Ibaraki Prefecture · Kanto
道の駅 いたこ
Freshly picked vegetables, Niji-dora cakes, rice balls, handmade side dishes and a 6,000-tsubo ground golf course. Near Itako Interchange, this roadside station is also a starting point for a trip through the waterways.
Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph
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Eat, shop, play, take in the view or rest. Choose from the station’s strengths to suit your day.
Freshly picked vegetables, rice, rice crackers and river fish tsukudani give you a taste of Itako’s everyday food.
Handmade Niji Kobo products suit a short break with children or a souvenir.
More side dishes are generally available after 11:00; choose your own combination.
A 6,000-tsubo (about 19,800 m²), all-grass, 32-hole course. Companions can also spend time at the children’s play area.
Choose by season and weather for more of Itako’s waterway scenery.
Shunsuke Kashiwagi sees Michi-no-Eki Itako as a place to reset plans when they change. If children want sweets, head to Niji Kobo; for lunch, try Ofukuro-tei; if grandparents want light activity, there is ground golf. In season, continue to the iris garden or Twelve Bridges. The station works as a small destination in its own right as well as a stop before exploring the waterways.
Pick up rice balls, choose a Niji-dora, and head out if everyone still has energy. Itako gives families room to take the day at their own pace.
Close to Itako Interchange, Michi-no-Eki Itako brings together the Itaro Fresh Market, Uruoi-kan and Niji Kobo workshop, Ofukuro-tei restaurant, and ground golf: more than a rest stop. Discover Koshihikari rice from rice-growing Itako, freshly picked vegetables, river fish tsukudani (simmered in soy sauce), rice-flour pho, Niji Kobo’s Niji-dora dorayaki cakes, drinkable yogurt and gelato, rice balls made with Itako rice, and side dishes at Ofukuro-tei from 11:00. Editor Shunsuke Kashiwagi recommends it for trips with children or older relatives. Eat, shop and play here, then continue to Suigo Itako Iris Garden, the Maekawa Twelve Bridges boat tour, Gongen-yama Park or Swan Village. It works for a short break or a seasonal half-day outing.
Itaro Fresh Market, Uruoi-kan and Niji Kobo, Ofukuro-tei, and a 6,000-tsubo (about 19,800 m²) ground golf course share the site. You can stay beyond a bathroom break and adjust the visit to your family’s energy and the weather.
Rice sold directly, rice served at Ofukuro-tei, rice balls made with Itako-grown rice, rice crackers and rice-flour pho show several ways to enjoy the local crop. Choose a meal and souvenirs around the same theme.
The on-site workshop offers Niji-dora dorayaki made with Ibaraki rice flour, drinkable yogurt made with milk from Itako City, gelato, yogurt chiffon cake and makomo pound cake. Makomo is an edible aquatic grass.
Choose a seasonal destination: Suigo Itako Iris Garden, the Maekawa Twelve Bridges tour, the traditional bridal boat procession, Gongen-yama Park or Swan Village. Eating and shopping at the station first can make the next stop easier.
Spend your time at the station or add somewhere nearby. These ideas help you plan around your companions and the weather.
Look for drinks or light food at Itaro, try Niji-dora or yogurt at Niji Kobo, and, if everyone has energy, head to the play area near the Glass House or to ground golf. Everything is on site, making plans easier when the weather is uncertain.
Itaro Fresh Market → Niji Kobo → area around the Glass House.
Check that ground golf, the play area and shops are operating on the day.
At cafeteria-style Ofukuro-tei, choose side dishes and set meals made with ingredients from Itako and Ibaraki. Cabbage mince cutlets, simmered mackerel and seasonal vegetable dishes offer small choices that suit a family meal.
Ofukuro-tei → Itaro for rice and savory souvenirs.
Side dishes are usually more plentiful after 11:00 and may end when sold out.
Itako-grown Koshihikari, rice crackers, rice-flour pho, rice balls and Niji-dora: thinking of the station through its rice products makes browsing more rewarding.
Itaro → Uruoi-kan and Niji Kobo → rice-ball counter.
For prices, stock and seasonal products, check the latest official notices and displays in the shops.
During the season for Suigo Itako Iris Garden and the bridal boat procession, stop for a meal and souvenirs before heading into town. A break at the station helps before crowds gather around the attractions.
Roadside station → Suigo Itako Iris Garden → Maekawa Twelve Bridges tour.
The bridal boats run on particular days and times and may be canceled for weather; check the tourism association’s current information.
The all-grass, 32-hole course, club rentals and a Glass House for breaks allow a longer stay than a shopping stop. Companions can wait at Itaro or Niji Kobo. Ground golf is a Japanese game played by hitting a ball toward a target over short holes.
Reception → ground golf → Ofukuro-tei.
Hours are 9:00–17:00. Check the weather and tournament schedule.
Itako has more than irises. Swans are reported at Swan Village in winter, and you can stop for a warm meal or souvenirs at the station before heading toward Lake Kitaura.
Roadside station → Swan Village → Gongen-yama Park if time allows.
Wildlife sightings vary with season and weather.
The official site lists year-round opening. Temporary changes are possible.
Side-dish lunch is generally available from 11:00. Last order is 16:30.
Check weather, tournaments and reception conditions.
The official site lists this schedule; offerings may change.
Bridal boats and boat tours vary by day and weather.
Stars show the editorial recommendation for each age group on a five-point scale. Read the reasons alongside each rating.
Works well for a brief shopping and meal stop. You can take a break just by buying a sweet or rice ball, without leaving the station. In busy periods, consider skipping the extra trip to the iris garden.
Niji Kobo, light food and the play area nearby make it easy to keep the visit within the station. For ground golf, decide how companions will wait.
Combine ground golf, the play area and a waterside walk. If the station alone is not enough, make a short trip to the iris garden or Maekawa area.
Choices include the all-grass, 32-hole ground golf course, Twelve Bridges tour, iris garden and views from Gongen-yama. Return in another season for a different 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.
Before visiting, check notices about typhoons, construction, large-vehicle parking, temporary closures, Golden Week hours and limited-edition dorayaki. If planning well ahead, check for updates weekly.
Usually held from late May to late June. The bridal boats, rowing boats and crowds at the iris garden affect how you plan a station stop.
Check cherry blossoms and irises in spring, the Itako Gion Festival and triathlon in summer, the Suigo Itako Fireworks Festival in autumn, and Swan Village in winter.
Tournaments and weather can affect use, so check hours, reception and events.
Practical ideas and things to consider when spending time here.
The 6,000-tsubo (about 19,800 m²), all-grass 32-hole course has club rentals, a Glass House, children’s play area and dog run. A shopping break can become a half-day stay.
At cafeteria-style Ofukuro-tei, choose side dishes and set meals. From around 11:00, choices include cabbage mince cutlets, simmered mackerel and seasonal vegetable dishes, making it easier to suit three generations.
Itaro has freshly picked vegetables; farm, fishery and livestock products; processed foods; producer messages; and advice on cooking and storage. There is more to explore than produce alone.
Handmade workshop products include Niji-dora made with Ibaraki rice flour, drinkable yogurt made with Itako City milk and gelato.
The Suigo Itako Iris Festival runs from late May to late June. The 2026 bridal boat schedule was May 22–June 21; weather could cancel sailings. Check the current year’s schedule before planning a visit.
The Maekawa Twelve Bridges tour, Katosu Twelve Bridges tour and Maekawa rowing boat cruise offer ways to experience the canal town by boat as well as visiting the iris garden.
Official videos show the market and nearby park before you visit. Audio and captions are in Japanese.
If the video does not load, watch it on YouTube
If the video does not load, watch it on YouTube
Opening and closure days, individual businesses and facilities for children or dogs can affect your plans.
Specialities, places to eat, sweets and bakeries can all give you a reason to stop. Check individual menus for current prices and availability.
A meal, a sweet treat, market shopping or something to take away: choose a focus for the day instead of trying everything at once.
Rice is a quick way to take home a taste of Itako. Rice balls are also handy for children.
Good for a break in the car, souvenirs or a small snack with children.
Options suit three generations with different tastes. After 11:00 is a good time for the side dishes.
Choose foods for the home table as souvenirs from the area.
Get ready for waits or hungry children before the iris garden or Twelve Bridges.
If the map does not load, open it in Google Maps
Freshly picked vegetables, Niji-dora cakes, rice balls, handmade side dishes and a 6,000-tsubo ground golf course. Near Itako Interchange, this roadside station is also a starting point for a trip through the waterways.
A seasonal highlight for irises, bridal boats and walks along Maekawa.
Have a snack at the station, then check departure times and weather before going.
For spring cherry blossoms, an evening view or a panorama of the waterways.
An option for waterside scenery and birdwatching in winter.
Add a historical stop to the iris garden and Maekawa walk.
Send your travel companions a possible stop.
