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Hyogo · Kinki

Michi-no-Eki Sugihara Washi Village, Taka

道の駅 杉原紙の里・多可

Sugihara washi is said to descend from Harima paper, whose history goes back 1,300 years. This roadside station on National Route 427 brings together hands-on papermaking, Banshu Hyakunichidori chicken dishes, and the waterside of the Sugihara River.

Updated Michi-no-Eki JournalRead in Japanese

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph

Location
Taka Town, Taka District
Road
National Route 427
Hours
09:00–17:00
These are the shop's usual weekday hours. On Sundays it opens at 8:00. Restaurant Sharuman is open until 16:00, with meals served from 11:00 to 15:00. Check official notices for changes.
Parking
Cars: 16 / Large vehicles: 4
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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.

See first
Kamikochi produce shop

Look for Kiyoshima rice (金黄米), local sake made from Yamada Nishiki rice, six kinds of pure honey, and Hasegai black tea. Kamameshi, rice cooked in an individual pot, is also advertised for takeaway.

For a meal
Banshu Hyakunichidori chicken at Restaurant Sharuman

Meals are served 11:00–15:00, and the morning menu ends at 11:00. Arriving for lunch gives you more choices.

For an activity
Make washi paper at the Sugihara Paper Research Institute next door

Reservations are required for the roughly 20-minute session. Drying the paper afterward takes about an hour. Call 0795-36-0080 to book.

For a walk
Cross the red bridge to Sugihara Washi Village and Aodama Shrine

The exhibition room and washi museum are across the river. Across the road, Aodama Shrine has seven large cedar trees designated natural monuments by Hyogo Prefecture.

To stay or barbecue
Campsites, log cabins, and BBQ sites

Cooking and restroom facilities are on site. Call 0795-36-1919 to check availability and reserve.

Highlights

Michi-no-Eki Sugihara Washi Village, Taka sits along National Route 427 in a valley in Kami Ward, Taka Town. Its main facilities are the Kamikochi produce shop and the Sharuman restaurant. Next door, the Sugihara Paper Research Institute offers a roughly 20-minute session making washi, traditional Japanese paper, with a reservation. Across the river are an exhibition room, hands-on workshop, Shisho-an Denden paper shop, and the Jugaku Bunko washi museum, linked by a walking route across a red bridge. Across the road are campsites, log cabins, and BBQ sites; in summer, visitors can also play in the Sugihara River. The facilities close on Wednesdays, or the following day when Wednesday is a holiday, and over New Year. On Sundays, both the shop and restaurant open one hour earlier. Check the official website before visiting, as hours, prices, and events may change.

  • #Sugihara washi paper
  • #Hands-on papermaking
  • #Banshu Hyakunichidori chicken
  • #Camping
  • #River play
  • #Aodama Shrine
  • #National Route 427
Rinta Morisaki's Kami notes

One reservation can turn this into a half-day stop.

With only the shop and restaurant, Sugihara Washi Village, Taka is a small station. But the Sugihara Paper Research Institute is next door: papermaking takes about 20 minutes and drying takes another hour. That hour naturally makes room for a meal, shopping, and a walk across the river. An advance call can turn a 20-minute rest stop into a half-day detour.

1

Keep two phone numbers handy

For papermaking and the Sugihara Washi Village facilities, call 0795-36-0080. For campsite and BBQ availability, call 0795-36-1919.

2

Plan around Wednesday and Sunday

The facilities close on Wednesdays (or the next day if Wednesday is a holiday). On Sundays they open at 8:00, so breakfast and shopping can fit into the morning.

3

Meals are served between 11:00 and 15:00

The morning menu ends at 11:00. Decide when to arrive because the food choices change at that time.

4

Decide on the river after checking its level

Visitors are advised to stay out when the river is high. Even on a summer river-play day, have another activity in mind.

Why I like it

Reasons to stop here

01

Make papermaking the centerpiece of a half-day stop beside the roadside station

The Sugihara Paper Research Institute beside the station offers hands-on washi papermaking. The session takes about 20 minutes, followed by roughly one hour to dry the paper. Reserve by calling 0795-36-0080 or using the official booking form; the drying time leaves room for a meal and shopping. Fees are ¥700 plain white or ¥900 colored for an A3 sheet, and ¥550 plain white or ¥750 colored for a hanshi-size calligraphy sheet. Both the card-size sheet and the two-postcard-size sheet cost ¥450 plain white or ¥550 colored.

02

Banshu Hyakunichidori dishes make breakfast and lunch different visits

Restaurant Sharuman lists its signature set meal with Banshu Hyakunichidori chicken, a barley-and-grated-yam set meal, kamameshi rice cooked in a pot, and Banshu Hyakunichidori curry in plain and Asian versions. A deluxe morning set is available until 11:00; meals are served 11:00–15:00. Thursday's daily lunch has also been advertised as chicken in aurora sauce, limited to 20 servings. Check the official site for current prices before visiting.

03

Shop for local rice, sake, honey, and tea

Kamikochi's local-products page introduces rice grown in the nearby Kiyoshima district, called 金黄米 and said to be presented to Ise Jingu shrine each year; local sake made with Taka Town's Yamada Nishiki rice; six pure honeys (milk vetch, mixed-flower, acacia, Japanese honey, hairy vetch, and chestnut); Hasegai black tea (30 g, ¥600); and tea cookies (70 g, ¥325). Chestnut honey is described as frequently selling out, so visit early if it is your priority.

04

A walk across the river is part of the visit

The official walking guide describes a route across the river from the station, past the Sugihara Paper Research Institute, museum, and souvenir shop. You can see the Sugihara River from the red bridge. Across the road, Aodama Shrine has seven large cedars designated natural monuments by Hyogo Prefecture. Its Meoto-sugi, or paired cedar, to the left rear of the main shrine, splits into two trunks about 8 m above the ground. Mitsumata flowers are highlighted from mid-March to mid-April, and autumn leaves from November to December, with viewing recommended around 9:00–14:00.

05

Call ahead for campsites, log cabins, and BBQ sites

The grounds have campsites for day use or overnight stays, small and large log cabins, mini log cabins, and BBQ sites. The fees listed as of September 1, 2025, are ¥660 for day camping and ¥900 overnight per person; ¥2,000 and ¥3,000 for a small log cabin per room; ¥3,500 and ¥6,000 for a large log cabin per room; ¥700 and ¥900 for a BBQ site per group; and ¥1,000 and ¥2,000 for a mini log cabin, respectively for day use and overnight stays. Cooking facilities and restrooms are on site. Call 0795-36-1919 ahead to check availability and reserve.

06

Plan around Wednesday closures and Sunday openings at 8:00

The station closes on Wednesdays and from December 29 through January 3. If Wednesday is a holiday, it closes the next day instead. On Sundays, both the produce shop and restaurant open an hour earlier, at 8:00. Restrooms, parking, the public telephone, and the EV rapid charger remain available 24 hours a day, so you can still take a break outside business hours.

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 Takino-Yashiro and Aogaki interchange areas

A 30-minute break on National Route 427

It is about 50 minutes from the Takino-Yashiro Interchange on the Chugoku Expressway via National Route 175, or about 20 minutes from the Aogaki Interchange on the Kitakinki Toyooka Expressway via National Route 427. It makes a convenient break before or after the valley section, with restrooms, the produce shop, and an EV rapid charger in one stop.

Park → restrooms → Kamikochi produce shop → depart

The facilities close on Wednesdays (the next day if Wednesday is a holiday) and over New Year. Check the day first if you plan to shop.

Families with children and visitors interested in making things

Make papermaking the main activity and use the drying hour

At your reserved time, go next door to the Sugihara Paper Research Institute and make a sheet of paper in about 20 minutes. Drying then takes roughly an hour, which you can spend eating at the restaurant, shopping, or visiting the exhibition room and washi museum across the river. Return to collect your paper afterward.

Sugihara Paper Research Institute (reserved session, about 20 minutes) → meal at Sharuman → shop and walk across the river → collect your washi

Reservations are required. Book in advance at 0795-36-0080 or through the official booking form. From December to March, the exhibition room and related facilities have shorter hours of 10:00–16:00.

Early drives and days when you want to finish before it gets busy

Arrive Sunday morning for breakfast and shopping

On Sundays, both the shop and restaurant open at 8:00. Have breakfast, browse the shop, then head out for a walk in the valley or a camping stay.

Arrive at 8:00 → morning menu → produce shop → walk or camp

The morning menu is listed until 11:00. From 11:00, the restaurant switches to its meal menu.

Families on summer break and small groups

Combine river play and BBQ in summer

A campground sits across the road. In summer, the official site says river levels fall and both adults and children can play in the cool water. Steps in the embankment provide access. BBQ sites are listed at ¥700 for day use or ¥900 overnight per group, making it possible to barbecue, cool off by the river, and leave in the evening.

Call to check availability and reserve → BBQ site or campsite → play in the Sugihara River

When the water level is high, visitors are advised to stay out of the river. Decide whether to enter based on conditions that day and guidance from station staff.

Spring mitsumata flowers and autumn leaves

Add a walk for the season

Mitsumata flowers are reported from mid-March to mid-April around the entrance and grounds of Aodama Shrine across the road. The plant's bark is also used to make paper, including banknote paper, linking the walk to the area's papermaking heritage. Autumn leaves are highlighted from November to December, with viewing recommended around 9:00–14:00.

Roadside station → Aodama Shrine (seven cedars and Meoto-sugi) → red bridge → Sugihara Washi Village facilities

Snow can accumulate here in winter. Consider the time of day, road surface, and sunset when planning your walk.

Hours

Opening hours

Kamikochi produce shop
9:00–17:00 (Sundays 8:00–17:00)

The official website and Taka Town Tourism Association give the same hours.

Restaurant Sharuman
9:00–16:00 (Sundays 8:00–16:00)

Meals are served 11:00–15:00; the morning menu runs until 11:00. A government road listing gives a 15:00 winter closing time for the restaurant, while the station's own access page says 16:00; confirm winter hours before visiting. Check official notices for price changes or sold-out items.

Sugihara Paper Research Institute (hands-on papermaking)
9:00〜17:00

Reservations are required. Call 0795-36-0080 or use the official experience booking form.

Exhibition room, hands-on workshop, Shisho-an Denden, and Jugaku Bunko washi museum
9:30–16:30 (April–November); 10:00–16:00 (December–March)

Hours vary by season. Like the roadside station, these facilities close on Wednesdays (the next day if Wednesday is a holiday) and over New Year.

Restrooms, parking, public telephone, and EV rapid charger
24 hours

The Kinki Regional Development Bureau lists these facilities as available 24 hours a day.

Family

Visiting with children

Stars show the editorial recommendation for each age group on a five-point scale. Read the reasons alongside each rating.

Up to 1 year old
★★★☆☆

Best for a short break using the baby care station and restrooms.

The Kinki Regional Development Bureau lists a baby care station, while restrooms and parking are available 24 hours. A stop for feeding or a diaper change before moving on is more practical than a long activity here.

Ages 2–3
★★★☆☆

A short walk over the red bridge and a browse in the shop can fill the stop.

Papermaking lasts about 20 minutes but requires sustained work with the hands. Plan for an adult to help, and use the hour of drying time for a meal or walk. Check river levels before deciding whether to go down to the water.

Ages 4–6
★★★★☆

Papermaking and summer river play can be the main activities.

Children can make and take home their own sheet of washi, so the activity works on a rainy day too. In summer, steps in the embankment lead to the river when water levels are low. Stay out when the water is high.

Elementary school age
★★★★☆

An age for combining papermaking, Sugihara paper exhibits, and camping.

After making paper in the workshop, see Sugihara paper materials in the exhibition room and Jugaku Bunko washi museum across the river to connect the hands-on activity with its history. Reserve ahead if adding camping or BBQ.

Day of the week

Closed Wednesdays (the next day if Wednesday is a holiday) and for New Year, December 29–January 3.

Hands-on papermaking

Reservations required; allow about 20 minutes plus an hour for drying. Book ahead at 0795-36-0080 or through the official booking form.

River play

Visitors are advised not to go down to the river when the water is high. Ask station staff if unsure.

Parking

Published counts differ between 16 and 22 standard-car spaces. Be prepared for the lot to fill during holiday periods.

Meal times

Meals are served 11:00–15:00, and the morning menu runs until 11:00. For a late arrival, the produce shop advertises takeaway instead.

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

Official news and events page

Seasonal events are announced here. When checked on September 22, 2026, no upcoming event dates were listed. Check this page before planning a visit around a specific event.

Autumn anniversary festival

The 29th anniversary festival on October 26, 2025, advertised a raffle, food stalls, a vegetable and seafood market, and classic cars. The station opened on October 6, 1996; if visiting in autumn, look for a new announcement on the official site.

New Year appreciation fair

From January 5 to February 28, 2026, a campaign advertised coupons exchangeable for a ¥200 shopping voucher or meal voucher for each ¥1,000 spent. Any future event depends on an official announcement.

Summer amago trout catching

The river-play page describes a summer tradition of chasing amago trout released into a sectioned-off area of the Sugihara River. Whether it is held and the dates vary by year.

Local feel

Reasons to return

Practical ideas and things to consider when spending time here.

A Wednesday holiday moves the closure to Thursday

The official site lists closure every Wednesday, or the following day if Wednesday is a holiday. Taka Town Tourism Association lists the New Year closure as December 29–January 3. On a holiday week, check whether the closure has moved to Thursday.

Source: Official website and Taka Town Tourism Association

Published parking counts differ

Both the National Roadside Station Liaison Council and the Kinki Regional Development Bureau list 16 standard-car spaces, including two accessible spaces, and four large-vehicle spaces. Taka Town Tourism Association instead lists 22 spaces, including two accessible spaces, and three large-vehicle spaces. Neither count describes a large lot, so allow time to avoid a busy arrival in a large vehicle or during a holiday period.

Source: National Roadside Station Liaison Council, Kinki Regional Development Bureau, and Taka Town Tourism Association

Camping fees were listed as of September 1, 2025

The official camping page dates its fees to September 1, 2025, including ¥660 per person for day camping and ¥900 overnight. It asks visitors to check availability and reserve ahead at 0795-36-1919. Ask for current prices when calling, as fees may change.

Source: Michi-no-Eki Sugihara Washi Village, Taka official site (camping)

Walking highlights change with the season

The official walking page highlights mitsumata flowers from mid-March to mid-April and autumn leaves from November to December, best seen around 9:00–14:00. It also introduces Aodama Shrine's seven large cedars, designated natural monuments by Hyogo Prefecture, and the Meoto-sugi at the left rear of the main shrine, where the trunk splits in two about 8 m above the ground.

Source: Michi-no-Eki Sugihara Washi Village, Taka official site (walking route)
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.

  • Closed Wednesdays and for New Year (December 29–January 3). If Wednesday is a holiday, the closure moves to the following day.
  • On Sundays, both the produce shop and restaurant open at 8:00; on weekdays they open at 9:00.
  • Restaurant Sharuman serves meals 11:00–15:00; its morning menu runs until 11:00.
  • Hands-on papermaking requires a reservation at 0795-36-0080 or through the official booking form. Allow about 20 minutes for the session plus an hour to dry the paper.
  • Across the river, the exhibition room, hands-on workshop, Shisho-an Denden, and washi museum shorten their hours to 10:00–16:00 from December to March.
  • For campsites, log cabins, and BBQ sites, check availability and reserve ahead at 0795-36-1919.
  • Summer river play depends on water levels. Stay out when the river is high, and ask station staff about conditions that day.
  • Restrooms, parking, the public telephone, and the EV rapid charger are available 24 hours a day, including outside business hours.
  • Sources differ on whether there are 16 or 22 standard-car parking spaces. Allow extra time with a large vehicle or during holiday periods.
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
    Sharuman set meal
    The signature set meal uses Banshu Hyakunichidori chicken. Check the official or on-site listing for the price.
  • Meal
    Barley and grated-yam set meal
    A set meal listed on the official website. Check the on-site listing for the price.
  • Meal and takeaway
    Kamameshi (rice cooked in a pot)
    Takeaway is advertised at the neighboring Kamikochi produce shop.
  • Meal
    Banshu Hyakunichidori curry (plain or Asian)
    Two versions are listed. Check the on-site listing for prices.
  • Daily lunch special
    Hyakunichidori chicken in aurora sauce
    Advertised as Thursday's daily lunch special, limited to 20 servings.
  • Breakfast
    Deluxe morning set
    The morning menu runs until 11:00; on Sundays it starts at 8:00.
  • Shopping
    Kiyoshima rice (金黄米)
    Rice from the Kiyoshima district near the station. Check the shop for its price.
  • Shopping
    Local sake (Yamada Nishiki rice)
    Local sake made with Yamada Nishiki rice, a Taka Town specialty. Check the shop for labels and prices.
  • Shopping
    Pure honey (milk vetch, mixed-flower, acacia, Japanese honey, hairy vetch, and chestnut)
    Six varieties are listed. Chestnut honey is described as selling out easily.
  • Shopping
    Hasegai black tea
    30 g, ¥600
  • Shopping
    Tea cookies
    70 g, ¥325
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.

Plan around lunch

Sharuman set meal, barley and grated-yam set meal, Banshu Hyakunichidori curry

Meals are served 11:00–15:00. Plan your arrival for this window to combine a meal and shopping in one stop.

Stop on Sunday morning

Deluxe morning set and morning menu

On Sundays the restaurant opens at 8:00, and the morning menu runs until 11:00. This suits an early start.

Aim for Thursday

Hyakunichidori chicken in aurora sauce (daily lunch)

It is advertised as limited to 20 servings, so aim to arrive around the 11:00 start of meal service.

Shop to take home

Kiyoshima rice, local Yamada Nishiki sake, pure honey, Hasegai black tea, tea cookies, and kamameshi

Even if you miss meal service, the shop offers products associated with Kami Ward.

On a camping or BBQ day

Bring food and drinks in advance

Cooking facilities and restrooms are on site, but the shop closes on Wednesdays and has set hours. If you arrive late, buy supplies beforehand.

Access

Location and surroundings

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1
Roadside station
Michi-no-Eki Sugihara Washi Village, Taka

Sugihara washi is said to descend from Harima paper, whose history goes back 1,300 years. This roadside station on National Route 427 brings together hands-on papermaking, Banshu Hyakunichidori chicken dishes, and the waterside of the Sugihara River.

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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.
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Updated 2026-10-01Explore the nationwide map →