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Nagano · Chubu

Michi-no-Eki Kisogawa Genryu no Sato Kisomura

道の駅 木曽川源流の里 きそむら

Stop near the headwaters of the Kiso River. Two minutes on foot from Yabuhara Station, this Route 19 roadside station brings together Kiso beef, handmade soba, and Oroku combs.

Updated Michi-no-Eki JournalRead in Japanese

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph

Location
Kiso Village, Kiso District
Road
National Route 19
Hours
9:00–17:00
Genkiya farm shop 9:00–17:00; Genki restaurant 10:00–16:00 (last orders). Nagano Prefecture's Oishii Shinshu Food guide alternatively lists 8:00–18:00; confirm before visiting.
Parking
Cars: 40 / Large vehicles: 9
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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.

Lunch
Kiso beef and soba made with Kiso Village buckwheat flour

The Genki restaurant opens at 10:00 and takes last orders at 16:00. It finishes earlier than the farm shop, so arrange your visit around the restaurant if you want to eat.

Shopping
Highland vegetables, wild vegetables, Kiso Valley sake, and oyaki buns

The Genkiya farm shop is open from 9:00 to 17:00. Its stock changes with the season and deliveries, including corn in summer and mushrooms in autumn.

Take home
Oroku combs

These traditional Nagano craft combs come from Yabuhara. They take up little space, making them a useful souvenir when you are traveling light.

Getting here
Two minutes on foot from JR Chuo West Line's Yabuhara Station

This is the walking time given by the official site. The station also works for visitors arriving without a car or setting out to walk the Kisoji route by train.

Chiho's stopover notes

The shop and restaurant finish at different times

The farm shop is open from 9:00 to 17:00; the Genki restaurant opens at 10:00 and takes last orders at 16:00. If you want both, plan the meal first. Choose Kiso beef or soba for lunch, then browse the highland vegetables, oyaki buns, sake, and Oroku combs. This gives a long drive on Route 19 a taste of Kiso Village. Published closure periods differ between December–April and December–March, so check the official site before a winter or spring visit.

Eat

Kiso beef hot-plate set meal, Kiso beef rice bowl, Kiso zaru soba, sanzoku-age fried chicken set meal, and Misogawa Dam curry.

Shop

Seasonal highland and wild vegetables, Genryu no Sato oyaki buns, rice-koji amazake, Kiso Valley sake, and Oroku combs.

Learn

Use the information corner and tourist guidance to get an overview of the village at the Kiso River headwaters before setting off.

Highlights

Michi-no-Eki Kisogawa Genryu no Sato Kisomura is a roadside station in Yabuhara, Kiso Village, along National Route 19. The national roadside station association places Kiso Village, the village of the Kiso River headwaters, 200 km along the river and at an elevation of 942 m. The Genkiya farm shop stocks local farm and forest products, seasonal wild vegetables and highland vegetables, Oroku combs, a traditional Nagano craft, and sake from the Kiso Valley. At the Genki restaurant, you can eat Kiso beef dishes, soba made with buckwheat flour from Kiso Village, and the local specialty sanzoku-age, fried chicken. The official site says JR Chuo West Line's Yabuhara Station is a two-minute walk away, making the stop accessible by train as well as car. The shop and restaurant finish at different times, so plan around the restaurant if you want a meal.

  • #Nagano Prefecture
  • #Kiso Village
  • #Kiso River headwaters
  • #National Route 19
  • #Yabuhara Station
  • #Genkiya farm shop
  • #Genki restaurant
  • #Kiso beef
  • #Handmade soba
  • #Oroku combs
Why I like it

Reasons to stop here

01

Rest near the Kiso River headwaters

The national roadside station association places Kiso Village, home of the Kiso River headwaters, 200 km along the river and at an elevation of 942 m. It is easy to pass by on National Route 19, but this is where the river that runs to Ise Bay begins. The station's name, “Village of the Headwaters,” reflects its location.

02

Two minutes on foot from Yabuhara Station

According to the official site, the roadside station is a two-minute walk from Yabuhara Station on the JR Chuo West Line. Unlike many roadside stations designed primarily for drivers, it is close to a railway stop. By car, the official site's estimates are about 40 minutes from Shiojiri Interchange on the Chuo Expressway via National Route 19 toward Nagoya; about 30 minutes from Ina Interchange via National Route 361 and the Gonbei Tunnel; or about 80 minutes north along National Route 19 from Nakatsugawa Interchange.

03

Shop at Genkiya and eat at Genki

Genkiya stocks the village's farm and forest products and wild vegetables, Oroku combs, a traditional Nagano craft, and Kiso Valley sake brands including Nanawarai, Kisoji, Kiso no Kakehashi, and Nakanorisan. Genki's main dishes are Kiso beef served on a hot plate or over rice, soba made with Kiso Village buckwheat flour, and sanzoku-age fried chicken. The operator, Gen Co., Ltd., was founded in September 2009 and develops, processes, and sells local products as well as running the restaurant.

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 45–70-minute meal break

Make a Route 19 lunch stop for Kiso beef and soba

After parking, first look at Kiso Village's attractions in the information corner, then go to the Genki restaurant. Choose Kiso beef or soba made with Kiso Village buckwheat flour for lunch, followed by highland vegetables, oyaki buns, and sake at Genkiya.

Parking lot → information corner → Genki restaurant → Genkiya farm shop

The restaurant takes last orders at 16:00 and the farm shop is open until 17:00. The station is closed on Thursdays from December through April and on January 1 and 2; the official site's home page gives a different end month for the Thursday closures.

A 20–30-minute stop

Stop briefly for shopping

The farm shop stocks seasonal highland and wild vegetables, Genryu no Sato oyaki buns, rice-koji amazake, Kiso Valley sake, and Oroku combs. Even without a meal, you can pick up something characteristic of Kiso Village in that season.

Parking lot → Genkiya farm shop → back to the car

Seasonal goods, such as summer corn and autumn mushrooms, depend on deliveries. Go earlier if you want the best choice of a particular item.

A half-day walking trip

Start a Kisoji walk after arriving by train

The official site says it is a two-minute walk from Yabuhara Station on the JR Chuo West Line. You can eat and shop before starting a walk without a car. Its tourism guide lists Torii Pass, the Mizukizawa natural forest, Yabuhara Ski Area, and the Yabuhara Shrine festival among Kiso Village's attractions.

Yabuhara Station → roadside station (meal and shopping) → village sights such as Torii Pass

Travel times to the pass and mountain sights depend on the season and weather. Check the restaurant and shop hours before a walking trip.

A 15–20-minute stop

Pick up Enmusubi Shrine ema and amulets at the station

According to the official tourism guide, Kiso Village's Enmusubi Shrine is said to be a branch of Izumo Taisha and the only shrine in Japan whose name includes “Enmusubi,” a word for forming bonds. Its ema wooden prayer plaques and amulets are also sold at the Kisomura roadside station. You can pick them up here even if you do not have time to visit the shrine.

Parking lot → Genkiya farm shop → shrine-goods shelf

Stock may change. If you want a particular item, call ahead to check.

Hours

Opening hours

Genkiya farm shop
9:00-17:00

Hours given by the official site.

Genki restaurant
10:00-16:00（L.O.）

It finishes earlier than the shop. Check your arrival time if eating outside the usual lunch period.

Alternative listing
8:00-18:00

Listed by Nagano Prefecture's Oishii Shinshu Food guide. It differs from the official site's hours, so confirm before visiting.

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

Genkiya farm shop

The shop stocks the village's farm and forest products, seasonal wild and highland vegetables, woodcrafts such as Oroku combs, and Kiso Valley sake. Corn in summer and mushrooms in autumn change the character of its displays.

Genki restaurant

Its main dishes are Kiso beef, soba made with Kiso Village buckwheat flour, and sanzoku-age fried chicken. It finishes earlier than the farm shop, taking last orders at 16:00.

Processing center

The official site lists a processing center, and Genryu no Sato oyaki buns are handmade at a Kiso Village workshop. Seasonal fillings are offered.

Information corner

The Chubu Regional Development Bureau's facilities guide lists an information corner, EV charging facility, public telephone, and ramp. Use the information corner to plan the village sights before setting off.

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 farm shop is open from 9:00 to 17:00; the Genki restaurant opens at 10:00 and takes last orders at 16:00. Check the restaurant time first if you also want a meal.
  • Closure days are Thursdays from December through April, plus January 1 and 2. The official site's home page instead says December through March, so check it before setting out in winter or spring.
  • The Chubu Regional Development Bureau lists parking for 40 standard cars, nine large vehicles, and two vehicles using accessible spaces. The national roadside station association instead lists two large-vehicle spaces, so allow extra time if arriving in a large vehicle.
  • The official site's driving estimates are about 40 minutes from Shiojiri Interchange on the Chuo Expressway; about 30 minutes from Ina Interchange via National Route 361 and the Gonbei Tunnel; and about 80 minutes north on National Route 19 from Nakatsugawa Interchange.
  • It is a two-minute walk from Yabuhara Station on the JR Chuo West Line. It can also serve as a starting point for a Kisoji walk by train, or for a day when no one else can take a turn driving.
  • Meal prices are those listed on the official site, which says they were revised on June 1, 2024. Check the posted prices when visiting.
  • The village is at an elevation of 942 m. In winter or rain, allow extra time for road conditions and the journey.
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
    Kiso beef hot-plate set meal
    ¥2,800 (listed on the official site)
  • Restaurant
    Kiso beef rice bowl with soft-cooked egg
    ¥1,980 (listed on the official site)
  • Restaurant
    Kiso zaru soba (chilled soba with dipping sauce)
    ¥800 (listed on the official site)
  • Restaurant
    Sanzoku-age fried chicken set meal
    ¥980 (listed on the official site)
  • Restaurant
    Misogawa Dam curry
    ¥1,200 (listed on the official site)
  • Restaurant
    Sunki soba
    ¥900 (listed on the official site). Nagano Prefecture's guide recommends it around November–February.
  • Snack and souvenir
    Genryu no Sato oyaki (filled buns)
    Fillings include nozawana greens, dried daikon, and purple flower bean paste. Handmade at a processing workshop in Kiso Village.
  • Souvenir
    Genryu no Sato rice-koji amazake
    Listed on the official site as an item exclusive to the Kisomura roadside station.
  • Farm shop
    Seasonal highland vegetables, wild vegetables, and mushrooms
    Corn in summer and mushrooms in autumn; selection varies by season and deliveries.
  • Farm shop
    Kiso Valley sake (Nanawarai, Kisoji, Kiso no Kakehashi, Nakanorisan)
    A take-home choice if you are driving.
  • Crafts
    Oroku combs
    A traditional Nagano craft: comb-making handed down in Yabuhara.
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.

Have lunch here

Kiso beef hot-plate set meal / Kiso beef rice bowl

Kiso beef raised in the Kiso area is a signature offering at the Genki restaurant. Make a long drive on National Route 19 into a special lunch stop.

The official site says its prices were revised on June 1, 2024. Dishes and prices may change, so check the posted menu when you arrive.

Choose soba

Kiso zaru soba / tempura soba / kakiage fritter soba

The noodles are made with buckwheat flour from Kiso Village. Nagano Prefecture's Oishii Shinshu Food guide also recommends zaru soba year-round.

The restaurant takes last orders at 16:00. An arrival well after lunch may leave too little time.

For a winter stop

Sunki soba

This soba uses sunki pickles, a traditional food of the Kiso area. Nagano Prefecture's guide recommends it around November–February.

Availability depends on preparation and season. Outside that period, look at the other soba dishes.

Eat something quick

Genryu no Sato oyaki buns

These stuffed buns use flour from Shinshu and are handmade at a Kiso Village workshop. Alongside standard nozawana greens and dried daikon fillings, there is a mildly sweet purple flower bean paste.

Fillings change with the season and stock varies by day, so a specific variety may not be left late in the day.

Take something home

Highland vegetables and wild vegetables / rice-koji amazake / Kiso Valley sake / Oroku combs

Highland vegetables grown at this elevation are a mainstay of Kiso Village. For a compact souvenir, consider an Oroku comb or amazake.

Decide who is driving before choosing sake to drink. For fresh produce, allow for the time it will take to get home.

Access

Location and surroundings

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1
Roadside station
Michi-no-Eki Kisogawa Genryu no Sato Kisomura

Stop near the headwaters of the Kiso River. Two minutes on foot from Yabuhara Station, this Route 19 roadside station brings together Kiso beef, handmade soba, and Oroku combs.

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Food outlets and the market on the station grounds share the station pin. Nearby places are separate destinations to combine with your visit.
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Updated 2026-09-30Explore the nationwide map →