Yamanashi Prefecture · Kanto
道の駅 しもべ
Akebono soybeans, yuba, and udon at Warasato: eat, shop, and enjoy the outdoors in the mountains along Motosu Michi.
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.
The soybeans and yuba in the shop are distinctive to this stop.
Around 11:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m.; check the restaurant's operating days too.
Best for a day when you have ingredients and charcoal ready.
Break up a drive on National Route 300 here.
At Shimobe, I would start with the Akebono soybean and yuba shelves. Lunch at Warasato Udon would make the stop even better; if it is busy, I can choose miso, flat ita-hoto noodles, or dorayaki and continue with the outdoor plan. Whether returning to Shimobe Onsen or driving toward Lake Motosu, choosing one thing to eat here makes the journey more than a pass-through.
Buy some Akebono soybeans, pause for udon or a sweet, then continue along Motosu Michi.
Michi-no-Eki Shimobe is a mountain roadside rest stop on National Route 300, linking the Fuji Five Lakes area with Shimobe Onsen and Minobu. At its Furusato Promotion Hall, shop for Minobu specialties such as Akebono soybean miso and edamame, yuba (tofu skin), and ita-hoto noodles. Sanuki-style udon at Warasato is the main lunchtime draw. Covered barbecue sites, an auto campground, coworking space, and a nursing room make this more than a quick stop: buy ingredients for time outdoors or use it as a base for a half-day drive toward Shimobe Onsen and the gold mine museum.
The shop centers on Akebono soybeans, a Minobu specialty. Look at the miso, edamame, and processed products, then move on to yuba (tofu skin), flat ita-hoto noodles, and Minowan dorayaki, a sweet pancake sandwich. Edamame is generally harvested for a few weeks from mid-October, making the fresh autumn selection part of the visit.
The restaurant has a short lunch service, opening at 11:00 a.m. and taking last orders around 1:30 p.m. Vegetable tempura with chilled zaru udon, vegetable tempura udon, and Sanuki-style tempura bukkake udon are options. Check the restaurant's own schedule for operating days. If lunch is your main reason to visit, arrive early or leave room to switch to a light sweet or souvenir from the shop.
With covered barbecue sites, an auto campground, showers, and toilets available 24 hours a day, you can bring ingredients and charcoal for a longer stay in the mountains. The roofed sites offer some shelter from light rain and sun.
The station lies between the Shimobe Onsen–Hayakawa Interchange on the Chubu-Odan Expressway and Lake Motosu. It is a useful break before or after the winding Motosu Michi road. Your day can then continue toward Shimobe Onsen, the gold mine museum, Fujikawa Craft Park, or Lake Motosu.
Spend your time at the station or add somewhere nearby. These ideas help you plan around your companions and the weather.
Browse Akebono soybean miso and processed products in the shop. From around mid-October, fresh edamame may also be available. Add yuba and ita-hoto noodles to take a taste of Minobu home.
Park → Furusato Promotion Hall → Warasato Udon or a sweet → depart.
Edamame and other seasonal items vary with deliveries and can sell out; check recent updates if you are visiting for a particular item.
Have lunch at Warasato Udon, then extend your visit to a covered barbecue site or the campground when a reservation is available. Plan to supply ingredients and charcoal, although the shop also advertises charcoal for sale.
Arrive → eat → buy any extra supplies at the shop → check in for barbecue or camping.
Barbecue and camping depend on reservations, fees, closing days, and weather. Check the official booking information before visiting.
Gold panning at the gold mine museum or a visit to Shimobe Onsen can turn a stop here into a half-day outing even in rain. For primary school children, consider the museum; with infants, a short stop using the station's nursing room may be easier.
Station → Kai Golden Village and Yunooku Gold Mine Museum → Shimobe Onsen.
Several nearby facilities may close on Wednesdays; keep another option in mind around that day.
Motosu Michi is a mountain road whose bends and changes in elevation may tire passengers. Use this stop for toilets, drinks, a sweet, or a little shopping before continuing to the lakeshore or onsen.
Shimobe Onsen–Hayakawa Interchange area → Michi-no-Eki Shimobe → Lake Motosu area.
In winter or rain, check road surface and visibility and allow for a shorter stop or drive if needed.
Stars show the editorial recommendation for each age group on a five-point scale. Read the reasons alongside each rating.
The nursing room, multipurpose toilet, and brief indoor shopping stop are convenient.
It may be easier to use the station for a short toilet, feeding, and shop break than for extended play.
Works best if shopping and outdoor movement are kept in short stages.
Barbecue and camping can require lengthy preparation. Choose between a simple udon-and-sweets stop and a day that includes outdoor time.
A covered barbecue session or a nearby park can help keep children engaged.
For a balance of food and play, continue to Fujikawa Craft Park or the gold mine museum after the station.
Gold panning, camping, barbecue, and the Yuru Camp Village may appeal.
Combine udon, the shop, the campground, and the gold mine museum for a more memorable half-day than a short rest stop.
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.
The cold-season miso-making event using 100% Akebono soybeans is one to watch for booking dates and the later miso release.
The main outdoor option, generally available around 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Check the reservation terms and bring ingredients.
Family sites, motorcycle and solo sites, showers, and flush toilets support overnight or day visits, with different arrangements for each.
Flowing somen noodles, Golden Week stalls, and miso-release events can change what is available; check the latest notices.
Practical ideas and things to consider when spending time here.
Visitor accounts tend to describe a mountain stop bringing together Akebono soybeans, yuba, Yuru Camp goods, and campground reception, rather than a large roadside station. It helps to arrive with an idea of what you want to buy.
Warasato Udon has a short lunch service and directs visitors to the restaurant's schedule for operating days. If lunch is the main goal, arrive early; otherwise, switching to sweets or souvenirs from the shop keeps the day flexible.
The campground is known as Yuru Camp Village. Visitor posts often mention merchandise, display panels, and campground reception. It serves both fans of the series and people seeking a quiet mountain campsite.
The facility advertises covered plots, adjacent station toilets, a utensil set, and waste collection, reducing what visitors need to prepare. Decide in advance how to obtain ingredients and charcoal.
National Route 300 is a mountain route between the Fuji Five Lakes and southern Yamanashi. Drinks, toilets, and sweets are useful here, especially before pressing on in rain, winter, or late afternoon.
The station, gold mine museum, and some other local facilities may have Wednesday closures. Check the onsen, outdoor park, and shop separately if traveling around a Wednesday.
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.
Start here for a taste of Minobu to take home. In autumn, fresh edamame deliveries may be a reason to visit.
The lunch service is short, so an early stop is easier to plan around.
Open them at your accommodation or at home to enjoy a taste of the area after your drive.
Useful if the restaurant is unavailable or the children need a sweet snack.
On barbecue days, combine shopping with time at a covered site.
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Akebono soybeans, yuba, and udon at Warasato: eat, shop, and enjoy the outdoors in the mountains along Motosu Michi.
Add expansive lawns and play equipment to a family outing from Shimobe.
Good for shopping, eating lunch, and using the toilets before spending longer outdoors.
An easy addition on rainy days or with primary school children when a station stop alone is too short.
Suited to adults who want to unwind at the hot springs after the mountain drive, or shop before checking in for an overnight stay.
Good on a clear day with primary school children who want more room to play. In rain, consider the museum or other indoor activities.
Useful for a break, drinks, and a weather check before heading toward the Fuji Five Lakes.
Send your travel companions a possible stop.
