Shizuoka Prefecture · Chubu
道の駅 くんま水車の里
The sound of the waterwheel and the Atago River. Taste mountain-village food made by local women.
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 station's symbol and the Atago River bank. See them when you arrive to get a feel for this place.
It opens at 11:00; last orders are at 14:30 (14:00 in winter). Do not leave lunch too late if you want a choice of dishes.
The Tenryu-timber building stocks house-made pickles, manju buns, and shiitake mushrooms. Pause on the terrace overlooking the Atago River.
All require reservations. Soba and gohei mochi take about 45 minutes; konnyaku takes about 60 minutes and is offered only from October through April.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism lists the Oguri-yasu terraces as about 10 minutes away by car and Kumadaira Auto Campground as about five minutes away.
The station is normally closed Wednesday and Thursday. The official route guidance goes via Hamamatsu-Hamakita IC on the Shin-Tomei Expressway.
Natsuki Shinohara sees this station as a destination worth the drive up the mountain, not just a place to pause en route. See the waterwheel house, have soba or a set meal at Kaasan no Mise, then pick out pickles and tea at Buratto. If children are joining you, reserve a gohei mochi making session. Choosing the right day matters more than the order of stops: Wednesday and Thursday are regular closing days, and winter closing times are earlier. With that planned, you can slow down to the sound of the river.
Michi-no-Eki Kumma Suisha no Sato is a roadside station in the mountains on Prefectural Route 9, the Tenryu–Toei Line, beside the Atago River in Hamamatsu's Tenryu Ward. Its waterwheel house and accessible riverbank share one site with Kaasan no Mise, a restaurant run by local women, the Buratto produce shop, and bookable workshops in soba making, gohei mochi making, and konnyaku making. It is normally closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and winter hours are shorter, so check your visit date before setting out.
The waterwheel house is the station's symbol. Water is brought from a stream about 700 metres away; a drop of about 50 metres creates the flow that keeps the wheel turning vigorously. Beside it, Suisha no Mizube, the waterwheel waterfront, has a bridge over the clear Atago River and a stepped bank. You can descend the bank to reach the water. The area has been selected for the Heisei 100 Exquisite Waters list and Hamamatsu City's 100 Sound, Scent and Light Environmental Resources, making a pause here a reason to visit in itself.
Kaasan no Mise serves grated-daikon soba, maitake mushroom tempura soba, the Kumma Irodori set meal, venison curry, and more. It has 36 indoor seats and 36 terrace seats, with children's chairs indoors. Buratto occupies a building made with Tenryu timber and sells local products including house-made pickles, manju buns, tea, shiitake mushrooms, and wooden crafts. From the terrace you can look over the Atago River and rest after shopping.
The workshop offers soba making (about 45 minutes), gohei mochi making (about 45 minutes), and konnyaku making (about 60 minutes). Gohei mochi is a grilled rice cake, while konnyaku is a firm food made from konjac. Konnyaku making is seasonal, from October through April. All workshops require a reservation by phone; secure a date and time before setting out if the workshop is your main reason for visiting.
Spend your time at the station or add somewhere nearby. These ideas help you plan around your companions and the weather.
Kaasan no Mise opens at 11:00, with last orders at 14:30 (14:00 in winter). Choose from grated-daikon soba, maitake tempura soba, the Kumma Irodori set meal, or venison curry, then browse pickles and tea at Buratto after eating.
Parking → Kaasan no Mise → Buratto → waterwheel house.
The restaurant and shop close at different times, and both have shorter hours in winter (December–February).
Soba and gohei mochi making each take about 45 minutes; konnyaku making takes about 60 minutes. All require a phone reservation, so arrange the date and time before travelling. Add a meal and shopping around the workshop for a half-day at the station.
Phone reservation → arrival → workshop → Kaasan no Mise or the terrace → Buratto.
Konnyaku making is seasonal, from October through April. Workshop durations do not include mealtime.
Suisha no Mizube consists of a bridge over the Atago River and a stepped bank that leads down to the water. River fish, wild birds, and insects can also be seen here. The Buratto terrace overlooks the river, making it easy to combine shopping with a break.
Parking → waterwheel house → Suisha no Mizube waterfront → Buratto terrace.
The official guidance says an adult must accompany young children playing in the river and keep them in sight.
The official guidance recommends the route via Hamamatsu-Hamakita IC on the Shin-Tomei Expressway. Navigation systems may suggest Hamamatsu-Inasa IC and Prefectural Route 47, but the official site advises against it because the road is narrow. From central Tenryu, allow about 30 minutes on the main Tenryu–Toei road.
Shin-Tomei Hamamatsu-Hamakita IC → Prefectural Route 9, Tenryu–Toei Line → along the Atago River → station.
Road conditions in the mountains can change with weather or disasters. The station may also close temporarily during typhoons or heavy-rain warnings.
March–November hours; winter hours are 10:00–14:30 from December through February.
Winter hours, December–February: 11:00–14:30 (last order 14:00).
Contact point for workshop and meeting-room inquiries.
Soba and gohei mochi making take about 45 minutes; konnyaku making about 60 minutes, only October–April. Book by phone.
Up to two hours cost ¥1,500 including tax. The Japanese-style room holds about 10 people, and the larger room about 30. Inquire in advance.
Some toilets are available 24 hours. There is one EV rapid charger.
Stars show the editorial recommendation for each age group on a five-point scale. Read the reasons alongside each rating.
Infant facilities and an accessible toilet make a short break easier.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism lists infant facilities. There are also 24-hour toilets for a break during a journey. Staying on the terrace and indoors rather than descending to the riverbank may keep the stop simple.
Keep eating, seeing the waterwheel, and returning to the car as short separate steps.
There are children's chairs inside Kaasan no Mise. You can view the waterwheel house briefly while standing, without a long wait.
Gohei mochi making and a waterside walk give the visit a purpose.
Gohei mochi making takes about 45 minutes. It includes charcoal grilling, so stay with children throughout. Decide to accompany them before going down the stepped bank at Suisha no Mizube.
Combine soba making with river play for a half-day.
Soba making takes about 45 minutes, and you can take the soba home. From October through April, konnyaku making (about 60 minutes) is another option. Both require reservations.
Check the signs on site for the location of these facilities.
Last order is 14:30 (14:00 in winter).
The official guidance says an adult must accompany young children playing in the river and keep them in sight.
All require reservations. Workshop durations do not include mealtime.
Check official notices shortly before visiting for busy-season openings and substitute closing days.
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 official site's notices list each month's opening days, temporary closures, and events. They also show days that open despite the usual closure and later substitute closing days.
Soba, gohei mochi, and konnyaku making all require reservations. Konnyaku making is seasonal, from October through April; book by phone.
An adjoining multipurpose facility can be used for activities and small meetings. The meeting room is available 9:30–16:30, at ¥1,500 including tax for up to two hours. The Japanese-style room holds about 10 people and the larger room about 30. Ask in advance about using it.
Practical ideas and things to consider when spending time here.
The official site lists Wednesday and Thursday as regular closing days but says it may open during busy periods, including spring break, Golden Week, summer vacation, and Obon, with substitute closure days later. It closes over the New Year holidays. Typhoons and heavy-rain warnings can also bring temporary closures in this mountain area.
From March through November, Buratto opens 10:00–15:00, Kaasan no Mise 11:00–15:00 (last order 14:30), and the office 10:00–16:00. In winter, December through February, the shop opens 10:00–14:30 and the restaurant 11:00–14:30 (last order 14:00). If lunch is your main purpose, aim to arrive before noon.
The official site directs visitors via Hamamatsu-Hamakita IC on the Shin-Tomei Expressway. A navigation system may suggest Hamamatsu-Inasa IC via Prefectural Route 47, but the site advises against this narrow road. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism estimates about 30 minutes from central Tenryu on the main Tenryu–Toei road.
Soba making (about 45 minutes), gohei mochi making (about 45 minutes), and konnyaku making (about 60 minutes, only October–April) all require reservations by phone. The durations do not include mealtime. If a workshop anchors your trip, book it before arranging the rest.
Water reaches the waterwheel house from a stream about 700 metres away and drops about 50 metres to turn the wheel. The adjoining Suisha no Mizube waterfront has a bridge over the Atago River and a stepped bank leading to the water. The area is on the Heisei 100 Exquisite Waters list and Hamamatsu City's 100 Sound, Scent and Light Environmental Resources list.
The official site describes use of a community-operated bus from Enshu Railway's Nishi-Kajima Station and gives a reservation line (053-472-8451, 8:00–17:00). Shizuoka Prefecture's tourism guide lists the station as about 35 minutes by car from either Nishi-Kajima Station or Tenryu-Futamata Station on the Tenryu Hamanako Railway.
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.
Have soba or a set meal prepared by local women at one of 36 indoor or 36 terrace seats. Children's chairs are available indoors.
Last order is 14:30 (14:00 in winter). Groups should ask about reserved meals before travelling.
Gohei mochi, grilled rice cake with a prize-draw ticket, is sold only on weekends and public holidays. It suits a stop without a full meal.
It is not offered on weekdays. Check the day's notice for availability.
Buratto carries local specialties. Pick something to open at home and take a taste of the mountain village with you, even after a short stop.
Buratto is open 10:00–15:00 (10:00–14:30 in winter). On some days it closes before the restaurant.
You may eat the soba you make there or take it home. Gohei mochi is grilled over charcoal.
All workshops require reservations. Konnyaku making is offered only from October through April.
If you cannot stop by because it is a closing day or you live far away, you can choose local products through the official online shop.
Products and stock change with the season.
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The sound of the waterwheel and the Atago River. Taste mountain-village food made by local women.
Send your travel companions a possible stop.
