Skip to content
Michi-no-Eki JournalMap
Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph

Aomori Prefecture · Tohoku

Michi-no-Eki Morita

道の駅 もりた

A food stop on Route 101 for Tsugaru melons and apples, soba in an old house, and bread all in one place.

Updated Michi-no-Eki JournalRead in Japanese

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph

Location
Tsugaru City
Road
National Route 101
Hours
9:00–17:00
According to the official notice dated September 5, 2026: local products hall 9:00–17:00; sales outside the hall 9:00–16:00; Restaurant Nonoko 10:30–15:00; Morita Farmers' Market 9:00–17:30; TATSUYA Bakery 9:00–18:00; and Kakashi Soba 11:00–15:00. The hall and market are listed as 9:00–16:00 from December through February. Hours differ by shop, so check the latest official notices.
Parking
Cars: 110 / Large vehicles: 9
My stamp

Record this station in your journal

Records are saved in this browser. Visited stations receive a stamp and count towards your nationwide progress.

Nationwide progress
— / 1,238 stations
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.

First thing on arrival
Fruit and vegetables at Morita Farmers' Market

Melons and watermelons lead in summer; apples in autumn. If shopping is your main aim, an earlier visit gives you more choice.

For lunch
Nonoko or Kakashi's soba

Choose family-friendly Nonoko for a casual meal, or Kakashi in the former Masuda residence to enjoy the building's atmosphere too.

For something sweet
Melons, apples, and bread

Even on a short stop without a restaurant meal, buying fruit or bread gives you a taste of this station.

With children
Add Tsugaru Earth Village

For a longer outing, continue from the station to hot springs, the sports park, lodging, or camping; this can fill half a day or more.

For seasonal highlights
Early-summer marsh flowers; summer and autumn fruit

Bense Marsh's flowers are a draw from late May through June; melons and watermelons from July through September and autumn apples shape the fruit season.

For a brief stop
Toilets, local products hall, and bread

On the way from Goshogawara-kita IC or toward Ajigasawa, shopping and a light bite can fit into a 20–30 minute stop.

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph
Akari's shopping notes

Browse the fruit and bread stalls before lunch.

Michi-no-Eki Morita is more enjoyable when you browse the farmers' market and local products hall before heading to the restaurant. Summer melons, autumn apples, something from the bakery, soba in an old house: decide what you want to take home, and a Route 101 break becomes time to choose the flavors of Tsugaru.

Highlights

Michi-no-Eki Morita is a food and shopping rich stop on Route 101 between the Goshogawara, Tsugaru, and Ajigasawa areas. The local products hall, Morita Farmers' Market (formerly Oraho no Mehe), Restaurant Nonoko, TATSUYA Bakery, and Kakashi Soba in the former Masuda residence sit together. Look for melons and watermelons in summer, apples in autumn, and Tsugaru souvenirs and handmade goods year-round. Akari Fujishiro recommends stopping here to enjoy Tsugaru's sweets and lunch before heading to the next sightseeing spot.

  • #Aomori Prefecture
  • #Tsugaru City
  • #National Route 101
  • #Melons
  • #Apples
  • #Oraho no Mehe
  • #Restaurant Nonoko
  • #Kakashi Soba
  • #TATSUYA Bakery
  • #Tsugaru Earth Village
Why I like it

Reasons to stop here

01

Shop Tsugaru's seasons first at the farmers' market

Morita Farmers' Market (formerly Oraho no Mehe, reopened after renovation in March 2026) is the place to look for summer melons and watermelons, autumn apples, vegetables, processed foods, and handmade goods. Even without a restaurant meal, a walk around the stalls offers a taste of Tsugaru City.

02

Choose lunch by mood: Nonoko or Kakashi

Restaurant Nonoko serves Yasaburo ramen and rice dishes and has tatami-floor seating. Kakashi Soba occupies the former Masuda residence on the grounds: you can eat soba noodles in a large Tsugaru home from the mid-Meiji period. Choose a casual meal or one where the building is part of the experience.

03

Easy to combine with Tsugaru Earth Village and Sea of Japan side trips

Nearby Tsugaru Earth Village, which also inspired the station's name, can turn a stop into half a day with hot springs and activities. Extend the trip to Bense Marsh for seasonal flowers or Takayama Inari Shrine for its many torii gates, making a Route 101 break a junction for food and sightseeing.

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.

Driving toward Goshogawara or Ajigasawa

Turn a Route 101 lunch break into Tsugaru shopping

Arrive before noon, browse fruit and vegetables at the market, then head to Restaurant Nonoko or Kakashi Soba. After lunch, visit the local products hall and bakery; you can leave with Tsugaru flavors rather than just a rest stop behind you.

Parking lot → Oraho no Mehe → Nonoko or Kakashi → local products hall and bakery.

Days off and closing times vary by shop. Come around lunchtime to eat, or earlier if shopping is the priority.

A shopping drive from July through September

Make melons and watermelons the focus of a summer stop

Tsugaru City is known for melons and watermelons from the Byobuyama area, and harvest-season sales appear at the roadside station. Bring a cooler bag to take home fruit you find at the market. Browse the fragrant fruit stalls before lunch for a visit that feels distinctly Morita.

Roadside station → melon and watermelon shopping → lunch at Nonoko → toward Takayama Inari Shrine.

Varieties, arrivals, and special sales depend on weather and harvests. Choice may be limited late in the day.

Families wanting outdoor play, a hot spring, or an overnight stay

Pair the station with Tsugaru Earth Village for a half-day with children

Buy bread or fruit at the station, then move to nearby Tsugaru Earth Village for play and a bath. For small children wanting to move around, this can be more satisfying than a long stay at the station alone.

Roadside station → Tsugaru Earth Village sports park and hot spring → local products hall on the way back.

Weather affects the sports park and other outdoor facilities. Keep the hot spring as another option.

A day combining flowers and fruit

Choose Bense Marsh in early summer and apples in autumn

From late May through June, see Bense Marsh's daylilies and wild irises first, then shop at the station on the way back. In autumn, make apples at the market the focus instead of the marsh, with a slower visit to the restaurant and local products hall.

Bense Marsh → Michi-no-Eki Morita → local products hall and farmers' market.

Wind, ground conditions, and the stage of flowering all affect a marsh visit. Leave time to shop at the station even if the flowers disappoint.

A day exploring the thousand torii gates and Tsugaru Plain

Stock up on sweets before or after Takayama Inari Shrine

Takayama Inari Shrine is about 30 minutes by car from the station. Use the toilet and get drinks before visiting, then buy melons, apples, or bread on the return. It also adds local food to a drive for adults.

Roadside station → Takayama Inari Shrine → roadside station or toward Ajigasawa.

The shrine updates festival and goshuin stamp information. Allow time for the visit and the road journey.

Hours

Opening hours

Local products hall
9:00〜17:00

Official notice dated September 5, 2026. The hall's page lists 9:00–17:00 from March through November and 9:00–16:00 from December through February, closed only on New Year's Day. Station stamp access follows the hall's hours.

Outside sales at the local products hall
9:00〜16:00

Outdoor vegetable and fruit sales from April through November. Bad weather may mean earlier closing or a full-day closure.

Restaurant Nonoko
10:30〜15:00

Closed every Tuesday and over the New Year holidays. Last order 14:30. Tatami-floor seating available.

Kakashi Soba
11:00〜15:00

Inside the former Masuda residence (also called the former Masuda House). Inquiries: 0173-26-4225. Check winter closure and reopening notices.

TATSUYA Bakery
9:00〜18:00

Official notice dated September 5, 2026. Hours may change by season or notice.

Morita Farmers' Market
9:00〜17:30

Formerly Oraho no Mehe. Open 9:00–17:30 March through November and 9:00–16:00 December through February; closed only on New Year's Day. Winter closure notices have appeared, so check shortly before visiting.

Family

Visiting with children

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph

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

Age 1 or under
★★★☆☆

Keep to the toilets, a short shopping trip, and the restaurant with tatami-floor seating.

Keep shopping and dining brief and choose a route that makes it easy to return to the car.

Ages 2–3
★★★☆☆

Children may enjoy choosing bread and fruit, but this station is not primarily a playground.

If they need to run around, plan to move on to Tsugaru Earth Village.

Ages 4–6
★★★★☆

The restaurant, bread, fruit, and Tsugaru Earth Village make an easy half-day combination.

Choose fruit in summer; in rain or cold, switch to the hot spring to keep plans flexible.

Primary school age
★★★★☆

The former Masuda residence, Bense Marsh, and Takayama Inari Shrine add local stories.

Combine the food stop with an old house, marsh, or thousand torii gates for a more memorable visit.

Plan meals around midday

Nonoko and Kakashi mainly serve lunch. Later in the day, switch to the bakery or farmers' market.

Keep fruit cool in the car

For summer melon or watermelon purchases, plan a cooler bag and the order of your stops.

Go to Earth Village for play

Continue to nearby Tsugaru Earth Village for more to do with children beyond the station.

Check shoes and wind at the marsh

For a Bense Marsh visit, consider ground conditions and wind as well as peak flowering.

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

Morita Farmers' Market

Summer melons and watermelons and autumn apples change the character of this market with the seasons.

Restaurant Nonoko

A restaurant serving Yasaburo ramen and dishes with local ingredients. Check its Tuesday closure and any shortened hours.

Kakashi Soba

A soba restaurant in the former Masuda residence. Watch for winter closures and notices of extended or shortened hours.

Nearby seasonal attractions

Events at Tsugaru Earth Village, flowers at Bense Marsh, and festivals at Takayama Inari Shrine can change how you plan a stop.

Local feel

Reasons to return

Practical ideas and things to consider when spending time here.

Choice of goods and meals can narrow before closing

Accounts of late-afternoon visits describe stalls and shops nearing the end of the day. For a choice of fruit or bread, aim for morning to midday; for a meal, plan to arrive by around 14:00.

Source: Official hours and visitor blog patterns

The seasonal focus shifts from marsh to market

Bense Marsh's flowers are a highlight from late May through June; the station's melons and watermelons are strongest from July through September, followed by autumn apples. Choose the season's main attraction rather than trying to fit everything into one trip.

Source: Tsugaru City and Aomori tourism information

A useful break between Route 101 and Goshogawara-kita IC

Tourism information gives about 25 minutes by car from Goshogawara-kita IC on the Namioka–Goshogawara Road and about 20 minutes from JR Goshogawara Station. It is a convenient place to combine food and shopping while heading from Aomori or Hirosaki toward the Sea of Japan coast.

Source: Aomori tourism information and road-route check
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.

  • Hours vary by shop and can change through notices on the official site. Check the latest notice if eating or shopping is the purpose of your visit.
  • Restaurant Nonoko, Kakashi Soba, TATSUYA Bakery, and Morita Farmers' Market have different hours and closing days. Check the shop you plan to visit.
  • For summer fruit purchases, plan a cooler bag and the order of your stops.
  • Kakashi Soba issues notices about winter closure and reopening. Check especially for winter and spring visits.
  • Flowering, ground conditions, and wind affect a Bense Marsh visit. Comfortable walking shoes are suitable, even if rubber boots are unnecessary.
  • If continuing to Takayama Inari Shrine, work backward from your planned shrine visit and return shopping time.
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.

  • Direct sales
    Tsugaru-grown melons and watermelons
    Check for special sales and arrivals from July through September
  • Direct sales
    Apples and seasonal vegetables
    Varies by autumn arrivals and variety
  • Meal
    Yasaburo ramen
    A Restaurant Nonoko specialty to consider
  • Meal
    Ikuzo Yoshi's Furusato-bin
    Listed as a menu item featuring Aomori ingredients
  • Meal
    Soba at Kakashi Soba
    Lunch in the former Masuda residence
  • Light meal
    Bread from TATSUYA Bakery
    Good for an early stop or takeaway
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.

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph
Top picks at the farmers' market

Melons, watermelons, apples, seasonal vegetables

Browse this first if shopping is the goal. Summer and autumn fruit arrivals change the feel of the station.

Stock depends on the harvest, weather, and time of day.

Eat at the restaurant

Yasaburo ramen, Ikuzo Yoshi's Furusato-bin, rice dishes

For a family lunch. Tatami-floor seating can also make it easier to dine with small children.

Restaurant Nonoko is listed as closed on Tuesdays and over the New Year holidays.

Enjoy the building as well as the meal

Soba at Kakashi Soba

Lunch in the former Masuda residence from the mid-Meiji period, suited to a quiet meal among the features of an old Tsugaru home.

Winter closure or shorter hours may apply.

A quick light bite

Bread from TATSUYA Bakery, fruit, soft-serve-style sweets

Choose something to eat in the car or at your next destination without sitting down at a restaurant.

The bakery also has its own closing days.

Take something home

Tsugaru souvenirs, local sake, processed foods, handmade crafts

Browse local products together in the hall. Handy when you want both fruit and souvenirs in one stop.

Check the day's shelves for seasonal products and local sake stock.

Access

Location and surroundings

Driving directions from your location
Open in your map appOpen in Google Maps
Explore stations near つがる市 (Japanese guide)
Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph

If the map does not load, open it in Google Maps

1
Roadside station
Michi-no-Eki Morita

A food stop on Route 101 for Tsugaru melons and apples, soba in an old house, and bread all in one place.

Open in Google Maps
2
Hot springs and outdoor activities
Tsugaru Earth Village

A nearby half-day destination for hot springs, sports, and camping after shopping at the roadside station.

Open in Google Maps
3
Nature and flowers
Bense Marsh

An early-summer route for seeing daylilies and wild irises, then buying fruit at the station on the way back.

Open in Google Maps
4
Shrine and scenery
Takayama Inari Shrine

Use the roadside station for toilets, lunch, and fruit before or after seeing the thousand torii gates.

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

Tsugaru Earth Village
Hot springs and outdoor activities
Tsugaru Earth VillageJapanese guide
About 5 minutes by carAbout 5 minutes by car

For days when you want children to play or to visit a hot spring after eating and shopping at the station.

Bense Marsh
Nature and flowers
Bense MarshJapanese guide
About 25 minutes by carAbout 25 minutes by car

For seeing flowers from late May through June and adding lunch or farmers' market shopping at the station.

Takayama Inari Shrine
Shrine and scenery
Takayama Inari ShrineJapanese guide
About 30 minutes by carAbout 30 minutes by car

For adding lunch, sweets, or shopping at the station before or after seeing the thousand torii gates.

Nishi no Koyasan Koboji Temple
Temple and culture
Nishi no Koyasan Koboji TempleJapanese guide
About 10 minutes by carAbout 10 minutes by car

For a nearby, quiet cultural stop after lunch.

Share

Send your travel companions a possible stop.

Share on XShare on LINE

Send a correction

Let us know if information on this page, such as hours or closing days, is incorrect. Our editors will review your message before updating the guide.

We use your submission only to review and improve our content and to reply about your message.

Updated 2026-09-28Explore the nationwide map →