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Gifu Prefecture · Chubu

Michi no Eki Cha no Sato Higashishirakawa

道の駅茶の里東白川

Pause for the aroma of Shirakawa tea, then venture a little farther to the river and wooded hills around Higashishirakawa.

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

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph

Location

Higashishirakawa Village, Kamo District

Road

National Route 256

Hours

9:00–16:00

April–November: 9:00–16:00; December–March: 9:30–16:00. Check the individual shop’s information for café hours and lunch service days.

Parking

Cars: 65 / Large vehicles: 2

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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 on arrival

Check the toilets, opening hours and café service days

The 24-hour facilities are useful, but meal and shop options vary by season and day.

To take something home

Chazoen Shirakawa tea, tea sweets and locally grown vegetables

Tea is a light souvenir to enjoy in the car or at home. The first-flush season is a particular draw.

For a small snack

Tsuchinoko-yaki cakes, green-tea soft serve and tea sweets

Even if you miss lunch, you can sample flavors distinctive to this station in a short time.

With children

Keep the station visit short, then head to a riverside park

A toilet and sweet-treat stop followed by Shirakawa Seon Park is more practical than expecting hours of play here.

On a rainy day

Focus on shopping and the tearoom along covered walkways

Skip the river and terraced fields if conditions are poor, and consider an indoor stop such as Tsuchinoko Museum.

Highlights

Cha no Sato Higashishirakawa is a roadside station where a short stop can include factory-direct Shirakawa tea, tea sweets, a morning café meal and locally grown vegetables. It is not a place for extended play on large outdoor equipment, but its 24-hour toilets and covered walkways make it easier for families to plan meals and shopping on a drive. With more time, cross the road to Shirakawa Seon Park or continue to Tsuchinoko Museum and Nakagawara Riverside Park for a taste of Higashishirakawa’s river and wooded hills.

#Gifu Prefecture
#Higashishirakawa Village
#National Route 256
#Shirakawa tea
#Chazoen
#Cha no Sato Café
#Locally grown vegetables
#Tsuchinoko-yaki cakes
#Family rest stop
#Clear-flowing Shirakawa River

Practical information

Registration number: 岐阜-36
Prefecture: Gifu Prefecture
Municipality: Higashishirakawa Village, Kamo District
Road: National Route 256
Telephone: 0574-78-3123
Closed days: Closed Tuesdays (or the following day when Tuesday is a public holiday) and over the New Year holidays. Check official notices for changes.
Station stamp: Available

Address

1061 Oppara, Higashishirakawa Village, Kamo District, Gifu Prefecture (岐阜県加茂郡東白川村越原1061)

Facilities

Cha no Sato Hall
Chazoen tea factory direct sales
Local produce shop
Cha no Sato Café
Matamura outdoor stall
Chazoen tearoom
Shop
Rest area
Toilets
Public telephone
Wi-Fi
EV charging

2 more facilities listed.

External links

Visit the official website (Japanese)Background information (Japanese)chanosato.gifu.jp (Japanese guide)chanosato.gifu.jp (Japanese guide)chanosato.gifu.jp (Japanese guide)chanosato.gifu.jp (Japanese guide)www.kankou-gifu.jp (Japanese guide)www.pref.gifu.lg.jp (Japanese guide)www.cbr.mlit.go.jp (Japanese guide)www.vill.higashishirakawa.gifu.jp (Japanese guide)www.vill.higashishirakawa.gifu.jp (Japanese guide)

Why I like it

Reasons to stop here

Buying Shirakawa tea makes a stop in Higashishirakawa memorable

Cha no Sato Hall sells Mino Shirakawa tea made at the Chazoen tea factory behind the station. Choices include classic sencha green tea, roasted hojicha, tea bags and limited products during the first-flush tea season. Many are easy to enjoy after returning to the car. Even a short stop can yield a taste of the area to take home.

Check the day and time for meals, with sweets and shopping as alternatives

Cha no Sato Café is handy for its morning meal. Lunch is served only on Wednesdays and Thursdays, excluding public holidays, from 11:30 to 14:00. Rather than counting solely on lunch, leave room for tsuchinoko-yaki shaped cakes, green-tea soft serve, Shirakawa tea shaved ice, tea sweets and locally grown vegetables.

For families, check the toilets and covered route first, then try tea sweets

This is not a station built around large outdoor play equipment. With young children, locate the toilets and covered walkways on arrival, then enjoy a brief sweet treat or shopping stop. For outdoor activity, cross the road to Shirakawa Seon Park or drive on to Nakagawara Riverside Park.

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 drive between the Nakatsugawa and Kashimo area and Shirakawa Town

Buy Shirakawa tea and make a Route 256 rest stop part of the journey

A toilet-only stop is brief, but browsing Chazoen Shirakawa tea, tea sweets and local vegetables gives your Higashishirakawa visit a local flavor. Tea leaves take little space and let you revisit the trip at home.

On National Route 256; easy to include from Nakatsugawa IC via Route 257 and Kashimo.

Shopping generally ends by 16:00, so allow time if arriving late in the afternoon.

Families with preschoolers, a short change of scene or a break after rain

With children, regroup at the station before heading to the river

Use the toilets and enjoy a sweet treat at the station, then walk at Shirakawa Seon Park if you want some fresh air. If you have time to drive farther, Nakagawara Riverside Park adds lawn and riverside scenery. Separating meals, toilets and outdoor play makes the stop easier.

Cha no Sato Higashishirakawa → Shirakawa Seon Park / Nakagawara Riverside Park.

Riverside conditions change with weather and rising water. Avoid approaching the water after rain.

Rainy drives and families changing outdoor plans

On rainy days, pair tea sweets with a short indoor stop at Tsuchinoko Museum

Spend some relaxed time at Cha no Sato Café or the shop, then visit Tsuchinoko Museum for a curious Higashishirakawa story. Elementary-school children may enjoy the exhibits, while adults can browse Shirakawa tea.

Cha no Sato Higashishirakawa → Tsuchinoko Museum.

Tsuchinoko Museum is closed Wednesdays and closes earlier in winter; check its hours for your visit.

Return visits for seasonal products and village events

Follow the seasons: new tea, shaved ice, summer festivals and autumn harvests

Spring to early summer brings new tea and tea aromas; spring and summer bring Shirakawa tea shaved ice. In summer, there is a village festival at Nakagawara Riverside Park; autumn brings harvest celebrations. Village events can turn a quiet station visit into a fuller outing.

Start at Cha no Sato Higashishirakawa, then go to a village event venue.

Event dates, times and venues can change; check the village’s latest official information.

Hours

Opening hours

Roadside station and shop

April–November 9:00–16:00 / December–March 9:30–16:00

Closed Tuesdays, or the following day when Tuesday is a public holiday; also closed over New Year.

Cha no Sato Café morning service

Opening–11:00

Some notices list service until 12:00 on Mondays and Fridays.

Cha no Sato Café lunch

Wednesdays and Thursdays only, 11:30–14:00

No lunch service on public holidays. Check official notices for temporary changes.

Toilets, public telephone, Wi-Fi and EV charging

24 hours

At night or early in the morning, use these as rest facilities; the shops will be closed.

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

★★★☆☆

The 24-hour toilets make a short break convenient, but there is limited space for prolonged play. Check the location of nursing and diaper-changing facilities on arrival.

Ages 2–3

★★★☆☆

Sweets and the shop make a good change of scene. For movement outdoors, head to Shirakawa Seon Park rather than trying to do everything at the station.

Ages 4–6

★★★★☆

Combine tsuchinoko-yaki, tea sweets and a short riverside walk. Tsuchinoko Museum is an option on rainy days.

Elementary-school age

★★★★☆

Adding Tsuchinoko Museum, Nakagawara Riverside Park or the Kureishi Terraced Rice Field Biotope Park offers a mix of local lore and nature beyond food.

Toilets

The rest facilities can be used outside shop hours.

Meals

Lunch is only on Wednesdays and Thursdays, excluding public holidays. Sweets or shopping are alternatives.

Outdoor play

Shirakawa Seon Park and Nakagawara Riverside Park are better places to spend time outdoors.

Rainy days

The shop, tearoom and Tsuchinoko Museum make a practical mostly indoor 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

Pair a station stop with village seasonal events

Beyond events at the station itself, village activities around Nakagawara Riverside Park and Hananoki Hall give a trip to Higashishirakawa a clearer purpose.

Cha no Sato markets and seasonal products

The official site and Instagram carry seasonal-product information and past market notices. Check current notices before travelling for first-flush tea, shaved ice or New Year opening hours.

Local feel

Reasons to return

Practical ideas and things to consider when spending time here.

Plan for 30 minutes to an hour

Visitor reviews and travel media commonly describe brief stops for meals, shopping and tea sweets. Rather than spending half a day at the station, buy Shirakawa tea and continue into the surrounding area.

Source: Jalan, Tripadvisor and editorial synthesis

Tea and tea sweets shape the experience here

Factory-direct Shirakawa tea, tea sweets, pudding, green-tea soft serve and Shirakawa tea shaved ice are frequently mentioned. Even if you come for a meal, tea shopping makes the visit feel distinctive.

Source: Official site, Gifu travel guide and review trends

Lunch follows a weekly schedule, so have another option

Cha no Sato Café lists lunch mainly on Wednesdays and Thursdays. If lunch is unavailable, a morning meal, tea sweets, tsuchinoko-yaki or local produce can still make the family stop worthwhile.

Source: Official Cha no Sato Café

After rain, choose indoor stops over the riverside

The nearby Shirakawa River and parks are appealing, but avoid the water after rain. The shop, tearoom and Tsuchinoko Museum preserve a sense of place in poor weather.

Source: Higashishirakawa Village park information and official Tsuchinoko Museum

Keep children engaged with short stops and local stories

Tsuchinoko-yaki, Tsuchinoko Museum, the river and parks make an easy sequence of food, discovery and short walks for children through elementary-school age. Moving between them is easier than staying at the station for a long time.

Source: Ikoyo nearby listings and editorial synthesis

On event days, plan village travel and parking

Village events such as Tsuchinoko Festa, the summer festival and Autumn Festa may take place away from the station. Use the station for shopping, and follow the event’s current venue, traffic and parking guidance.

Source: Higashishirakawa Village event information

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.

For shopping, plan to arrive before 16:00.
Café lunch is available only on certain days, so keep sweets or tea shopping as an alternative.
If visiting the river or parks, watch for rising water and slippery ground after rain.
Winter days darken early, and mountain-road conditions change; travel in daylight when possible.

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.

Tea and souvenirs
Chazoen Shirakawa tea
Sencha green tea, hojicha roasted tea, tea bags and limited first-flush products
Tea sweets
Tohaku Saryo pudding
Chilled dessert with the flavor of tea
Snack to eat on the go
Tsuchinoko-yaki
Sweet azuki bean paste, custard and changing monthly flavors
Lunch
Keichan chicken udon and Chinese-style noodles
Served at lunch on Wednesdays and Thursdays only, excluding public holidays. Official listings give Chinese-style noodles at ¥850 and keichan chicken udon at ¥950.
Direct sales
Locally grown vegetables and Higashishirakawa rice
Take home seasonal vegetables and rice

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.

Buy tea

Chazoen Shirakawa tea / hojicha / first-flush tea

Tea is central to this station. Leaves and tea bags are light gifts for family or colleagues and easy to use at home.

First-flush tea and limited items vary by season and stock.

Take a break with sweets

Tohaku Saryo pudding / green-tea soft serve / Shirakawa tea shaved ice

Even without a sit-down meal, tea sweets offer a quick taste of Higashishirakawa and an easy family break.

Shaved ice and soft serve are seasonal; check what is offered that day.

Eat something light

Morning café meal / Chinese-style noodles / keichan chicken udon

Try the morning meal early, or lunch on Wednesdays and Thursdays, excluding public holidays. Check the day before relying on lunch during a drive. Keichan is a local seasoned-chicken dish.

Lunch is offered on limited days; sweets and shopping provide alternatives.

Pick up something for the car

Tsuchinoko-yaki cakes / tea sweets / locally grown vegetables

Tsuchinoko-yaki, cakes shaped for the village’s legendary creature, can spark conversation with children. Local produce can also serve as dinner shopping, making even a short visit satisfying.

Popular items and fresh sweets have limited quantities.

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