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Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph

Gunma Prefecture · Kanto

Michi-no-Eki Tomihiro Art Museum

道の駅 富弘美術館

A Route 122 rest stop for Kusaki Lake, poetry and paintings, and yomogi manju.

Updated Michi-no-Eki JournalRead in Japanese

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph

Location
Midori City
Road
National Route 122
Hours
09:00–17:00
Museum admission ends at 16:30. Check each facility's notices for Kusaki Drive-In, the produce market, and the cafe and shop.
Parking
Cars: 31 / Large vehicles: 13
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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.

Check first
Opening days and exhibitions

The main museum reopened in August 2026. The 35th anniversary exhibition runs through November 29, and the museum is temporarily closed on November 30.

For sweets
Chiffon cake and cold-brew coffee

You can use the lakeside cafe without a museum admission ticket; takeaway is also available.

To buy
Yomogi manju and Kusaki sweet potatoes

At Kusaki Drive-In, pick up a snack to open in the car or after you get home.

For a meal
Kusaki Drive-In dining room

The dining room mainly serves lunch. Arriving before the peak period makes a meal-focused stop easier.

To go outside
Kusaki Lake and dam viewpoints

Add a lakeside walk, a viewpoint, and seasonal flowers to turn a short break into a half-day drive.

Station stamp
Kusaki Drive-In, produce market, and other locations

Check on-site notices for the roadside-station souvenir stamp and commemorative tickets.

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph
Harumichi's road trip notes

Art, food, shopping, and a lakeside detour.

Harumichi Wakamiya sees this as a rest stop with more than the museum. Check its opening days and exhibitions first, choose yomogi manju or Kusaki imo at Kusaki Drive-In, then head to the lakeshore if time allows. Food, shopping, and local scenery soften a drive on the mountain stretch of Route 122.

Highlights

Michi-no-Eki Tomihiro Art Museum centers on the lakeside Tomihiro Art Museum, with a museum shop and cafe, Kusaki Drive-In, and Azuma Farm Produce Market nearby. The museum reopened after renovation in August 2026. Its 35th anniversary exhibition, “愛、深き淵より。” (Ai, Fukaki Fuchi Yori; From the Depths of Love), runs from August 29 to November 29. Add a quiet look at the lake and take home yomogi manju (mugwort steamed buns), Kusaki sweet potatoes, or homemade chiffon cake on a drive along National Route 122.

  • #Kusaki Lake
  • #Tomihiro Art Museum
  • #Yomogi manju (mugwort buns)
  • #Kusaki Drive-In
  • #National Route 122
  • #Azuma, Midori City
Why I like it

Reasons to stop here

01

A lakeside stop as well as an art museum

Tomihiro Art Museum's quiet world of poetry and paintings, the shore of Kusaki Lake, and sweets at the cafe are close together. Pair the renovated main museum's exhibitions with nearby food and shopping for a fuller break on Route 122.

02

Take home yomogi manju and Kusaki sweet potatoes

Kusaki Drive-In has a dining room, shop, and local sweets. Even without a meal, a yomogi manju, a mugwort steamed bun, or Kusaki imo, a sweet potato snack, makes a small souvenir of Kusaki Lake.

03

Choose the lake in sunshine or indoor stops in rain

In clear weather, head for Kusaki Lake or a dam viewpoint. If the weather turns, choose the shop, cafe, or drive-in. It is easy to adjust your stop to mountain weather.

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.

An art museum visit after August 2026

Visit the reopened main museum

As of July 14, 2026, the main building was closed for renovation and a temporary Tomihiro Art Museum operated at the Children's Song Hometown Museum (童謡ふるさと館). The main museum reopened in August 2026. Now visit its exhibitions, then use the station area for stamps and shopping.

Michi-no-Eki area → Tomihiro Art Museum → Kusaki Drive-In or Azuma Farm Produce Market.

The late-August 2026 reopening has taken place; check official notices before your visit for current exhibitions and closures.

A 30–60 minute driving break

Take a short break at the lakeside cafe

For a short stop, make the cafe's homemade chiffon cake or cold-brew coffee, or the shop's yomogi manju, the highlight. Even a brief pause with a lake view gives this stop its character.

Park → cafe or shop → restroom → depart.

Cafe and dining room offerings vary by day; check on-site notices.

A sunny half-day drive

Continue to Kusaki Lake and the dam viewpoint

On a clear day, continue beyond the station to Kusaki Lake, the Kusaki Dam viewpoint, and Mizu no Hiroba (Water Square). Cherry blossoms in spring, the waterside in summer, and autumn foliage change the focus of the detour.

Michi-no-Eki → Kusaki lakeshore → Kusaki Dam viewpoint or Mizu no Hiroba.

Weather and rockfall reports can affect mountain roads. Do not overload the itinerary.

A family weekend drive

With children, alternate short stops to eat, look, and walk

For small children, sweets, a brief lakeside walk, a stamp, and a return to the car may work better than a long museum visit. With school-age children, Kusaki Dam and canoeing can become further topics or activities.

Shop → short lakeside walk → sweets or dining room → dam viewpoint if time allows.

Kusaki Lake canoeing requires a reservation; check age rules and weather conditions in advance.

Hours

Opening hours

Tomihiro Art Museum
9:00〜17:00

Last admission is at 16:30. After renovation, the museum reopened for previews on August 13, 2026, and its main opening was August 29.

Kusaki Drive-In
9:00〜16:00

The dining room is listed as 10:00–15:00 and the convenience store as 8:00–19:00. Closed December 26–January 1 for the year-end/New Year holiday.

Azuma Farm Produce Market
9:00〜17:00

One listed location for the roadside-station souvenir stamp. Produce varies by season.

Cafe and shop
Open museum days, 9:00–17:00

The museum shop opens 9:00–17:00 on museum days. The cafe and shop can be used without an admission ticket.

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 and under
★★★☆☆

An indoor rest and a short shopping stop may suit this age better than a long stay planned around feeding and diaper changes.

Plan to carry infants on a lakeside walk. A light extra layer helps with temperature changes in the mountains.

Ages 2–3
★★★☆☆

Keep sweets, the station stamp, a short walk, and a return to the car as separate, brief activities.

Keep children close by the water; if the dining room wait is long, choose the shop or takeaway.

Ages 4–6
★★★★☆

Adding Kusaki Lake or a dam viewpoint gives children more to see.

Kusaki Lake canoeing is advertised from age 3, subject to a reservation and checks of weather and equipment.

Elementary school age
★★★★☆

A good age to discuss Tomihiro Hoshino's poetry and paintings, Kusaki Dam, and how the lake was formed.

During the main museum's former renovation closure, the temporary exhibition and a Kusaki Lake walk offered learning and a break; the main museum has since reopened.

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

35th anniversary exhibition and Immersive Museum

At the renovated main museum, “愛、深き淵より。” (Ai, Fukaki Fuchi Yori; From the Depths of Love) and the Immersive Museum run from August 29 to November 29, 2026. Check the official site for opening days and admission fees.

Kusaki Drive-In

Check hours and year-end/New Year closures for the dining room, shop, and local sweets. Going outside the lunch rush can leave more options.

Kusaki Lake and Kusaki Dam

Cherry blossoms, flowering peach, fresh greenery, autumn leaves, and water activities bring different seasonal attractions. Check weather and road conditions too.

Official social media and notices

Check the official website and social media for current special exhibitions, open-call exhibitions, workshops, and opening notices.

Local feel

Reasons to return

Practical ideas and things to consider when spending time here.

Check which museum location is open

In July 2026, art viewing meant visiting the temporary Tomihiro Art Museum at the Children's Song Hometown Museum (童謡ふるさと館), rather than the closed main building. The main Tomihiro Art Museum reopened in August 2026; the station area still offers stamps, produce, and a drive-in break.

Season and weather change the lakeside walk

Kusaki Lake has cherry blossoms, flowering peach, new greenery, autumn foliage, and water activities from spring through autumn. Go outside in clear weather, or choose indoor shopping and sweets when rain or heat is strong.

Source: Official Gunma tourism guide, Kusaki Lake

Check current stamp and ticket arrangements

During renovation, sales of roadside-station commemorative tickets were suspended. Stamps were available at Kusaki Drive-In, Azuma Farm Produce Market, and Tomihiro Art Museum. Since the museum reopened, check current sales and stamp locations during each facility's opening hours.

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.

  • Tomihiro Art Museum reopened in August 2026. It opens 9:00–17:00, with last admission at 16:30. It is closed on Mondays from December through March, December 26–January 4, and November 30, 2026.
  • Check each facility's on-site notice for the roadside-station stamp and commemorative tickets.
  • For lunch, arrive during Kusaki Drive-In's dining hours; if arriving late, switch to the shop, sweets, or takeaway.
  • For Kusaki Lake or dam viewpoints, check mountain weather, road surfaces, rockfall information, and daylight for the return trip.
  • Kusaki Lake canoeing requires a reservation. Families should check age limits, equipment, and weather cancellation rules ahead of time.
  • Choose cherry blossoms and flowering peach in spring, the waterside in summer, autumn foliage in fall, and mainly indoor breaks in winter.
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.

  • Signature souvenir
    Yomogi manju (mugwort steamed bun)
    A Kusaki Drive-In specialty. Check same-day information for availability.
  • Snack and sweet
    Kusaki imo (sweet potato snack)
    A popular drive-in item made with locally grown sweet potatoes.
  • Cafe
    Homemade chiffon cake
    Plain or chocolate, ¥440 each, according to the official cafe information. Check same-day availability.
  • Cafe
    Homemade bread and cold-brew coffee
    Cold-brew coffee ¥420 and homemade bread ¥500, according to the official cafe information. Good for a short break overlooking the lake.
  • Dining room
    Yomogi udon (mugwort noodles)
    A meal option at Kusaki Drive-In; check the dining room hours.
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
Stop for lunch

Kusaki Drive-In dining room and yomogi udon

For a substantial meal on Route 122. The dining room focuses on lunchtime, so switch to snacks or the shop if you arrive late.

Pause for sweets

Homemade chiffon cake and cold-brew coffee

An option for a quiet seated break before or after the museum or a lakeside walk.

Eat in the car

Kusaki imo and yomogi manju

Handy when passengers cannot wait for a full meal or you have more driving before the next stop.

Take home

Yomogi manju, Tomihiro-themed goods, and local produce

Choose food and museum shop items separately to have something to enjoy at home.

When it is crowded

Produce market, shop, and takeaway

If the dining room or cafe is busy, focus on shopping and spend the extra time at Kusaki Lake or the dam viewpoint.

Access

Location and surroundings

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1
Roadside station
Michi-no-Eki Tomihiro Art Museum

A Route 122 rest stop for Kusaki Lake, poetry and paintings, and yomogi manju.

Open in Google Maps
2
History and culture
Tomihiro Art Museum and former temporary Tomihiro Art Museum

The station's central destination for poetry and paintings; during the main building's renovation, exhibitions moved temporarily to the Children's Song Hometown Museum.

Open in Google Maps
3
Nature and scenery
Kusaki Lake and Kusaki Dam viewpoint

On a sunny day, a lakeside walk and dam viewpoint can turn a roadside break into a half-day drive.

Open in Google Maps
4
Food and shopping
Kusaki Drive-In

Yomogi manju, Kusaki sweet potatoes, and a dining room give you reasons to eat and shop here.

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

History and culture
Tomihiro Art Museum and former temporary Tomihiro Art MuseumJapanese guide
Main museum in the station area; former temporary exhibition about 10 minutes away by carMain museum a short walk; former temporary exhibition required a drive

For an art museum visit, check current exhibitions and opening days at the reopened main museum, then add station-area shopping or sweets. The temporary venue was used during renovation.

Nature and scenery
Kusaki Lake and Kusaki Dam viewpointJapanese guide
About 5–10 minutes by carAbout 5–10 minutes by car

Good for a sunny day, a short walk after a meal, photographs, or an added viewpoint.

Kusaki Drive-In
Food and shopping
Kusaki Drive-InJapanese guide
Within the station area; about a 5-minute walkA short walk

A first choice for combining a meal, sweets, souvenirs, and a roadside-station stamp.

Outdoor activity
Kusaki Lake Canoeing | Minami no Kanoya-sanJapanese guide
About 15–25 minutes by carAbout 15–25 minutes by car

A main activity for summer holidays or clear days. Use the station for meals, restrooms, and shopping before or after the tour.

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Updated 2026-09-30Explore the nationwide map →