October, but shortened-hour days also occur; prioritize official site and social-media updates.
  • When buying potato chips, produce or chilled goods, plan how to keep them cool and where to place them in the car.
  • Before driving up to Shihoro Highland, check Tuesday closing, winter closure, weather and road conditions.
  • On summer-festival or anniversary-festival days, allow extra time for parking and meals.
Food

Eating and shopping

Specialities, places to eat, sweets and bakeries can all give you a reason to stop. Check individual menus for current prices and availability.

  • Nijiiro Shokudo
    Shihoro beef Kensaki steak
    200 g, about ¥3,200 / 11:00–15:00
  • Nijiiro Shokudo
    Shihoro beef Kensaki hamburger steak
    150 g, about ¥1,750 / 11:00–15:00
  • Nijiiro Shokudo
    Shihoro beef rice-bowl set
    About ¥980
  • CAFE KANICHI Kanichi
    100% Shihoro beef burger
    Available alone or as a set / food last order 16:30
  • CAFE KANICHI Kanichi
    Shihoro-style fries
    Light snack / check availability at the counter
  • PIA 21 SHOP
    Producer-return potato chips
    Popular by the box / check in-store stock
  • Takeaway
    Shihoro beef steamed bun, Shihoro beef shumai and Jagabeko croquette
    Check the shop menu
  • Sweets
    Milk soft serve and Kanichi-coffee-topped soft serve
    Check at the counter
Food mood

What would you like to eat?

A meal, a sweet treat, market shopping or something to take away: choose a focus for the day instead of trying everything at once.

Eat Shihoro beef

Shihoro beef Kensaki steak / hamburger steak / beef rice bowl

Make the town's cattle farming the focus of lunch; choose the restaurant for a substantial meal.

The restaurant is listed as open until 15:00. Outside the lunch rush it may feel more relaxed.

Potatoes

Shihoro-style fries / producer-return potato chips

Enjoy potatoes both as a snack here and as chips to take home.

Stock of popular items varies; consider buying them when you see them.

Café

Kanichi coffee / Shihoro beef burger / lemonade

Even without entering the restaurant, you can sample Shihoro through drinks and light food from morning onward.

Food last order is generally 16:30 and may change on extended-hours days.

Farm produce

Farmers' surplus vegetable market / locally processed goods

Shop for potatoes, seasonal vegetables, yogurt and smoked foods for a meal at home.

The selection changes with the season and time of day.

Sweets

Milk soft serve / Kanichi-coffee-topped soft serve

A small treat outside the restaurant for families or a short break.

Check availability at the counter.

Access

Location and surroundings

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1
Roadside station
Pia 21 Shihoro Roadside Station

Shihoro beef, potatoes, potato chips and a café: a roadside stop for Shihoro's food on Routes 241 and 274.

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2
Highlands and views
Shihoro Highland Nupuka no Sato

After Shihoro beef and potatoes, head to the highlands overlooking the Tokachi Plain.

Open in Google Maps
Food outlets and the market on the station grounds share the station pin. Nearby places are separate destinations to combine with your visit.
Nearby

Places to visit nearby

Highlands and views
Shihoro Highland Nupuka no SatoJapanese guide
About 20–25 minutes by car from the stationAbout 20–25 minutes by car

For clear-day views, a short photo stop, or the start of a camping or cottage stay.

Hot spring and rest
Shihoro Onsen Plaza RyokufuJapanese guide
About 20–25 minutes by car from the stationAbout 20–25 minutes by car

For adult outings, an evening finish, or a longer break on a rainy or cold day.

Bicycle rental and town exploration
Charitabi Shihoro bicycle rentalJapanese guide
Available for use around townVaries by rental location and route

For short town rides from spring to autumn, a gentle family activity or a ride after eating.

Nature activities and seasonal outings
Shihoro Fishing Park and seasonal fruit around Shimo-oribeJapanese guide
About 20–30 minutes by car from the stationAbout 20–30 minutes by car

For outdoor activities with elementary-school children or older, early-summer fruit, or a half-day trip with the hot spring.

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Updated 2026-09-28Explore the nationwide map →