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Nagano Prefecture · Kanto

Michi-no-Eki Furusato Toyota

道の駅ふるさと豊田

Just off the Toyota-Iiyama interchange, this roadside station offers northern Shinshu fruit and soba before the next leg of your journey.

Updated 2026-09-30Michi-no-Eki Journal Read in Japanese

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph

Location

Nakano City

Road

National Route 117

Hours

7:30–18:00

Farm produce market: 7:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m.; winter: 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Restaurant and shop hours differ.

Parking

Cars: 59 / Large vehicles: 10

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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.

First, take a break

24-hour toilets and parking

Just off the interchange, it is a convenient place to pause before heading toward Madarao or Iiyama.

For shopping

Fruit and vegetables at the produce market

The market opens early. Apples, grapes, mushrooms and seasonal vegetables make useful purchases on your way home.

For food

Soba and restaurant meals

Official recommendations include zaru soba, soy-sauce ramen and sauce katsudon. The restaurant generally closes Wednesdays, except public holidays.

With a dog

Walk to the dog run

A walking path now connects the renovated station to the dog run. Its usual season is April through around the end of November.

To explore further

The memorial museum or hot spring

Visit the Tatsuyuki Takano Memorial Museum for local scenery and children's songs, or continue to Momijiso for a hot-spring break.

Koharu's rest-stop notes

Eat, shop and set off comfortably on the next mountain road.

Koharu Tsukioka sees this station as a place to settle into a journey through northern Shinshu. Park and use the toilets first, check the restaurant's business day, then choose fruit and vegetables at the produce market. With a dog, walk to the dog run; with more time, visit the museum or hot spring. Even a short break offers a taste of Toyota's food and local character.

Highlights

Michi-no-Eki Furusato Toyota is a convenient rest stop in northern Shinshu, just off the Toyota-Iiyama interchange of the Joshin-etsu Expressway on National Route 117. Renovated in March 2026, it has easy walking routes among the produce market, shop, restaurant and dog run. Stop briefly for apples, grapes, mushrooms, botan-kosho peppers, round eggplants, soba or sauce katsudon (a pork cutlet rice bowl), or extend your visit to the Tatsuyuki Takano Memorial Museum, associated with the school song “Furusato” (“Hometown”), Momijiso hot spring or Madarao Highlands. Each business has different hours; if you plan lunch, check the restaurant's Wednesday closure and monthly calendar first.

#Toyota-Iiyama interchange
#Northern Shinshu
#Farm produce market
#Soba
#Dog run
#Tatsuyuki Takano

Practical information

Registration number: 長野-15 | (北-09)
Prefecture: Nagano Prefecture
Municipality: Nakano City
Road: National Route 117
Telephone: 0269-38-0089
Closed days: The shop, exchange room and produce market are open year-round. The restaurant closes every Wednesday except public holidays, with changes shown on the monthly business calendar.
Station stamp: Available

Address

2136 Oaza Nagae, Nakano City, Nagano Prefecture 389-2104 (〒389-2104 長野県中野市大字永江2136)

Facilities

Farm produce market
Shop
Restaurant
Tourist information corner
24-hour toilets
Parking
Accessible toilet
Path to the dog run

External links

Visit the official website (Japanese)Background information (Japanese)furusato-nakano.info (Japanese guide)furusato-nakano.info (Japanese guide)furusato-nakano.info (Japanese guide)www.city.nakano.nagano.jp (Japanese guide)www.city.nakano.nagano.jp (Japanese guide)www.kanto-michinoeki.jp (Japanese guide)www.oishii-shinshu.net (Japanese guide)

Why I like it

Reasons to stop here

Toilets and shopping close to the interchange

About 400 m north of the Toyota-Iiyama interchange, the station makes an easy stop before or after driving toward Nagano City, Iiyama and Nozawa Onsen, or Madarao Highlands, with a straightforward return to National Route 117. Toilets are open 24 hours, and parking is provided separately for large and standard vehicles, so you can take a break before visiting the market or restaurant.

Stock up on northern Shinshu fruit and vegetables

The produce market generally opens at 7:30 a.m., or 8:30 a.m. in winter. Apples, grapes, mushrooms, round eggplants and botan-kosho peppers are among the seasonal produce you can pick up on your way home. In hot weather, shop last; for a long trip home, bring a cooler bag.

Several options for a lunch stop, from soba to set meals and curry events

The restaurant's official recommendations include zaru soba (cold dipping noodles), soy-sauce ramen and sauce katsudon (a pork cutlet rice bowl). Nagano Prefecture's food information also introduces the Furusato set meal and summer yatara rice bowl, reflecting the restaurant's use of local vegetables. Check the Wednesday closure and monthly business calendar; on busy days, the shop or a visiting food truck may offer another option.

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 quick break before heading toward Madarao or Iiyama

Get settled within 10 minutes of leaving the interchange

After leaving the Toyota-Iiyama interchange, use the toilet, get a drink and, if needed, make a quick purchase at the produce market. A pause before the mountain road can help everyone in the car settle in.

Toyota-Iiyama interchange → parking → toilets → produce market or shop → National Route 117

For the restaurant, plan on arriving after about 10:00 a.m. For the produce market alone, an earlier visit can be easier.

A short taste of northern Shinshu food

Combine lunch and shopping

Choose soba, ramen or sauce katsudon at the restaurant, then browse fruit and vegetables at the produce market. In summer there may be seasonal dishes such as yatara rice bowls; event months may bring curry promotions and food trucks.

Park → restaurant → shop → farm produce market → pack purchases cool and depart

The restaurant generally closes Wednesdays, and the monthly calendar may show changes. Keep the shop or a restaurant at a nearby hot spring in mind if lunch here does not work out.

A short cultural outing for adults

Detour into the home of a beloved school song

After a break at the roadside station, visit the Tatsuyuki Takano Memorial Museum. This area is linked to school songs including “Furusato” (“Hometown”) and “Oborozukiyo” (“Hazy Moonlit Night”), giving the station's “hometown” name a local context. It is also an indoor stop for a quiet, rainy or hot day.

Roadside station → Tatsuyuki Takano Memorial Museum → if time allows, a short walk among nearby monuments or foothills

The museum closes Tuesdays and closes earlier from December through February. Last admission is generally 30 minutes before closing.

A drive with your dog or a break before going home

Plan separate dog-run and hot-spring stops

With a dog, follow the walking path from the station to the dog run. After your dog has played, return to the station or, if it suits your group, make a separate trip to Momijiso hot spring. Keeping the dog stop and bathing stop separate makes the outing easier to plan.

Roadside station → dog run → shop at the station, or drive to Momijiso

The dog run is open from sunrise to sunset, with no night use. It closes in winter; April through around the end of November is the usual season.

Hours

Opening hours

Farm produce market

7:30-18:00

In winter, generally 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Prioritize the official facilities guide.

Shop and exchange room

9:00-18:30

Hours in Nakano City's facilities guide; also check the official facilities guide and notices for the day.

Restaurant

10:00-15:00

Closed Wednesdays except public holidays. Check the monthly business calendar for substitute closures and other changes.

Toilets

24 hours

Men's, women's and accessible toilets available.

Dog run

Sunrise–sunset

Open April to around the end of November. No nighttime use.

Family

Visiting with children

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

Age 1 and under

★★★☆☆

Suitable for a toilet stop and quick shopping; pair a longer stay with nearby facilities.

The 24-hour toilets are useful, but official information gives little detail about amenities such as nursing rooms. A short visit to the restaurant or market is a safer plan.

Ages 2–3

★★★☆☆

Works well if you keep the meal and market visit short.

To limit little hands touching merchandise, try toilets first, then a meal or snack, and shopping last.

Ages 4–6

★★★★☆

Fruit, soba and a walk toward the dog run can make small goals.

Even without a dog, a short stretch on the walking path or a visit to the nearby museum can change the pace. In summer, plan for the car's temperature and cooling purchases.

Elementary school age

★★★★☆

Pairing the visit with the Tatsuyuki Takano Memorial Museum can make the area's songs and stories memorable.

Rather than spending the whole outing at the station, extend it according to age to the museum, the area around the dog run or a nature walk in Madarao Highlands.

Toilets

The official facilities guide says they are available 24 hours and includes an accessible toilet.

Restaurant

A substitute closure may follow a holiday week: for example, it opened every day during Silver Week in September 2026 and closed instead on September 24. The shop and produce market are described as open every day.

With a dog

Open sunrise to sunset. Children of junior-high-school age and younger must be accompanied by an adult.

Rainy days

The restaurant, produce market, shop and Tatsuyuki Takano Memorial Museum make a practical route.

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

Produce market and shop

The center of shopping after the renovation, with seasonal fruit, vegetables and processed foods; limited products and local collaborations may also appear.

Restaurant

Look here for the monthly business calendar and limited-time plans. Check restaurant days alongside curry promotions and scheduled food trucks.

Craft vendor space

In 2026, weekend-only craft shops and markets were announced from May through August, followed in September by a sale of clay dolls from across Japan. Dates and hours differ by event; check official announcements.

Path to the dog run

A walking route from the station makes a stop with a dog easier to include on a drive. Note the winter closure.

Local feel

Reasons to return

Practical ideas and things to consider when spending time here.

After renovation, the dog-run route is another draw alongside the market

The station reopened after renovation on March 31, 2026. Nakano City's newsletter also describes improvements to the walking path to the dog run. You can plan separate time for shopping, eating and a break with your dog.

Source: Shinshu Nakano Furusato Corporation and Koho Nakano city newsletter

Plan the market for morning and the restaurant for midday

The official facilities guide lists the produce market at 7:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m., or 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. in winter. Municipal and travel information generally gives the restaurant as 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. and closed Wednesdays. Think of early morning for shopping and toilets, midday for a meal, and late afternoon for last purchases.

Source: Official facilities guide and Nakano City facilities guide

The restaurant pays attention to local vegetables

Nagano Prefecture's food information describes its general use of vegetables from the former Toyota Village, and mentions botan-kosho peppers, round eggplants, myoga ginger, Shinshu salmon and Shinshu Ogon Shamo chicken. Alongside officially recommended soba and sauce katsudon, you can look for local ingredients.

Source: Oishii Shinshu Food SHOP

Visitor reviews often mention access from the interchange and easy produce shopping

Travel and restaurant reviews frequently mention the convenient location near the Toyota-Iiyama interchange, the farm market, souvenir area and fruit such as apples. It is best suited to combining a meal, shopping and a rest while traveling, rather than planning a long stay.

Source: Trends in travel reviews and visitor accounts

Fruit, wetland flowers and snow change plans with the seasons

From spring to early summer, consider the wetland plants of Madarao Highlands; summer brings cooler highland outings and seasonal restaurant events; autumn brings apples and grapes. In winter, note the market's shorter hours and the dog run's closure. Check weather and road conditions before driving into the highlands.

Source: Official facilities guide and Shinshu Iiyama Tourism Bureau

On event days, check both the restaurant and vendors

Official July 2026 notices listed a craft shop, restaurant calendar, curry event and planned food trucks. An event day can offer different lunch options, but plans may change, so leave room to choose on arrival.

Source: Official announcements

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 produce market generally opens 7:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m., or 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. in winter. Bring a cooler bag when buying fruit or leafy vegetables.
The restaurant generally opens 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. and closes Wednesdays except public holidays. A substitute closure can follow a holiday week, so check the monthly business calendar before setting out.
The official facilities guide lists the toilets as open 24 hours. Early morning and nighttime visits are for a rest stop, outside shop hours.
The official facilities guide and Kanto Michi-no-Eki listings give different parking-space counts. Use the official facilities guide as a reference and allow extra time on busy or event days.
The dog run is generally open April to around the end of November, from sunrise to sunset. Check winter closure dates and rules before use.
Before driving toward Madarao Highlands or Lake Nojiri, check mountain weather, fog, road conditions and winter snow.

Gallery

A closer look

Photo-style illustration of northern Shinshu produce and the rest-stop layout at Furusato Toyota

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.

Meal
Zaru soba (cold dipping noodles)
Officially recommended menu item; about ¥800
Meal
Sauce katsudon (pork cutlet rice bowl)
Officially recommended menu item; about ¥1,000
Light meal
Soy-sauce ramen
Officially recommended menu item; about ¥720
Local food
Furusato set meal
Described as including handmade soba, apple juice and fried Shinshu Ogon Shamo chicken, among other items
Shopping
Apples, grapes and vegetables from the produce market
Choose according to season, availability and your journey home
Seasonal menu
Yatara rice bowl (a chopped-vegetable topping)
Introduced for July–August; check with the restaurant for current availability

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.

A full lunch

Zaru soba, sauce katsudon, Furusato set meal

For a meal with northern Shinshu flavors. Restaurant hours are roughly 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.; check its Wednesday closure and monthly calendar.

A quick bite

Soy-sauce ramen, light food from the shop, food trucks

If you are traveling with children or cannot sit for long, consider the shop and scheduled vendors as well as the restaurant.

Follow the season

Yatara rice bowl, curry promotions, dishes with local vegetables

The restaurant's July–August 2026 calendar advertised participation in the “Yappari Curry da ne Fest.” Limited events can end quickly, so check the official notice for your travel date.

Take food home