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

Akita Prefecture · Tohoku

Michi-no-Eki Ani

道の駅 あに

A small but rewarding stop in Matagi country along mountain-lined Route 105, where you can take home a little silver vine, wild vegetables, game meat and butter mochi.

Updated Michi-no-Eki JournalRead in Japanese

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph

Location
Kitaakita City
Road
National Route 105
Hours
9:00–17:00
The shop is generally open 9:00–17:00. Aoshishi restaurant is open 11:00–15:00, with last orders at 14:45; soft serve and coffee are available 9:00–16:00. The information rest area and toilets are accessible 24 hours.
Parking
Cars: 33 / Large vehicles: 3
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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.

Look here first
Wild vegetables, silver vine and butter mochi in the shop

The shop shelves capture Ani's character. Seasonal wild vegetables and nameko mushrooms vary by time of day.

If you can stop at lunchtime
Game-meat ramen or wild-vegetable soba at Aoshishi

The restaurant mainly serves lunch. Set your arrival time first if you are coming for a meal.

For something sweet
Butter mochi and wild-grape products

Ani butter mochi travels well; soft serve is generally sold from early April to late October.

With children
A short break plus a nearby destination

Use the toilets and get a snack here, then head toward Kumakuma-en or Mount Moriyoshi instead of planning a long stay at the station.

On a rainy or cold day
Switch to Uttō Onsen or Ani Ijinkan

When a waterfall or mountain walk is difficult, a hot spring and cultural site still offer a taste of Ani.

Visiting in winter
Check Tuesday closures and snow conditions

The shop and restaurant close on Tuesdays from December through March. Weather may also change plans for Mount Moriyoshi and nearby roads.

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph
Highlights

Michi-no-Eki Ani is a roadside station on National Route 105 in Ani Hitachinai, Kitaakita City. Though compact, its shop's wild vegetables, silver vine, processed bear and horse meat, and Ani butter mochi, together with game-meat ramen and wild-vegetable soba at Aoshishi restaurant, make the trip worthwhile. It is within walking distance of Hitachinai Station on the Akita Inland Line, making it a handy break on a rail journey or a place to eat and shop before heading to Mount Moriyoshi, Kumakuma-en, Uttō Onsen or Yasu Falls.

  • #Akita Prefecture
  • #Kitaakita City
  • #National Route 105
  • #Matagi country
  • #Silver vine
  • #Wild vegetables
  • #Game meat
  • #Butter mochi
  • #Wild grapes
  • #Akita Inland Line
  • #Mount Moriyoshi
  • #24-hour toilets
Why I like it

Reasons to stop here

01

Small station, concentrated taste of Ani

The appeal lies in the shop shelves and restaurant menu rather than the size of the facilities. Boiled wild vegetables, nameko mushrooms, bear meat, simmered horse meat, kuromoji tea, Ani honey, butter mochi, Akita cedar tubs and barrels, and Matagi nagasa knives each reflect Ani. Even a quick stop can leave you with more bags to unpack at home.

02

Plan lunch around Aoshishi's hours

The restaurant is generally open 11:00–15:00, so time your arrival if lunch is the main reason for visiting. Rabbit-meat ramen, horse-meat ramen, wild-vegetable soba, soup made with Ani miso and Akita Komachi rice from Ani Suzuki Farm offer a taste of the area's mountain food culture. Soft serve or coffee works for a lighter break.

03

A practical planning stop before Mount Moriyoshi

Within walking distance of Hitachinai Station, it links journeys on Route 105 and the Akita Inland Line. Seasons and road conditions strongly affect visits to Kumakuma-en, Uttō Onsen, Moriyoshizan Ani Ski Resort and Yasu Falls. Eat, use the toilet and adjust your plans here before taking the mountain roads.

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 stop on Route 105 or a break from the Akita Inland Line

Choose an Ani specialty for lunch

If you can arrive during Aoshishi's hours, rabbit-meat ramen, horse-meat ramen and wild-vegetable soba are characteristic choices. Companions who do not want game meat can choose a fried-chicken set meal, curry, soba or udon, making this an easy lunch stop for trying a little mountain cuisine.

Along National Route 105; about a 5–10 minute walk from Hitachinai Station on the Akita Inland Line.

The restaurant mainly serves lunch, so arriving late limits your meal options.

Adults looking for souvenirs and food to enjoy at home

Take home a little from the mountains

Part of Ani's appeal is browsing shelves of wild vegetables, nameko mushrooms, honey, kuromoji tea, butter mochi, simmered horse meat and bear curry. Choose something to add to a meal after you return, rather than expecting a large shopping complex.

Browse the shop first, then revisit anything that catches your eye after eating.

Nameko and wild vegetables change with the season and deliveries, so stay flexible about what you hope to find.

Families with elementary-school children and half a day in Ani

Give children and adults their own reasons to go

Have lunch and shop here, then continue to Kumakuma-en or Uttō Onsen Matagi no Yu instead of spending a long time at the station. Watching animals, relaxing in the hot spring and buying sweets in the shop give family members different things to look forward to.

Michi-no-Eki Ani → Kumakuma-en → Uttō Onsen Matagi no Yu.

Kumakuma-en normally closes for winter. Bear-hibernation visits and similar activities are separate, reservation-based programs.

Drives for the gondola, nature watching, autumn foliage or frost-covered trees

Let the weather shape a Mount Moriyoshi day

The gondola at Moriyoshizan Ani Ski Resort offers different experiences with flowers, autumn leaves and frost-covered trees. Go up the mountain in clear weather; in heavy cloud or rain, switch to a meal at the station, Ani Ijinkan or a hot spring. Keep the day's mountain plans flexible.

Michi-no-Eki Ani → Moriyoshizan Ani Ski Resort. Check the official same-day gondola status.

Temperatures, fog and wind can differ near the summit; dress for mountain conditions, not just the lowlands.

Adults able to hike, waterfall walks and autumn foliage

Give Yasu Falls most of a day

Yasu Falls is one of Japan's 100 notable waterfalls, but reaching it involves a hike of about one hour each way from the parking area. Eat and prepare drinks at the roadside station, then assess the roads and available time. With young children or in poor weather, save the falls for another day.

Michi-no-Eki Ani → Yasu Falls trailhead → walk to the falls.

Snow generally closes access from mid-November to late May. Check the latest road information.

Hours

Opening hours

Shop
9:00-17:00

Wild vegetables, silver vine, processed game meat, butter mochi, crafts and more.

Aoshishi restaurant
11:00-15:00

Last orders at 14:45. Check official information for current menus and opening hours.

Soft serve and coffee
9:00-16:00

Soft serve is generally sold from early April through late October.

Information rest area and toilets
24 hours

Official notices say the toilets and information rest area remain available even on winter closure days.

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.

Ages 1 and under
★★☆☆☆

Do not count on nursing facilities or play space for a long stay; the 24-hour toilets and a short rest are the more useful reasons to stop.

Ages 2–3
★★☆☆☆

This is not a place to run around indoors. Have a snack, use the toilet and continue to Kumakuma-en or the hot spring.

Ages 4–6
★★★☆☆

Children may enjoy the wooden crafts and sweets in the shop, while nearby attractions are the main draw. In good weather, add Mount Moriyoshi or Kumakuma-en.

Elementary-school children
★★★★☆

Combine the station with Kumakuma-en, Matagi culture, Mount Moriyoshi or a waterfall hike for learning and play. It makes a good starting point for meals and shopping.

Rest

Ideas for a restful stop

  1. 1
    Time your visit for the restaurant

    The shop opens 9:00–17:00, but the restaurant mainly serves lunch. For a reliable meal before or after mountain roads, plan to arrive between 11:00 and sometime in the 14:00 hour, before the 14:45 last order.

  2. 2
    Allow for a small parking area

    There are 33 standard-vehicle and 3 large-vehicle spaces. Unlike a large roadside station, space is limited; arriving a little before the lunchtime rush on weekends or local event days may be more comfortable.

  3. 3
    Check closures and roads separately in winter

    The station's winter Tuesday closures are separate from snow and road closures toward Mount Moriyoshi and Yasu Falls. Check your meal, hot-spring and mountain-road plans individually.

  4. 4
    Save the hot spring for last

    Finish shopping and the mountain drive with a visit to Uttō Onsen Matagi no Yu. Plan to leave the mountain roads before dark.

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

Official notices

Look here for temporary opening changes, winter closing days and links to nearby events. It is more useful to follow activity across Ani, including Kumakuma-en, Mount Moriyoshi and marathons, than to expect large events at the station itself.

Official Instagram and Facebook

These channels show seasonal products, new shop stock and the day's atmosphere. Check shortly before visiting, since wild vegetables, nameko and other items on the shelves change.

Links with Mount Moriyoshi and Kumakuma-en

Past joint promotions combined Kumakuma-en admission with the roadside station and Uttō Onsen. Check nearby opening and operating information when planning how to use the station.

Local feel

Reasons to return

Practical ideas and things to consider when spending time here.

Silver-vine ramen is memorable for its novelty

Visitor accounts often mention the unusual noodles kneaded with silver vine. Rather than a strikingly strong flavor, this is a light soy-sauce-style dish with wild vegetables and a conversation starter from a trip to Ani.

Source: Visitor trends on Jalan and Tabelog

Seasonal wild vegetables and mushrooms stand out in the shop

The official shop guide lists nameko from mid-October to early November, boiled wild vegetables year-round, honey and kuromoji tea. Come ready to browse mountain products rather than counting on one specific item.

Source: Official shop page

Game meat draws visitors, with other options for companions

Rabbit-meat and horse-meat ramen have strong local character, while set meals, curry and wild-vegetable soba mean everyone need not order game meat. A group can split between eating a meal, having only sweets and browsing the shop.

Source: Official restaurant page

A short station stop pairs well with deeper visits nearby

Visitor reviews and tourism information suggest using the station before or after Kumakuma-en, the Matagi Museum, Uttō Onsen, Mount Moriyoshi or Yasu Falls rather than staying here for hours. A brief stop can improve the whole itinerary.

Source: Trends in Kitaakita City, Akita Fan and travel-site information

Seasons change visits to Kumakuma-en and Mount Moriyoshi

Kumakuma-en normally opens from spring through autumn; flowers, foliage and frost-covered trees bring different reasons to visit Mount Moriyoshi. Food and shopping at the station are more nearly year-round, while nearby destinations vary greatly by season. Decide realistically how far to go today.

Source: Official Kumakuma-en and Moriyoshizan Ani Ski Resort information

Weather and road access matter for Yasu Falls

Yasu Falls is a destination that includes a walk; treating it as a quick extra stop can make the day rushed. Check snow-season and road-closure information, and choose separately between a falls day and a station-and-hot-spring day.

Source: Kitaakita City and Kitaakita 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.

  • Aoshishi restaurant is generally open 11:00–15:00, with last orders at 14:45. Time your arrival if you want lunch.
  • The shop and restaurant close December 31 and January 1, and Tuesdays from December through March. Official information says the toilets and information rest area are accessible 24 hours.
  • The relatively small parking area holds 33 standard vehicles and 3 large vehicles. A short stop may be more comfortable than a long stay at lunchtime on weekends or local event days.
  • Wild vegetables, nameko, honey, kuromoji tea, butter mochi and other goods vary with season and deliveries. Keep your shopping plans flexible.
  • Kumakuma-en normally opens from spring through autumn. Check gondola operation and weather for Mount Moriyoshi, and road access and walking time for Yasu Falls.
  • In winter, check station closures, mountain snow and Akita Inland Line or road operations separately so you can adjust your plans.
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.

  • Aoshishi restaurant
    Rabbit-meat ramen
    About ¥1,000
  • Aoshishi restaurant
    Horse-meat ramen
    About ¥1,000
  • Aoshishi restaurant
    Wild-vegetable soba
    About ¥700
  • Takeout
    Soft serve
    About ¥400
  • Shop
    Kitaakita butter mochi
    Varies by item in the shop
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
Taste Ani at the restaurant

Rabbit-meat ramen / horse-meat ramen / wild-vegetable soba

Good for a lunch break with a taste of mountain food culture. Set meals and curry also suit anyone who prefers to skip game meat.

The restaurant is generally open 11:00–15:00; it is less suited to a late lunch.

Choose a rice meal

Fried-chicken set meal / pork-cutlet set meal / curry rice

A substantial meal for a driving day. Even familiar dishes feature local touches, such as Ani Suzuki Farm's Akita Komachi rice and miso soup made with Ani miso.

The restaurant menu may change.

Make a brief stop for sweets

Soft serve / butter mochi / wild-grape products

If you miss meal hours, sweets and shopping still make the stop worthwhile. Butter mochi can be taken home to enjoy at leisure.

Soft serve is generally sold from early April to late October.

Buy something to take home

Boiled wild vegetables / nameko mushrooms / honey / kuromoji tea / simmered horse meat

The shop is particularly good for food to bring into your own kitchen. Finding seasonal wild vegetables or nameko makes a stop here rewarding.

Wild vegetables and mushrooms vary with season and deliveries.

Browse the shelves of Matagi country

Bear meat / bear curry / bear-claw key rings / Matagi nagasa knives

These are not souvenirs for everyone, but they show Ani's local character. Even comparing the foods, crafts and mountain tools can be memorable. Matagi are the area's traditional mountain hunters.

Quantities and stock vary; enjoy what is available when you visit.

Access

Location and surroundings

Driving directions from your location
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1
Roadside station
Michi-no-Eki Ani

A small but rewarding stop in Matagi country along mountain-lined Route 105, where you can take home a little silver vine, wild vegetables, game meat and butter mochi.

Open in Google Maps
2
Restaurant
Aoshishi Restaurant

Try a little wild-vegetable and game-meat cooking at this station restaurant when you stop for lunch in Ani.

Open in Google Maps
3
Zoo
Kumakuma-en

Add an Ani family destination to a meal and shopping stop at the roadside station.

Open in Google Maps
4
Hot spring and lodging
Uttō Onsen Matagi no Yu

After eating and shopping at the mountain roadside station, finish the Ani outing at a hot spring.

Open in Google Maps
5
Mountain and gondola
Moriyoshizan Ani Ski Resort and Ani Gondola

Begin a mountain day from the roadside station, heading to Mount Moriyoshi for flowers, foliage or frost-covered trees.

Open in Google Maps
6
Waterfall and hiking
Yasu Falls

Prepare at the station before heading deep into Ani for one of Japan's 100 notable waterfalls.

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7
History and culture
Ani Ijinkan and Denshokan

Add the history of the Ani mine to a day of mountain food, especially when it rains.

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

Restaurant
Aoshishi RestaurantJapanese guide
Inside the stationA very short walk

For a Route 105 lunch break with a taste of Ani

Kumakuma-en
Zoo
Kumakuma-enJapanese guide
About 15–20 minutes by carAbout 7 km from the station in a straight line

For families with elementary-school children wanting an Ani destination after a station break

Uttō Onsen Matagi no Yu
Hot spring and lodging
Uttō Onsen Matagi no YuJapanese guide
About 15–20 minutes by carAbout 7 km from the station in a straight line

For finishing a Mount Moriyoshi or Kumakuma-en day at a hot spring

Moriyoshizan Ani Ski Resort and Ani Gondola
Mountain and gondola
Moriyoshizan Ani Ski Resort and Ani GondolaJapanese guide
About 20 minutes by carAbout 8 km from the station in a straight line

For a visit focused on Mount Moriyoshi's flowers, foliage or frost-covered trees after eating or shopping

Yasu Falls
Waterfall and hiking
Yasu FallsJapanese guide
About 40–50 minutes by car, plus about one hour on footAbout 14 km from the station in a straight line

For a nature outing in good weather and road conditions after preparing food and drinks at the station

Ani Ijinkan and Denshokan
History and culture
Ani Ijinkan and DenshokanJapanese guide
About 20 minutes by carAbout 11 km from the station in a straight line

For a rainy day or an adult trip that includes Ani's history

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Updated 2026-09-29Explore the nationwide map →