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Gunma Prefecture · Kanto

Michi-no-Eki Manba no Sato

道の駅 万葉の里

A mountain village roadside station where you can look out over the Kanna River, choose handmade soba and tofu, and walk to a suspension bridge.

Updated Michi-no-Eki JournalRead in Japanese

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Location
Kanna Town, Tano District
Road
National Route 462
Hours
10:00–16:30
Approximate shop hours. The restaurant is generally open 11:00–14:30 on weekdays and 10:30–15:00 on weekends and public holidays; these end times are last order. Hours change seasonally.
Parking
Cars: 52 / Large vehicles: 1
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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.

See first
Kanna River terrace

After the mountain drive, start by relaxing where you can see the river; it changes the feel of the stop.

For a meal
Handmade soba

The restaurant’s signature dish uses Kanna Town buckwheat. Arriving before the lunch rush gives you more choice.

For something sweet
Soy milk pudding

A light dessert that lets you sample the local Awabata soybean flavor; good for a small bite after a meal.

To buy
Manba tofu and miso

A cooler bag is useful if you buy chilled goods. Miso and vegetables bring a taste of Kanna Town home.

To step outside
Manba Suspension Bridge

A short walk from the station. Parts of the bridge deck let you see through to the river below, so hold young children’s hands.

For half a day
Kanna Town Dinosaur Center

With children or on a rainy day, drive on to its indoor exhibits for an easy extension to the trip.

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph
Harumichi’s detour notes

A stop for eating, shopping and seeing the river before setting off.

Harumichi Hinata sees this station as a place to find the flavors of Kanna Town amid a mountain drive. Settle lunch with handmade soba, take home Manba tofu or miso, and finish with a look at the Kanna River. It is not a large complex, but the restaurant, shop, terrace and bridge are close together, so even a short stop offers a sense of the area.

Highlights

Michi-no-Eki Manba no Sato is a small roadside station that turns a rest stop on the drive into Kanna Town along National Route 462 into time for food and scenery. Try handmade soba made with Kanna Town buckwheat, Manba tofu and soy milk pudding made with local Awabata soybeans, and browse seasonal vegetables and locally made miso. Then walk to the terrace by the Kanna River and the Manba Suspension Bridge. It is worth more than a brief restroom stop.

  • #Kanna Town buckwheat soba
  • #Manba tofu
  • #Kanna River terrace
  • #Manba Suspension Bridge
  • #National Route 462
Why I like it

Reasons to stop here

01

Linger after your meal with a view of the Kanna River

Behind the station is a terrace overlooking the Kanna River. After enjoying soba or tofu at the restaurant, you can listen to the river instead of going straight back to the car. It is an easy place to unwind after driving mountain roads.

02

Taste Kanna Town in soba, tofu and miso

The restaurant serves handmade soba made with Kanna Town buckwheat. At the shop, look for seasonal vegetables, honey and miso made in town. Manba tofu and soy milk pudding made with local Awabata soybeans give you another reason to eat or shop here.

03

Add the Manba Suspension Bridge for a short sightseeing stop

The Manba Suspension Bridge, which crosses the Kanna River, is just behind the station. Even without time for another long sightseeing stop, you can combine a meal, shopping, the riverside and the bridge in one visit.

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 on National Route 462

Make lunch the main stop, then rest by the river

Choose handmade soba at the restaurant, then head to the terrace after eating. Visit the shop afterward to decide whether to take home tofu or miso. Restaurant hours are relatively short, so check its status first if you plan a late lunch.

Parking → Restaurant → Kanna River terrace → Shop → Departure

The restaurant’s approximate opening and last-order times differ between weekdays and weekends or public holidays, and change seasonally.

A 30–45 minute change of pace

Walk to the suspension bridge even on a short stop

Even without time for a long sightseeing visit, a return walk across the Manba Suspension Bridge gives you a good view of the Kanna River. The deck has see-through sections; if anyone is uneasy, skip the full crossing and rest on the terrace instead.

Station → Terrace → Manba Suspension Bridge → Shop

Follow on-site notices for bridge access conditions and any voluntary contribution. In rain or strong wind, simply enjoying the view may be enough.

A half-day drive with school-age children

Extend a family stop to the Dinosaur Center

Eat and use the restroom at the station before heading to the Kanna Town Dinosaur Center for a half day of food and learning. For dated activities such as fossil-hunting experiences, check reservations and event dates ahead of time.

Manba no Sato → Kanna Town Dinosaur Center → Toward Hakusui Falls if time allows

Travel is through the mountains, so avoid packing too much into the late afternoon.

A seasonal detour

Add carp streamers in spring, the river in summer, and mountain colors in autumn

Kanna Town changes markedly with the seasons. The spring Kanna Koinobori Festival, with carp-shaped streamers flown above the river, the clear river in summer and the mountain colors in autumn can all shape your stop, including what you choose to take home from the shop.

Station → Seasonal event site or riverside → Shop for take-home goods

Traffic and parking patterns change on event days. Check official information for that year’s dates.

Hours

Opening hours

Shop
10:00〜16:30

Based on Kanna Town official information updated July 8, 2026.

Restaurant, weekdays
11:00〜14:30 L.O.

Hours may change seasonally. The shared end time is last order.

Restaurant, weekends and public holidays
10:30〜15:00 L.O.

Consider arriving early on busy or event days. The shared end time is last order.

Closed days
Tuesdays and New Year holiday

The New Year closure is December 29–January 3. Follow official notices for temporary closures.

Family

Visiting with children

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

Ages 1 and under
★★★☆☆

Suitable for a brief meal and shop visit.

Carrying a child by the river or on the bridge can be tiring. A short terrace break may be more comfortable.

Ages 2–3
★★★☆☆

Hold hands on the bridge; a meal, restroom break and brief look outside work well.

If the see-through bridge deck feels frightening, there is no need to cross; just looking at the Kanna River is enough.

Ages 4–6
★★★★☆

The bridge and soy milk pudding add variety even to a short visit.

Break the bridge, river and shop into short stops to keep the visit engaging.

Elementary school age
★★★★★

Add the Dinosaur Center for an easy half-day outing.

For children interested in fossils and dinosaurs, following a meal break at the station with the Dinosaur Center gives the trip a clear focus.

Baby changing table

It appears among the facility icons in the Kanto roadside-station guide. Check the on-site information when you visit.

Multipurpose restroom

Listed in Kanna Town’s official facility information.

Rainy day

Skip the bridge and riverside if conditions are poor, and switch to indoor options such as the Dinosaur Center.

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

Kanna Koinobori Festival

This annual spring event fills the sky above the Kanna River with carp-shaped streamers. Dates are set each year, so check Kanna Town’s notices before a spring visit.

Kanna River clear-stream activities

Some summers bring river-play events. Weather and rising water can change conditions, so check event information separately from your station visit.

Dinosaur Center activity events

Activities such as fossil hunting have set dates and may require reservations. For a family half-day trip, check availability before planning the station stop.

Local feel

Reasons to return

Practical ideas and things to consider when spending time here.

Plan around restaurant hours for a better lunch stop

If lunch is your main reason to stop, head to the restaurant before the shop. Approximate hours differ between weekdays and weekends or public holidays and can change seasonally. If you arrive late, leave room to switch to a light snack or shopping.

Source: Kanna Town official information

The terrace and bridge invite a longer stop

Visitor accounts and travel articles often add the terrace, Manba Suspension Bridge or Fudo Falls to a meal. Even a short walk by the river brings out the character of this mountain village stop.

Source: Trends in official information and visitor accounts
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.

  • If you are coming for the restaurant, aim to arrive early in the lunch period. Last order applies, and hours change seasonally.
  • When buying chilled tofu, consider a cooler bag and the time until you get home.
  • Parts of the Manba Suspension Bridge have a see-through deck. Young children and anyone uneasy with heights can enjoy the river from the terrace without crossing the whole bridge.
  • Spring carp streamers, summer river activities and autumn mountain colors change the appeal of a visit. Allow extra time for traffic and parking on event days.
  • Temporary closures can occur outside regular closed days. Check Kanna Town’s official notices or LINE updates just before visiting.
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.

  • Restaurant
    Handmade soba made with Kanna Town buckwheat
    Check the day’s notice for availability and last order.
  • Restaurant and shop
    Manba tofu
    Available for dining in and at the shop; quantities and prices may change.
  • Dessert
    Soy milk pudding
    Mainly for dining in; it may sell out.
  • Take-home goods
    Kanna Town miso, seasonal vegetables and honey
    The shop selection changes with the season.
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.

Lunch

Handmade soba made with Kanna Town buckwheat

The clearest lunch choice on a mountain drive. Restaurant last order is fairly early, so go there first if lunch is your purpose.

Items may sell out and hours may change.

Light dessert

Soy milk pudding and soy milk

Sample the flavor of local Awabata soybeans even if you do not have a full soba meal.

To take home

Manba tofu, Kanna Town miso and seasonal vegetables

These make a purchase that recalls Kanna Town when you unpack at home. Consider travel time when choosing chilled goods.

When busy

Terrace first, shop afterward

When the restaurant is crowded, take a riverside break and return to shop afterward instead of trying to do everything at once.

Late arrival

Soy milk pudding, miso and seasonal vegetables

If you miss restaurant hours, focus on dessert or shopping. Having another option besides soba makes the mountain drive easier to plan.

A long drive home

Miso, honey and souvenirs that travel well at room temperature

Even if you wanted Manba tofu, switch to goods that are easier to carry at room temperature for a long journey. You can still bring something home without the burden of keeping it chilled in the car.

Access

Location and surroundings

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1
Roadside station
Michi-no-Eki Manba no Sato

A mountain village roadside station where you can look out over the Kanna River, choose handmade soba and tofu, and walk to a suspension bridge.

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

Nature and scenery
Manba Suspension BridgeJapanese guide
Just behind the station, a short walk awayA few minutes on foot

For a river view after a meal or a little sightseeing in a short time. Parts of the deck are see-through, so hold children’s hands.

Nature and scenery
Fudo FallsJapanese guide
Approximately within walking distanceAbout 10–20 minutes on foot

For a day when you want a short walk after eating. After rain or when footing is poor, it is sensible to stop at the terrace and bridge instead.

Seasonal event
Area around the Kanna Koinobori Festival siteJapanese guide
About 5–10 minutes by carAbout 5–10 minutes by car

For a spring drive combining the festival with food or shopping at the station. Check that year’s dates and traffic guidance in advance.

Museum and activities
Kanna Town Dinosaur CenterJapanese guide
About 30 minutes by carAbout 30 minutes by car

For families with elementary school children, rainy days or a half-day outing. Check event dates and reservations for activities in advance.

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Updated 2026-09-30Explore the nationwide map →