Niigata Prefecture · Hokuriku
道の駅 いりひろせ
Pause beside Kagamigaike Pond and take home Uonuma rice and mountain-country cooking.
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.
Check conditions at the pond, then decide whether to walk or eat.
Come for goppō soba, wild vegetables, and meals made with Uonuma rice.
This is an easy place to pick up souvenirs from rice country.
It suits a rest and short outdoor walk rather than a visit centered on playground equipment.
Switching to Suwa Onsen or Meguro Residence makes for a manageable alternative.
At Irihirose, it is easier to decide how long to stay after arrival: check the weather and footing at Kagamigaike Pond before extending your visit. With small children, start with the toilets and shop; eat at the lakeside restaurant if the timing works, and circle the pond if being outside feels pleasant. If rain or snow looks likely, allow more time for shopping and keep Suwa Onsen or Meguro Residence as an alternative.
Link the pond path, restaurant, and shop in that order for a mix of outdoor time and food.
Keep the meal and souvenir stop brief, then go to Suwa Onsen or Meguro Residence.
Check the lakeside restaurant's closure and National Route 252 traffic information first, then plan a short stop at the station itself.
Roadside Station Irihirose is a small stop in the mountains along National Route 252 where eating, shopping, and a short walk fit together naturally. At the shop, look for Uonuma-grown Koshihikari rice sold as Sogoro, hand-grilled senbei rice crackers, sasa dango (sweet dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves), and doburoku (unfiltered sake). For a meal, try goppō soba, a local buckwheat noodle using oyamabokuchi and funori as binders, and wild-vegetable dishes at Kagamigaike Lakeside Restaurant. On a fine day, walk the roughly 1 km path around Kagamigaike Pond. If rain or snow threatens, keep the meal and shopping brief, then continue to Suwa Onsen or Meguro Residence for an easier family outing.
Kagamigaike Pond lies beside the station, with a walking path of about 1 km. Use it to let children spend a little time outside, stretch your legs between drives, or enjoy the pond after a meal. Fishing and boating also change the experience by season, so keep outdoor plans short and judge the weather and footing on arrival.
At Kagamigaike Lakeside Restaurant, look for goppō soba and mountain-country dishes made with wild vegetables. The shop carries Uonuma-grown Koshihikari rice sold as Sogoro, hand-grilled senbei rice crackers, sasa dango (sweet dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves), and doburoku (unfiltered sake). Even without a restaurant meal, rice and sweets make for a distinctly Irihirose stop.
Irihirose sits near the entrance to an area known for heavy snowfall. Fresh green leaves, wild vegetables, autumn colors, and snow each change the scenery, while seasonal traffic restrictions toward Rokujurigoe Pass on National Route 252 can affect your itinerary. It is a useful place to adjust plans before or after a break from the Koide area, a stop along the Tadami Line, or a nature walk toward Mount Asakusa.
Spend your time at the station or add somewhere nearby. These ideas help you plan around your companions and the weather.
Use the toilets first, then look for Sogoro rice, hand-grilled senbei rice crackers, and sasa dango in the shop. Even without a meal, choosing some rice or rice crackers gives you a taste of Uonuma to take away.
Parking → toilets → shop → brief look at Kagamigaike Pond → departure
Wild vegetables and sweets depend on deliveries. In the evening, expect a smaller selection.
Time lunch to Kagamigaike Lakeside Restaurant's opening hours and try goppō soba or wild-vegetable dishes. A walk around the pond afterward gives children and adults a change of pace before returning to the car.
Station → Kagamigaike Lakeside Restaurant → Kagamigaike Pond path → shop
The restaurant closes in winter, and its operating season varies by year. Check official notices before a trip centered on lunch.
The pond path is about 1 km around. This is not a place for a long playground visit, but walking past the pond, birds, and mountain scenery can provide a welcome break from a drive.
Toilets → circuit of Kagamigaike Pond → sweets or shop → departure
After rain, during snow season, or on hot days, check the footing and sun and cut the walk short.
If a pond walk is difficult, eat and shop at the station, then make the short drive to Suwa Onsen, a day-use hot spring. With small children, the clear sequence of eating, shopping, then bathing can make the outing easier.
Station → Suwa Onsen → journey home
Suwa Onsen is generally closed on Thursdays. The station also has winter Thursday closures, so keep an alternative for a Thursday trip.
Continue toward Meguro Residence in the Echigo-Suhara area or along the Tadami Line to connect Uonuma rice, heavy snow, rail travel, and traditional-house culture. With children, give them outdoor time at the pond first, then keep the adult-focused visit fairly short.
Station → Kagamigaike Pond → Meguro Residence → Tadami Line scenery
The areas open to visitors at museums and similar sites vary by weekday and winter season. Check current opening information before going.
Arrange lunch and a toilet stop at the station before heading to Asakusa Foothills Ecomuseum. A short pond walk first can serve as a warm-up before the forest, letting you judge the family's energy for a nature-focused half-day.
Station → Kagamigaike Pond → Asakusa Foothills Ecomuseum
Road conditions, lingering snow, and the facility's operating season affect where you can walk. Check traffic information before heading farther into the mountains.
Generally closed Thursdays from December to February; also closed over New Year, with possible temporary closures.
Closed in winter. The closure period varies by year; check official notices.
Follow notices for facility conditions or temporary closures.
Stars show the editorial recommendation for each age group on a five-point scale. Read the reasons alongside each rating.
Useful for toilets, checking nursing and diaper-changing arrangements, and a short shopping stop.
For a full circuit of the pond, consider carrying a baby rather than using a stroller, depending on the weather and conditions. Keep meals short and make use of the nearby shop and car.
Best for a short look at the pond followed by a brief shop visit.
Hold hands near the water. Think of this as a change of pace before or after a meal, rather than a station with playground equipment for running around.
Combine a circuit of Kagamigaike Pond, a senbei-grilling experience, and a sweets break.
In good weather, a circuit of the pond offers a manageable bit of exercise. In rain, switch to Suwa Onsen or another stop reached by car.
They may enjoy the pond, fishing, the Takamachiyama area, and Tadami Line scenery.
For a trip farther into the mountains, consider footwear and time. Keep a station-only stop short, or allow a half-day if adding the ecomuseum.
Kagamigaike Pond is the main attraction. Hold young children's hands, and do not insist on a full circuit after rain or during snow season.
The lakeside restaurant closes in winter. If you are visiting for a meal, check both its hours and operating season first.
They are listed as usable 24 hours a day, but follow official and on-site notices if circumstances change.
Switch to the shop, a meal, Suwa Onsen, or Meguro Residence to keep a purpose to the visit when an outdoor walk is impractical.
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.
This waterside area next to the station changes character with fresh greenery, cherry blossoms, autumn leaves, and snow. Check on-site and official notices for seasonal boating and fishing.
Seasonal menus are a reason to visit: wild vegetables and summer produce in spring and summer, and mushrooms in autumn.
Information about the station's production and sales changes, including rice, senbei rice crackers, sasa dango, and crowdfunding.
Traffic restrictions toward Rokujurigoe Pass, heavy snow, autumn colors, and rail-travel information directly affect driving plans.
Practical ideas and things to consider when spending time here.
Official and tourism information states that Kagamigaike Lakeside Restaurant closes in winter. If a meal is your main reason for visiting, check the operating season and that day's notices before setting out.
The official site individually lists Uonuma-grown Koshihikari rice sold as Sogoro, hand-grilled senbei rice crackers, and sasa dango. Alongside wild vegetables and other produce, rice-country souvenirs make an easy starting point for choosing a gift.
Tourism information describes a roughly 1 km walk around the pond, fishing, and seasonal views. With toddlers, there is no need to complete the circuit; check the weather and footing, and leave room to turn back.
The Uonuma City Tourism Association's guide for riders says locally grown produce may sell out by evening. If shopping is a priority, look at the shelves on arrival, before lunch.
Through travel to the Fukushima side became possible on May 22, 2026, but a section on the Fukushima side has alternating one-way traffic. When heading toward Tadami, check road information before or after your station break.
Uonuma City and the official station site announce that the EV charger has been suspended since April 1, 2026. Plan an EV drive without relying on charging here.
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.
When Kagamigaike Lakeside Restaurant is in season, you can make a meal the main purpose of the visit.
Its season is approximately April–November, with winter closure and possible temporary changes.
A car makes it easier to take home a heavy souvenir, and this rice is a clear reminder of Irihirose.
For children or coworkers, start with rice crackers and bamboo-leaf-wrapped sweets that are easy to share.
The direct-sales selection changes from spring through autumn. Looking at the shelves first helps you avoid forgetting something after your meal.
These suit passengers who are not driving or treats to enjoy after returning home. Check stock and purchase conditions for alcohol in the shop.
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Pause beside Kagamigaike Pond and take home Uonuma rice and mountain-country cooking.
A pond right beside the station where you can walk a circuit before or after eating.
Enjoy goppō soba and wild-vegetable dishes beside Kagamigaike Pond.
On a day of fresh greenery or autumn leaves, extend a station break into the forest.
Good when a toilet and meal stop feels too brief, children need time outside, or you want to rest with a pond view.
Good for a station lunch and families who want to walk around Kagamigaike Pond afterward.
Good for rainy or snowy days, or another rest after a meal.
Good for an outing that also interests adults, or an indoor-oriented stop on a rainy day.
Good for a half-day detour amid fresh greenery or autumn leaves, including families with elementary-school children who enjoy nature.
Send your travel companions a possible stop.
