Mie · Chubu
道の駅 茶倉駅
Overlook tea fields and the Kushida River, then pause for tea udon on a National Route 166 drive.
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.
In good weather, look at the outdoor scenery before your meal to get a sense of this station.
A local dish made with Iinan's deep-steamed sencha green tea. Around lunchtime, check serving hours and crowding.
Take care of practical needs first, then walk to Chakura Bridge when everyone is settled.
Keep outdoor walking brief and switch to the hot spring or more indoor stops.
Even without a meal, you can choose a souvenir characteristic of Iinan.
Combine Chakura Bridge, Shinryoku Sabo and Chibu Pass according to the weather.
Minato Yakumo looks at Chakura Station through the needs of a travelling family. Parking is limited, so sort out toilets, meal timing and shopping on arrival. Once children are settled, walk to the viewpoint and Chakura Bridge; in bad weather, switch to second-floor seating or Iitaka Station. Connecting tea udon with the tea-field scenery at an easy pace brings out the best of the station.
Michi-no-Eki Chakura Station is a small roadside station where you can take in both the tea fields and the Kushida River in Matsusaka's Iinan area. Its shop and restaurant are modest in size, but tea udon made with deep-steamed sencha green tea, local vegetables and tea, second-floor seating, a viewpoint and the red Chakura Bridge are all close together. Even a short stop leaves a strong impression of the landscape. With children, plan toilets and a meal first; head for the viewpoint and bridge in good weather, or switch to the hot spring at Iitaka Station or a tea shop in rain or extreme heat.
Chakura Station offers more than its signature dish. Eat tea udon, browse tea and local vegetables in the shop, then step outside to see tea fields and the Kushida River. Even a brief break feels like a visit to Iinan.
There is a viewpoint just outside the station building, and you can walk to the red Chakura Bridge for a different view. This is not a place to spend hours on large play equipment, but a short walk before or after eating helps break up a drive on Route 166.
Parking is limited. At lunchtime on holidays or on morning-market days, decide whether eating, shopping or enjoying the view matters most. If it is busy, see the bridge and viewpoint first, and consider eating toward Iitaka Station instead.
Everglades Kahada Gorge is within walking distance, Shinryoku Sabo is a few minutes away by car, and Iitaka Station has a hot spring. Chibu Pass and a low-water bridge offer further options. You can change your stops to suit sun or rain, children or adults.
Spend your time at the station or add somewhere nearby. These ideas help you plan around your companions and the weather.
After parking, use the toilets first, then browse tea and local vegetables in the shop. In good weather, add the viewpoint: tea fields and the Kushida River make this more than a routine rest stop.
Parking → toilets → shop → viewpoint → departure
Parking is limited. At holiday lunchtime or on morning-market days, choosing one priority may be easier than staying a long time.
Time lunch at the restaurant's serving hours and choose tea udon or a set meal. Afterward, move to the second-floor seating or outside viewpoint for a change of pace for children.
Toilets → restaurant → second-floor rest → Chakura Bridge or shop
The restaurant's last order is relatively early. If arriving late, consider a meal toward Iitaka Station instead.
See the tea fields and Kushida River from the station viewpoint, then walk to the red Chakura Bridge if time allows. The bridge has fine views, but some children may dislike its wind or movement. Be ready to turn back without crossing all the way.
Station → viewpoint → Chakura Bridge → brief walk toward Everglades Kahada Gorge
The ground can be wet after rain. With toddlers, keep the walk short and hold hands or carry them.
Keep the Chakura stop short with a meal, shopping and second-floor rest; decide on the bridge walk according to conditions. For a longer break, drive about 10–15 minutes to Iitaka Station and Iitaka no Yu hot spring, where both children and adults can reset.
Chakura Station → Iitaka Station and Iitaka no Yu → return journey
Iitaka Station is generally closed on Wednesdays. If the hot spring is your goal, check its closure and last-admission times first.
After tea udon at Chakura Station, continue to Shinryoku Sabo or Tea Workshop Kahada to connect tasting, eating and shopping. Shaved ice is a summer draw, new tea in spring, and the green fields and air in autumn.
Chakura Station → Shinryoku Sabo → Tea Workshop Kahada or Kahada Gorge
Tea shops have closing days and can sell out. Check recent notices if you want a specific product.
Chakura Station suits a brief planning stop before entering Kahada Gorge. After seeing the bridge and river, decide whether to continue toward Chibu Pass, the low-water bridge or Iitaka Station, leaving some flexibility on Route 166.
Chakura Station → riverside of Kahada Gorge → Chibu Pass or low-water bridge → Iitaka Station
Weather and sunset change conditions in the mountains. Avoid adding extra stops late in the day.
Official website hours. Check the official website or Instagram for temporary changes.
Official website hours. The Matsusaka City Tourism Association page still lists last order at 16:00; check the restaurant's current hours and plan to eat early.
Official website listing. Check the official Instagram for temporary closures or days when only the restaurant is closed.
The transport ministry says these generally remain usable on closed days unless otherwise announced; Tourism Mie lists 24-hour access. Events or management needs may affect access.
Stars show the editorial recommendation for each age group on a five-point scale. Read the reasons alongside each rating.
Suitable for toilets, the shop and a brief rest.
This is not a large indoor play facility. Use the station building and seating for a short stop while carrying your baby; judge the bridge and viewpoint by weather and footing.
Works for a meal and a short walking break.
Chakura Bridge has good views, but its movement and height may bother some children. Hold hands and treat it as a brief change of scene rather than a crossing you must complete.
The viewpoint, bridge and river scenery can break the monotony of a car ride.
Fit in a walk before or after eating. In rain or extreme heat, switch to the second-floor seating and the Iitaka Station area.
Tea, river, suspension bridge and Kahada Gorge make a connected learning experience.
Talk about deep-steamed sencha, tea udon, the Kushida River and Chakura Bridge together. Wear comfortable walking shoes if extending the trip to Chibu Pass or the low-water bridge.
Parking is limited, so having everyone use the toilets on arrival makes the rest of the stop easier.
After rain or on a windy day, you can stay at the viewpoint instead of walking to the bridge.
If the restaurant is crowded, switch to the shop, second-floor rest area or a meal at Iitaka Station.
Even a short time at the bridge or viewpoint can feel hot. Break it up with a cold menu item or indoor rest.
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.
Notices generally schedule it for the first Saturday of each month. Check the official Instagram for the actual date, and allow for different parking and restaurant crowds.
Permanent scenery spots that make a visit worthwhile even without an event. They are especially appealing in fine weather.
Meetings, classes and events can take place here, so the station's atmosphere and crowding may vary by day.
During the Network Route 166 stamp rally, you can link Chakura Station with Iitaka Station and nearby facilities. A stamp rally is a visit-recording activity in which participants collect stamps at stops.
Practical ideas and things to consider when spending time here.
Travel accounts and reviews often praise the views of tea fields and the Kushida River, but holiday parking queues can occur. Rather than squeeze lunch, shopping and the viewpoint into one plan, visit them in the order that space allows.
Official and tourism information repeatedly features tea udon made with Iinan's deep-steamed sencha, a green tea steamed longer during processing. On a first visit, choose the signature dish, then browse the shop for tea to round out the experience.
The building has a restaurant and shop on the first floor and seating with a café-like space upstairs. When the outdoor bridge walk is difficult, a short rest with a view helps families pace their visit.
The red suspension bridge connects the station with the Everglades Kahada Gorge side and offers views of both the Kushida River and tea fields. If someone dislikes heights or movement, the viewpoint or a short walk near the bridge is enough.
The official Instagram announces Chakura Morning Market dates, and a Route 166 stamp rally is also listed for 2026. Events add shopping interest, but make parking and restaurant crowds less predictable.
The official menu lists seasonal chilled tea udon and shaved ice, while official posts mention nearby azaleas and the morning market. Seasonal items can sell out or change, so enjoy them when available.
Outdoor views are a major reason to stop at Chakura. If the bridge and viewpoint are impractical, continue to Iitaka Station for its hot spring, restaurant, shop and lawn park to reshape a family outing.
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.
A good first-visit choice. Green noodles and the aroma of tea make a stop in Iinan memorable.
Restaurant serving hours, set contents and last-order times can change. Arrive early if lunch is the purpose.
Options when children or the driver need a substantial meal during a Route 166 drive. Lunch can anchor a visit made for the scenery.
On hot days, a cold seasonal dish can make the stop more comfortable than a hot noodle meal.
Even without eating, a tea-region item from the shop makes the stop worthwhile.
Keep flexibility to see the scenery first or eat elsewhere, so a crowded restaurant does not derail the day.
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Overlook tea fields and the Kushida River, then pause for tea udon on a National Route 166 drive.
Just outside the station, a red suspension bridge offers views of both the tea fields and Kushida River.
Beyond Chakura Bridge, extend your visit to outdoor activities along the Kushida River.
After tea udon, explore Iinan tea further through direct sales and a café stop.
When walking outdoors at Chakura is difficult, reset your itinerary with a hot spring and meal.
Go a little farther from Chakura Station to explore more of the Kushida River scenery on foot.
Tea shaved ice in summer and new tea in spring extend the tea theme of a Chakura visit.
For a short walk with children after eating, or a quick look at the scenery. Anyone uneasy with heights or movement can enjoy the viewpoint instead.
For camping, river activities and outdoor days. Chakura Station can be your base for a meal and shopping.
For an adults-only tea-country drive, a mostly indoor break on a rainy day, or time to choose tea souvenirs carefully.
For rain, extreme heat, avoiding the lunch rush, or ending a drive with a hot spring.
For a half-day drive with primary-school-age children or adults, extending a Chakura view into a riverside walk in Kahada Gorge.
For cold summer sweets, spring's new tea, and an adults' tea-themed detour.
Send your travel companions a possible stop.
