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

Yamanashi Prefecture · Kanto

Michi-no-Eki Kobuchisawa

道の駅 こぶちさわ

A short walk links the farmers' market, bakery, soba restaurant, craft workshops and hot spring on the southern slopes of the Yatsugatake Mountains. About three minutes from the Kobuchisawa interchange, this roadside station can turn a family stop into a half-day outing.

Updated Michi-no-Eki JournalRead in Japanese

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph

Location
Hokuto City
Road
Prefectural Route 11 | Hokuto–Fujimi Line
Hours
9:00–18:00
Indicative hours for the farmers' market. Hours vary by shop and season.
Parking
Cars: 294 / Large vehicles: 8
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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.

Buy first
Farm-to-table Market

Around 9:00–18:00. Check fresh-picked vegetables, fruit, flower seedlings and local sweets first to avoid missing popular items.

Where to eat
Soba, bread or Rotondo

Soba is served 11:00–14:00 and closes when sold out; the bakery also closes when sold out. Have a second lunch option in mind.

With children
Nursing room, toilets and craft workshops

Locate the nursing room to the right of the entrance, the multipurpose toilet and the workshops first. Workshops open 9:00–17:00; activity registration runs 10:00–16:00 from April to December and 10:00–15:00 from January to March.

Finish with a rest
Enmei-no-Yu hot spring

Around 10:00–22:00, with last admission at 21:30. Rest before an evening drive.

Explore farther
Horse country and an art museum

On a clear day, try horse riding; in rain or heat, switch to the Nakamura Keith Haring Collection museum.

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph
Kitami's stopover notes

At Kobuchisawa, locate the toilets and a backup lunch option first.

Taketo Kitami sees this as a place where children's breaks, family lunch and adults' shopping can happen on the same grounds. The New Building and Annex do not connect indoors, so choose your first destination. Whether you only visit the market or add workshops and a bath, you can adjust the visit to the family's energy.

1

1. Locate the outdoor toilets and nursing room on arrival

With small children, plan the route before shopping so waits for food and rainy days are easier.

2

2. Keep more than one meal option

Soba, bread, Italian food, sandwiches and cake offer alternatives when a place is crowded or sold out.

3

3. Add a workshop or hot spring if time allows

Crafts, soba-making or Enmei-no-Yu can turn a roadside break into a half-day outing.

Highlights

Michi-no-Eki Kobuchisawa offers more than vegetables and fruit from the southern Yatsugatake foothills. In the New Building, visit the farmers' market, Rotondo Kobuchisawa, Yama no Panya Kuwanomi bakery, Yume no Ki jam workshop and Enmei Soba restaurant. The Annex offers craft-butter sandwiches, Joshua Tree and Chateraise. With craft workshops and the Enmei-no-Yu day-use hot spring on site, you can adjust a visit from a toilet stop or lunch to hands-on activities for children and an evening bath according to weather and crowds.

  • #Southern Yatsugatake foothills
  • #Farm-to-table Market
  • #Rotondo Kobuchisawa
  • #Yama no Panya Kuwanomi bakery
  • #Enmei Soba restaurant
  • #Spatio Craft Workshop
  • #Enmei-no-Yu hot spring
  • #About 3 minutes from Kobuchisawa Interchange
Why I like it

Reasons to stop here

01

Shopping and dining choices share one site

The farmers' market, Rotondo Kobuchisawa, Yama no Panya Kuwanomi bakery, Yume no Ki jam workshop, Enmei Soba, the craft-butter workshop, Joshua Tree and Chateraise offer choices when companions want different foods. The New Building and Annex have separate entrances; on busy days, choose which one to visit first to save walking.

02

Children can take a break while you shop

There are 24-hour outdoor toilets, an ostomate-accessible toilet, diaper-changing station, nursing room and a toilet with a baby chair. Passage widths are designed to make passing with a stroller easier. You can break a family drive on the Chuo Expressway into short intervals for food, toilets, walking and returning to the car.

03

A hot spring and hands-on activities can extend your stop to half a day

At Spatio Craft Workshop, choose pottery, soba noodle making, weaving or pressed-flower activities. Adjacent Enmei-no-Yu has an open-air bath, rock bath, sauna and cold bath. This mix is useful in bad weather or after a hike when you want an unhurried day.

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 60–90-minute family break

Make a short market-and-lunch stop around the Chuo Expressway drive

On arrival, locate the outdoor toilets and nursing room, then choose vegetables or fruit at the market. For lunch, compare soba, bread, Rotondo and Annex sandwiches or cakes instead of waiting only for a crowded shop.

Park → toilets → farmers' market → compare meal options → last purchases → depart.

The New Building and Annex have separate entrances. With small children, order your stops to reduce trips between them.

Half a day with preschool or elementary-school children

Make the craft workshops the focus on a rainy day

When outdoor play is difficult, add Spatio Craft Workshop to market shopping and a meal. Pottery, soba-making, weaving and pressed flowers are less weather-dependent, and the activity or finished piece can become a travel memory.

Lunch at the station → craft workshop → market shopping → Enmei-no-Yu if wanted.

Registration, days off, age eligibility and cash-payment rules vary by activity; check the official same-day information.

After hiking, riding or visiting a museum

Finish a Yatsugatake drive at the hot spring

Spend the day riding in Kobuchisawa or visiting a museum, then return to the roadside station for shopping and finish at Enmei-no-Yu. Last hot-spring admission is around 21:30, allowing some flexibility around dinner.

Nearby attraction → roadside-station shopping → Enmei-no-Yu → return drive.

In months with changed hours, including some second Tuesdays, check Spatio Kobuchisawa's current schedule first.

For elementary-school children and older on a clear day

Extend your visit into Kobuchisawa's horse country

Use the station's toilets and get a snack, then head to a riding facility such as Yatsugatake Long Riding for a day characteristic of Kobuchisawa. Return for bread or jam to link eating, activity and a souvenir.

Roadside station → horse riding → roadside station or Enmei-no-Yu.

Many riding facilities give reservations priority, and rain or wind changes the experience. For younger children, select a pony-led ride or another activity suited to their age.

Hours

Opening hours

Farmers' market
9:00-18:00

Hours change seasonally; it indicates three closed days a year.

Yama no Panya Kuwanomi bakery
9:00-17:00

Closes when sold out.

Enmei Soba restaurant
11:00-14:00

Closes when sold out; irregular days off and three closed days a year. Cash only. Soba-making requires a reservation and is suspended during Golden Week, Obon and the New Year period.

Yatsugatake Craft Butter Workshop
10:00-16:00

Irregular days off.

Joshua Tree
11:30-17:00

Lunch last order 15:30; light meals 16:00; café 16:30.

Chateraise Yatsugatake Kobuchisawa
9:00-19:00

Hours change seasonally.

Rest area
10:00-17:00

Until 16:00 in winter; outdoor tables are available outside winter.

Enmei-no-Yu hot spring
10:00-22:00

Last admission 21:30. Opens at 16:00 on the second Tuesday, except in August, October, January and February.

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.

Under 1 year
★★★★☆

A nursing room, diaper-changing station and toilet with baby chair make short breaks easier.

Locate the toilets and nursing room before shopping; when crowded, limiting the stop to the market may be less tiring.

Ages 2–3
★★★★☆

You can divide food, a little walking and the return to the car into short segments; bread or sweets provide alternatives.

Moving between the New Building and Annex can tire children, so choose a target shop first.

Ages 4–6
★★★★★

A craft workshop can make the day more satisfying than shopping alone.

For pottery or soba-making, check same-day reservation, age and payment conditions before choosing.

Elementary-school children
★★★★★

Add soba-making, crafts, riding or a museum to make a half-day outing.

On clear days, try the horse-country activities; in rain, switch to workshops or a museum.

Toilets

There are 24-hour outdoor toilets, an ostomate-accessible toilet and diaper-changing station.

Nursing room

A sink and hot water for preparing infant formula are indicated.

Strollers

Official information describes barrier-free design and attention to passage width.

Pets

Visitors are asked to refrain from walking pets on the grounds or bringing them indoors. Assistance dogs are allowed.

Overnight rest

Short naps are described as rest, but eating outside the vehicle and use of open flames are prohibited.

Rest

Ideas for a restful stop

  1. 1
    Park near the building you plan to visit

    The New Building and Annex have separate entrances; if walking is difficult, reduce the distance from the outset.

  2. 2
    Eat earlier in the day

    Soba and bread shops may close when sold out, so an earlier stop is safer than a late lunch.

  3. 3
    Use Enmei-no-Yu to rest before driving back

    The open-air bath and rest room offer a place to warm up and recover before a mountain-road drive.

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

Monthly opening information, group-tour guidance and EV-equipment suspensions can affect a visit that day.

Craft-workshop closure days

Crafts and soba-making have closure days, reservations and age rules; check these especially if the workshop is your rainy-day plan.

Festivals near Kobuchisawa Station

On days with events such as the Suzuran Festival, you can combine the roadside station with the area around Kobuchisawa Station.

Horse-country events

Horse shows and related events offer seasonal ways to explore Kobuchisawa's horse culture.

Local feel

Reasons to return

Practical ideas and things to consider when spending time here.

Bread and market choices can shrink later in the day

Visitor-post trends highlight popular bread and produce, with reports of sold-out goods and thinning shelves. If shopping is the main purpose, browse the market before eating.

Source: Visitor-post trends on travel sites

Do not rely on only one restaurant at weekend lunchtime

With soba, bread, Italian food and Annex sandwiches or cakes, switching according to the family's hunger may be easier than waiting at a crowded shop.

Source: Jalan visitor-post trends

For small children, space to walk can itself make a break

Family posts remember children being able to walk after a long drive and enjoying bread. Combining shopping, an outdoor bench and a short stroll offers a change from the car.

Source: Ikoyo visitor-post trends

In winter, prepare for roads and footing even when facilities are open

The official FAQ advises winter tires or carrying chains for icy conditions and sudden snow, alongside winter opening information. Check road conditions for the return trip as well as business hours.

Source: Official-site FAQ

Do not use the parking lot for an overnight stay

Visitors are asked not to use the lot for lodging. For an overnight plan, consider separate accommodation such as Spatio Kobuchisawa.

Source: Official-site FAQ

Do not assume pets can enter the buildings

Visitors are asked to refrain from walking pets on the grounds or taking them indoors. On a drive with a dog, keep the stop short and arrange for someone to stay with the dog in the vehicle while another person shops.

Source: Official-site FAQ
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.

  • The farmers' market is generally listed as 9:00–18:00, with seasonal changes. Dining shops have different hours.
  • The New Building and Annex do not connect indoors. In rain or with children, decide which building to visit first to reduce walking.
  • A notice says the EV rapid charger has been under construction since March 4, 2026, without an announced restart date. Check the latest notice before relying on charging here.
  • Enmei-no-Yu is listed as 10:00–22:00, last admission 21:30. It opens at 16:00 on the second Tuesday except in August, October, January and February.
  • Spatio Craft Workshop is scheduled to close for maintenance on Tuesday, October 6 and Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
  • For large parking spaces, including tour buses, advance reservation about one week ahead is requested from April 20 to November 30.
  • Winter opening is indicated, but prepare tires or chains for ice and sudden snow.
  • Visitors are asked not to use the parking lot for overnight lodging; distinguish a short nap from an overnight stay.
  • Visitors are asked to refrain from bringing pets indoors or walking them on the grounds. Assistance dogs are allowed.
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.

  • Farmers' market
    Highland vegetables and fruit at Farm-to-table Market
    9:00–18:00. Visit early for fresh-picked and seasonal products.
  • Meal
    Soba at Enmei Soba
    11:00–14:00; closes when sold out, irregular days off, cash only. Avoid arriving too late for lunch.
  • Bakery
    Yama no Panya Kuwanomi
    9:00–17:00; closes when sold out. An option for a snack while waiting for food or on the drive back.
  • Italian restaurant
    Rotondo Kobuchisawa
    Charcoal-grilled dishes, homemade pasta and pizza with local ingredients. Check the official website for hours.
  • Annex
    Yatsugatake Craft Butter Workshop and Joshua Tree
    Sandwiches, smoothies, American-style pies and cakes are options here.
  • Takeaway and sweets
    Yume no Ki Jam Workshop and Chateraise
    Fruit-rich jam and cakes make treats to open at home or at your lodging.
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
Buy to take home

Highland vegetables, fruit and flower seedlings

Taking home produce grown with the water and sunshine of the southern Yatsugatake foothills is one of this station's clearest pleasures.

Selection changes with the season and deliveries; popular items run low earlier in the day.

Main lunch choice

Enmei soba and Rotondo dishes

Choose soba to taste local buckwheat and groundwater, or Rotondo for a leisurely meal.

Soba closes when sold out; check Rotondo's official shop hours.

Keep it light

Yama no Panya Kuwanomi bread and craft-butter sandwiches

If you want to skip a restaurant wait or eat in the car, switching to bread or sandwiches can make a family stop easier.

Sweets and gifts

Yume no Ki jam, Chateraise and Joshua Tree

Pick something for after the meal or to open at your lodging: sweets for children, jam or baked goods for adults.

When places are busy

Switch from the New Building to the Annex

If dining in the New Building is crowded, try sandwiches, cakes or other sweets in the Annex.

Access

Location and surroundings

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1
Roadside station
Michi-no-Eki Kobuchisawa

A short walk links the farmers' market, bakery, soba restaurant, craft workshops and hot spring on the southern slopes of the Yatsugatake Mountains. About three minutes from the Kobuchisawa interchange, this roadside station can turn a family stop into a half-day outing.

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

Spatio Craft Workshop
Hands-on activities and crafts
Spatio Craft WorkshopJapanese guide
On the station grounds / a short walkAbout 1 minute on foot

For rainy days, summer holidays or families with elementary-school children who want more than shopping.

Hot spring and rest
Enmei-no-Yu (Spatio Kobuchisawa)Japanese guide
Adjacent / a short walkAbout 1 minute on foot

For a break before driving back in the evening, on a rainy day or after a tiring mountain drive.

Art museum and rainy-day option
Nakamura Keith Haring CollectionJapanese guide
About 5–10 minutes by carAbout 6 minutes by car

For rain, heat or quiet indoor time after shopping.

Horse riding and nature
Yatsugatake Long RidingJapanese guide
About 5–10 minutes by carA few minutes from the Kobuchisawa Interchange area

For clear days, activities for elementary-school children and older, and an outdoor extension to a roadside-station stop.

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Updated 2026-09-30Explore the nationwide map →