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Mie · Chubu

Roadside Station Iitaka Station

道の駅 飯高駅

A Route 166 rest stop where you can unwind in a hot spring overlooking the Kushida River, eat Matsusaka beef and soba, and play on the lawn.

Updated Michi-no-Eki JournalRead in Japanese

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph

Location
Matsusaka City
Road
National Route 166
Hours
9:00–21:00
Hours vary by facility; check the shop, hot spring, and restaurant separately.
Parking
Cars: 91 / 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.

Look at first
Lawn park and toilets

With children, locate a place to move around and the way back before waiting for a meal or visiting the bath.

To eat
Matsusaka beef, game, and soba

For a full lunch, head to Restaurant Iitaka. From 14:00 to 17:00 the menu focuses on noodles, so soba or sweets suit a late stop.

To buy
Tea and Iitaka sweets

Dengara, darayaki, Tottoki mochi, Tottoki miso, and locally grown buckwheat flour are good ways to take home a taste of the area.

To rest
Iitaka no Yu

Towels are sold, and shampoo and hair dryers are provided. It is convenient after hiking or walking.

To walk
Mezurashi Pass walking route

Allow about 1–2 hours, starting and ending at Iitaka Station. With few steep climbs, you can see historic sites before returning for a bath.

On a rainy day
Hot spring, food, and doughnuts

Even if you cut park time short, you can switch to the hot spring, restaurant, shop, or BOUQUET IITAKA.

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph
Minato's detour notes

Play first, eat, then unwind in the hot spring.

Iitaka Station works especially well when family members want different things. Find the toilets, let the children loosen up at the lawn park, choose Matsusaka beef or soba for lunch, pick up a taste of Iitaka at the shop, and finish with a bath. On rainy or hot days, shorten outdoor play and switch to doughnuts, an exhibition, and the hot spring. It works for a Route 166 stop or a half-day outing.

Highlights

Roadside Station Iitaka Station on National Route 166 combines a hot spring, dining, a produce shop, a lawn park, and the Mezurashi Pass walking route. The mountains of Iitaka and the Kushida River are close by. The restaurant offers choices including Matsusaka beef, game, handmade soba, Hachisu Dam curry, and seasonal set meals. With children, locate the park and toilets first; keep water play brief on hot days. On rainy days, the hot spring, restaurant, doughnut shop, and store make an easier plan. If you have time, walk Mezurashi Pass and finish at Iitaka no Yu.

  • #Kahadakyo Hot Spring
  • #Matsusaka beef
  • #Handmade soba
  • #Lawn park
  • #Mezurashi Pass
  • #National Route 166
Why I like it

Reasons to stop here

01

Plan meals and play around the hot spring

Iitaka no Yu generally accepts bathers from 10:00 to 20:00 and closes at 20:45. It has 11 kinds of baths, indoor and open-air baths overlooking the Kushida River, a sauna, and a rest area. A visit at the end of a drive can round out the day. The lawn park before a meal, the bath afterward, and the shop in the evening make an easy sequence.

02

Iitaka's food goes well beyond Matsusaka beef

Restaurant Iitaka offers Matsusaka beef, venison rice bowls, momiji deer curry, botan-nabe wild boar hot pot, Hachisu Dam curry, and handmade soba. The shop sells tea, shiitake mushrooms, dengara leaf-wrapped sweets, darayaki griddle cakes, Tottoki mochi, and Tottoki miso. A specialist doughnut shop lets you split your choices among lunch, sweets, and take-home goods.

03

Space for children and dogs within the station grounds

The lawn park on the west side covers about 5,000 square meters and has sledding, play equipment, a wooden deck, and a cold spring-fed water-play area. A dog run for small and medium dogs is also open 24 hours, so meals, play, and a break for the dog can all fit within the station grounds.

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.

Families with preschool and elementary school children

Let the children play first, then settle in for lunch

After arrival, use the toilets and head to the lawn park on the west side. A short spell of sledding, playground time, or water play can ease the restaurant wait. After eating, choose dengara or doughnuts at the shop; if time and energy allow, finish at the hot spring.

Parking → toilets → lawn park → Restaurant Iitaka → Iitaka no Mise or BOUQUET IITAKA

The water-play area uses flowing spring water, not the main Kushida River. Read the warning signs and keep visits short. Camping, bringing pets into the park, and ball games are prohibited.

A half-day drive for adults

Walk Mezurashi Pass, then finish in the hot spring

Pick up a map at the information office and set off on the Mezurashi Pass walk. After visiting historic sites on the old Wakayama road, return to Iitaka no Yu. A light meal before walking, or a leisurely one after bathing, works well.

Information office → Mezurashi Pass walk → Iitaka no Yu → shop

Watch the heat in summer, your footing after rain, and the time needed to return late in the day. Group guides require advance booking.

A day crossing between the Nara and Matsusaka directions

Take a touring or driving break on Route 166

Whether approaching from Matsusaka IC or Nara, the station makes a convenient break before or after mountain roads. With EV charging, toilets, a shop, a hot spring, and doughnuts, you have several options on a long journey.

National Route 166 → parking and toilets → shop or doughnuts → hot spring if wanted

On many Wednesdays, facilities other than Iitaka no Mise are closed. The RV park also cannot be used when all facilities are closed, so check the day before visiting.

A day for seasonal scenery

Explore deeper into the nature of Kahadakyo Gorge

Eat and shop at the station, then head toward Hachisu Dam, Haze Station, Taiunji Temple, or Mt. Tsubonegatake. Destinations change with cherry blossoms in spring, fresh greenery, riverside outings in summer, autumn foliage, and winter rime ice. The station serves as a base for meals and a bath before or afterward.

Iitaka Station → Hachisu Dam or the Haze Station area → return to Iitaka Station for a bath

Weather and road conditions can change the experience in the mountains. Allow extra travel time during autumn foliage and events.

Hours

Opening hours

Information office
10:00-18:00

Telephone information hours; closed Wednesdays.

Iitaka no Mise shop
9:00-18:00

Generally closed on the second Wednesday of June and December and December 31–January 1; open on some Wednesdays.

Iitaka no Yu
Reception 10:00–20:00

Closes at 20:45; generally closed Wednesdays and December 31–January 1.

Restaurant Iitaka
11:00-19:00

Last order 18:30; from 14:00 to 17:00 only a limited noodle menu is offered.

BOUQUET IITAKA
10:30-17:00

Generally closed Wednesdays and December 31–January 1. Also check the shop's social media for holidays.

Soba-making experience
Starts 10:00–15:00

Advance bookings have priority. Allow about two hours; classes may be canceled according to instructor availability.

Dog run
24 hours

For small and medium dogs; free. Generally closed on the second Wednesday of June and December and over the New Year period.

Fast EV charger
24 hours

Use the Terra Charge app.

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.

Age 1 and under
★★★☆☆

Keep the hot spring and meals as an adult break, with only a short visit to the lawn park.

There are diaper-changing beds in the changing rooms. Outside, sunshine and water call for an easy pace around feeding, diaper changes, and meals.

Ages 2–3
★★★★☆

Sledding, playground equipment, and water play offer a change of pace.

There is equipment for young children, but the spring water is cold and the footing varies. Stay close and limit play to the time an adult can supervise.

Ages 4–6
★★★★★

The lawn park, Tarzan rope, sleds, doughnuts, and hot spring can fill a day.

Outdoor play before or after a restaurant wait works well at this age. In rain, switch to doughnuts, the shop, and the hot spring.

Elementary school children
★★★★★

Add Mezurashi Pass, soba-making, the lawn park, and the hot spring to the day's options.

Soba-making takes about two hours and advance reservations have priority. Choose Mezurashi Pass according to the weather and whether your child can walk for 1–2 hours.

Park

The lawn park on the west side covers about 5,000 square meters. Ask at the sales counter about sled rentals.

Water play

The children's water-play area is a spring-fed stream. Follow the warning signs and weather conditions, and keep visits short.

Rainy day

The hot spring, restaurant, shop, doughnuts, and soba-making experience help keep the visit on track.

Visiting with a dog

The free dog run is for small and medium dogs. Pets cannot enter the buildings, so plan how your group will split up.

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

Exchange Hall exhibition space

Art exhibitions and Iitaka Station newsletters are often posted here. It also suits a short stop in the rain.

Iitaka no Yu

The hot spring runs Bath Day, Towel Day, and other events on its calendar. Check the current month's calendar before bathing.

Exchange Hall and passageway

The anniversary festival, Tottoki Festival, prize draws, and stalls often center here alongside shopping.

National Route 166 corridor

Events such as the Network Route 166 stamp rally and Kahadakyo cycling use the wider road corridor, beyond the station itself.

Local feel

Reasons to return

Practical ideas and things to consider when spending time here.

At weekend lunchtime, use the park and sweets as options alongside the restaurant

The hot spring and restaurant draw visitors at the same time, so lunch is easier if it is not your only plan. A brief move to the lawn park, shop, doughnut counter, or exhibition space can ease a family wait.

Source: Official facility information and visitor-review trends

You can still use the hot spring if you forgot a towel

Iitaka no Yu provides shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and hair dryers, and sells towels. You can decide to bathe after Mezurashi Pass, Mt. Tsubonegatake, or a motorcycle ride even without having packed for it.

Source: Official hot-spring information

Young children enjoy the lawn park; keep water play brief

Play equipment, sledding, a rope swing, and a spring-fed water-play area give children room to move on the station grounds. Summer adds appeal, but the water and sunshine mean it helps to plan changes of clothes, safe footing, and supervision time first.

Source: Official lawn-park information and local experience article

Season and availability change the choice of Iitaka dishes

The restaurant offers seasonal dishes, Matsusaka beef, game, handmade soba, and Hachisu Dam curry; some dishes sell out or have limited serving hours. Arrive early for a particular dish, and choose noodles or sweets for a late lunch.

Source: Official dining and new-menu information

The Mezurashi Pass walk brings you back to a useful base

Pick up a map at Iitaka Station's information office for the 1–2 hour Mezurashi Pass historic-site walk. Returning to a hot spring, food, and a shop makes it easy to turn the walk into a full outing.

Source: Official Mezurashi Pass walking-course information

With a dog, plan around the dog run and the no-pets rule indoors

The free dog run for small and medium dogs is open 24 hours. Pets cannot enter the buildings, so arrange how companions will take turns if you plan to eat or bathe, and consider safe conditions if the dog must wait in a car.

Source: Official dog-run information and local experience article

Choose a Kahadakyo destination according to the season and road conditions

Spring brings cherry blossoms; fresh-green season suits the riverside; summer brings waterside outings, autumn foliage, and winter rime ice in the mountains. When driving toward Hachisu Dam or Haze, check mountain weather, ice, and forest-road conditions, and leave time to return to a station-only visit.

Source: Kahadakyo official information and Iitaka Station seasonal highlights
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.

  • On most Wednesdays, facilities other than Iitaka no Mise are closed. Hours may change around the August Obon holiday, so check the official calendar if the hot spring or restaurant is your goal.
  • Iitaka no Yu generally accepts bathers from 10:00 to 20:00 and closes at 20:45. People with tattoos, people who are intoxicated, pets, and outside food or drink are among the stated restrictions.
  • Restaurant Iitaka generally opens 11:00–19:00, with last orders at 18:30. From 14:00 to 17:00 it offers a limited noodle menu.
  • Iitaka no Mise generally opens 9:00–18:00 and closes on the second Wednesday of June and December and from December 31 to January 1. On some Wednesdays, only the shop is open.
  • Camping, bringing pets, and ball games are prohibited in the lawn park. Follow signs at the water-play area and prioritize weather and safe footing.
  • The fast EV charger is available 24 hours, but requires the Terra Charge app; the stated payment options exclude cash and charging cards.
  • For a Mezurashi Pass walk, pick up a map at the information office and plan your return around the bath's opening hours.
  • The RV park and cottages have separate booking rules, closure days, and size limits. Check their facility pages before planning an overnight stay.
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
    Matsusaka beef rice bowl and set meal
    Popular Restaurant Iitaka dishes; check the restaurant menu for current availability.
  • Game dishes
    Venison rice bowl and momiji deer curry
    Available 11:00–14:00 and 17:00–19:00; limited quantities.
  • Local specialty
    Hachisu Dam curry
    A limited-quantity dish whose contents change by season.
  • Noodles
    Handmade soba
    Nihachi soba made with locally grown buckwheat flour; nihachi means roughly eight parts buckwheat to two parts wheat flour.
  • Take-home goods
    Dengara, darayaki, and Tottoki mochi
    Iitaka sweets to look for at Iitaka no Mise.
  • Sweets
    BOUQUET IITAKA's rich fresh doughnuts
    10:30–17:00. Check the shop's social media for days off too.
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
A full lunch

Matsusaka beef, shokado bento (a compartmented boxed meal), and seasonal specials

Make the restaurant the main stop if you can arrive between 11:00 and 14:00. In addition to Matsusaka beef, there are monthly and seasonal set meals.

From 14:00 to 17:00, only a limited noodle menu is available, so a late lunch has fewer choices.

A taste of Iitaka

Venison rice bowl, momiji deer curry, and botan-nabe wild boar hot pot

Choose game if you want a taste of this mountain area. Some dishes are limited in quantity or available only in winter, so arrive early if a specific dish is the purpose of your visit.

Before or after a walk

Handmade soba and Hachisu Dam curry

Soba or dam curry fits a Mezurashi Pass walk or Kahadakyo drive. Both can work as a lighter meal around a hot-spring visit.

Sweets for the car

Rich fresh doughnuts, dengara, and darayaki

Even without a restaurant meal, sweets from BOUQUET IITAKA or the shop make a short stop worthwhile.

For home

Tea, shiitake mushrooms, Tottoki miso, and locally grown buckwheat flour

Tea from Iitaka and Iinan, plus Iitaka miso and buckwheat flour, make practical souvenirs. In hot weather, consider the time needed to carry fresh produce home.

Access

Location and surroundings

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1
Roadside station
Roadside Station Iitaka Station

A Route 166 rest stop where you can unwind in a hot spring overlooking the Kushida River, eat Matsusaka beef and soba, and play on the lawn.

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2
Outdoor play on station grounds
Iitaka Station Lawn Park

An on-site park where children can take a break before or after a meal with sledding, play equipment, and spring-fed water play.

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3
Historic walk
Mezurashi Pass Walking Course

Pick up a map at Iitaka Station, walk historic sites along the old Wakayama road, and return for a bath.

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4
Hiking and views
Mt. Tsubonegatake

A Kahadakyo mountain also called Ise’s Yarigatake; combine the climb with a meal and bath at Iitaka Station.

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5
Kahadakyo drive
Hachisu Dam and the Haze area

Follow a mountain route to the dam lake in upper Kahadakyo, Haze Station, and Taiunji Temple, then return to Iitaka Station for a bath.

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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.
Nearby

Places to visit nearby

Outdoor play on station grounds
Iitaka Station Lawn ParkJapanese guide
On station groundsA short walk

Good for letting children play before or after a meal or fitting in brief outdoor play before rain.

Historic walk
Mezurashi Pass Walking CourseJapanese guide
Starts and ends at the stationAbout 1–2 hours on foot

For days when you want to walk through some of Iitaka's history as well as eat and bathe.

Hiking and views
Mt. TsubonegatakeJapanese guide
About 15 minutes by car from the stationAbout 90 minutes on foot from the trailhead to the summit

For a day centered on hiking, followed by a bath and meal at Iitaka Station.

Kahadakyo drive
Hachisu Dam and the Haze areaJapanese guide
Hachisu Dam is about 30–40 minutes by car from the station; Haze Station is farther westSuitable for a half-day drive

For days when you want to add Kahadakyo's nature and the atmosphere of a post town to your station visit.

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