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Michi-no-Eki JournalMap
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Hyogo Prefecture · Kinki

Michi-no-Eki Tojo

道の駅 とうじょう

Just off the Hyogo-Tojo interchange: a Kato gateway to Yamada Nishiki sake, farm-fresh vegetables and family time at Lake Tojo.

Updated Michi-no-Eki JournalRead in Japanese

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph

Location
Kato City
Road
Prefectural Route 313 | Hiraki–Minamiyama Line
Hours
9:00–18:30
As a guide, the specialty shop and farm market open 9:00–18:30 on weekdays and 9:00–19:00 on weekends and public holidays. Check official information for January and February and for individual shops.
Parking
Cars: 100 / Large vehicles: 15
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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.

First thing to buy
Yamada Nishiki sake and rice-flour sweets

The Tojo district grows Yamada Nishiki, a rice variety used to brew sake. Pick up a bottle to open at home or a gift for a companion who is not driving.

Farm market
Cosmos no Yakata

The shelves change with the seasons: bamboo shoots and strawberries in spring; Yashiro peaches and grapes in summer; black edamame and mountain yams in autumn; and Tojo leeks in winter.

Lunch
Shishigin or Station Ramen Hana

Choose a fried-food set meal for a substantial lunch or Banshu ramen for a shorter stop. Their closing days differ, so check ahead if you have one in mind.

With children
Extend the trip to Lake Tojo

For a family outing, head to Toy Kingdom or Aqua Tojo, about 10 minutes away by car, rather than planning a long play session at the station itself.

Rainy day
Dining, shopping, aquarium and hot spring

For a mostly indoor outing, eat and shop at the station, then visit Aqua Tojo and Todorokiso.

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

Tojo helps you decide your family's next move before heading out to play.

From Rinta Saegusa's perspective, Tojo works best when you decide the order of your stops instead of trying to see every shelf. Use the restroom first, decide whether to eat here, and pick up one seasonal item at the farm market. If the weather is clear and everyone still has energy, head to Toy Kingdom; on a rainy day, choose Aqua Tojo; toward evening, visit Todorokiso. Even when family members have different interests, the station makes a useful starting point for the return journey.

Eat, shop, play and unwind in a hot spring. Tojo is where families can organize their plans before heading to Lake Tojo.

Highlights

Michi-no-Eki Tojo is a convenient rest stop in eastern Kato City, just off the Hyogo-Tojo interchange on the Chugoku Expressway. Shop for seasonal vegetables and Yashiro peaches at the Cosmos no Yakata farm market, and local sake made with Yamada Nishiki brewing rice and rice-flour sweets at the Yumemachibito specialty shop. For lunch, choose a fried-food set meal at Shishigin restaurant or Banshu ramen at station ramen shop Hana. Within about 5–15 minutes by car, you can also reach Tojoko Toy Kingdom, Aqua Tojo and Todorokiso, making it easy to plan children's play, an indoor option for a rainy day, and a hot-spring bath after lunch.

  • #Yamada Nishiki
  • #Cosmos no Yakata
  • #Yumemachibito
  • #Shishigin
  • #Station Ramen Hana
  • #Lake Tojo
  • #Hyogo-Tojo Interchange
Why I like it

Reasons to stop here

01

A place to reset your plans just off the expressway

Near the Hyogo-Tojo interchange, parking, restrooms, a convenience store, dining and shopping are all in one place. On a long drive, Tojo gives you a chance to decide whether to eat here or carry on to Lake Tojo.

02

Take home a taste of Yamada Nishiki country

At the Yumemachibito specialty shop, shelves of Yamada Nishiki sake, Yamada Nishiki baumkuchen, sake-lees sweets and toasted-rice crackers evoke Tojo's rice-growing heritage. Buy a bottle to open once the driving is done, or choose sweets instead.

03

Different family interests, one meeting place

Some can browse vegetables and fruit at Cosmos no Yakata while others sit down for a meal at Shishigin or choose a quicker stop at Station Ramen Hana; the shops share the same grounds. With small children, consider a restroom and shopping break before eating so a long wait for food is easier to manage.

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.

Family drives from the Chugoku Expressway toward Lake Tojo

Get organized at the station after leaving the expressway

After leaving the Hyogo-Tojo interchange, stop here to use the restroom, park, get drinks and decide on lunch. Depending on the children's mood and the weather, continue to Toy Kingdom or spend more time eating and shopping at the station.

Hyogo-Tojo Interchange → restroom stop and lunch decision at the station → Lake Tojo area.

Cars arriving for lunch can make holiday middays busy. Leave room to browse the farm market and souvenirs if a meal involves a wait.

Adult drives and days for choosing sake or local gifts

A quick stop to take home Yamada Nishiki products

Browse local sake and rice snacks at the Yumemachibito specialty shop, then add seasonal vegetables from the farm market. Even if you cannot drink during the drive, you can take home something that recalls Tojo.

Parking → Yumemachibito → Cosmos no Yakata → convenience store or departure.

If buying summer fruit or chilled goods, bring an insulated bag and watch the temperature inside the car.

Families with small children and days with uncertain weather

Plan mostly indoor stops on a rainy day

After dining and shopping at the station, visit Aqua Tojo on the shore of Lake Tojo for time away from outdoor play equipment. Add a hot-spring bath at Todorokiso in the evening to round out a rainy-day trip.

Roadside station → Aqua Tojo → Todorokiso → homeward journey.

As a guide, Aqua Tojo closes on Thursdays and Todorokiso on Wednesdays. Check their opening days when planning.

Amusement park and pool trips with children aged 4–6 or in elementary school

Fit meals around a visit to Toy Kingdom

When Toy Kingdom is the main event, use the station for one purpose, such as buying supplies beforehand, having a meal afterward or picking up souvenirs. If you eat lunch inside the park, a stop at the farm market for produce, sake and sweets on the way home may be enough.

Supplies at the roadside station → Tojoko Toy Kingdom → shopping on the way home.

During the summer pool season and long holidays, allow for busy nearby roads and parking areas; a shorter station stop may make the day easier.

Adults, families with grandparents, and days spent in Kato until evening

Finish with a hot spring after eating

After eating at Shishigin or Station Ramen Hana, drive about 10–15 minutes to Todorokiso for a hot-spring bath. Shopping, dining and bathing are all within a short drive, making a manageable finish to a day out.

Lunch and shopping at the roadside station → Todorokiso → return to the Chugoku Expressway.

The hot spring has a last admission time and closing days; check official hours if arriving in the evening.

Hours

Opening hours

Yumemachibito specialty shop
Weekdays 9:00–18:30 / weekends and public holidays 9:00–19:00

Generally closed on the second Monday, except public holidays. The Kinki Regional Development Bureau lists an 18:00 closing time in January and February; this seasonal time is not listed on the station's official hours page, so check current official guidance.

Cosmos no Yakata farm produce market
Weekdays 9:00–18:30 / weekends and public holidays 9:00–19:00

Generally closed on the second Monday, except public holidays. Stock varies with the season and weather.

FamilyMart
24 hours

Listed as open every day; useful for supplies early in the morning or at night.

Shishigin restaurant
11:00〜20:00 / L.O.19:30

Generally closed every Monday, or the following Tuesday when Monday is a public holiday.

Station Ramen Hana
11:00〜15:00 / 17:30〜20:00 / L.O.19:30

Generally closed every Thursday; no dinner service on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.

Momi no Ki HOUSE aroma relaxation salon
10:00–18:00 / last reception 16:00

Closed every Monday. A women-only salon requiring reservations.

At Rest relaxation salon
12:00–21:00 / last reception 20:00

Closed every Tuesday.

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.

Ages 1 and under
★★★☆☆

Good for restrooms, nursing and a short break.

The station is easier to use as a stop to get organized on arrival than as a long play stop. Information is available for a nursing room, baby changing station and multipurpose restroom.

Ages 2–3
★★★☆☆

Works well when the wait for food is short.

A long restaurant wait can be difficult at this age. Use the restroom and browse the farm market first, with Toy Kingdom or Aqua Tojo as another place to go.

Ages 4–6
★★★★☆

A useful supply stop before or after Toy Kingdom.

Pairing the station with Toy Kingdom, about 10 minutes away by car, adds more to the outing than the station alone. Aqua Tojo is an easy rainy-day alternative.

Elementary school age
★★★★☆

Food, local industry, the lake and hot springs make good talking points.

Talk about Yamada Nishiki rice, fishing hooks and Lake Tojo's natural setting as you explore. An amusement park, freshwater fish exhibits and a lakeside walk can fill half a day.

Nursing room

Listed in the Kinki Regional Development Bureau's roadside-station guide. Check on-site signs for its location.

Baby changing station

Information indicates one in each of the men's and women's restrooms.

Wait for food

Allow for a wait at holiday midday, or switch to the farm market or nearby attractions.

Rainy day

Combine dining and shopping at the station with Aqua Tojo and Todorokiso.

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 events calendar

Check the official website calendar for stalls and events. Food stalls add dining choices, while the parking area and shops may be livelier on those days.

Cosmos no Yakata

The place where seasonal produce changes most: look for peaches and grapes in summer, black edamame in autumn and leeks in winter. Adjust your shopping plans to the time of year.

Yumemachibito

A shop with Yamada Nishiki sake, sweets and local-industry souvenirs. Even a short stop can give you a sense of the area.

Lake Tojo area

A starting point for Toy Kingdom, Aqua Tojo, lakeside walks and hot springs. Choose the next stop based on the weather and the children's energy.

Local feel

Reasons to return

Practical ideas and things to consider when spending time here.

Keep lunch plans flexible at holiday midday

Reviews and travel sites describe the convenience of having a vegetable market, souvenirs, places to eat and a convenience store together, along with the bustle on holidays. If you stop for lunch at Shishigin or Station Ramen Hana and the wait is long, browsing the market and sweets first may make the visit easier.

Source: Summary of trends in reviews and travel sites

Seasonal produce changes the farm-market experience

The official farm-market guide introduces bamboo shoots and strawberries in spring, Yashiro peaches and grapes in summer, black edamame and mountain yams in autumn, and Tojo leeks in winter. Shopping by season brings home more than a routine rest-stop purchase.

Source: Official farm-market guide

Yamada Nishiki appears in sweets as well as sake

The specialty shop is known for local sake, but Yamada Nishiki baumkuchen, sake-lees cake and toasted-rice crackers offer gifts for children and drivers too. Families can browse beyond the sake shelves.

Source: Official specialty-shop guide

A hot spring adds a restful finish for adults

Todorokiso is a bathing facility generally open 10:00–21:00, with last admission at 20:00 and closure every Wednesday. After the amusement park or shopping, a hot-spring stop gives adults a chance to rest too.

Source: Todorokiso official information

The convenience store helps early and late visitors

FamilyMart is open 24 hours, so drinks and light food are available outside the farm market's and restaurants' hours. For an early-morning or evening break, check the shop hours separately from those of the roadside station's other stores.

Source: Official opening-hours information
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.

  • If visiting for a meal, note that Shishigin generally closes on Mondays, while Station Ramen Hana closes on Thursdays and does not serve dinner on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.
  • The farm market may offer more choice in the morning; for shopping on the way home, an insulated bag is handy.
  • If buying Yamada Nishiki sake, plan who will drive and who will drink. Sweets and other rice products are options too.
  • When Toy Kingdom is the main event, use the station for supplies, lunch or souvenirs on the way home, to keep the day manageable.
  • On a rainy day, combine the station's indoor dining and shopping with Aqua Tojo and Todorokiso.
  • Information says the restrooms, parking and public telephone are available 24 hours; shop opening hours are separate.
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.

  • Souvenir
    Local Yamada Nishiki sake
    Choose from local sake made mainly with brewing rice from the Tojo district, for a non-driving companion or to enjoy after arriving home.
  • Sweets
    Yamada Nishiki baumkuchen, sake-lees cake and toasted-rice crackers
    Easy-to-carry sweets from this rice-growing area, suitable as gifts for children or colleagues.
  • Farm market
    Seasonal vegetables and fruit at Cosmos no Yakata
    Look for different produce by season, including Yashiro peaches, grapes, black edamame, mountain yams and Tojo leeks.
  • Lunch
    Fried-food set meals at Shishigin restaurant
    Options include jumbo fried prawns and tonkatsu-style pork cutlet meals, suited to a more leisurely family lunch.
  • Lunch and light meals
    Banshu ramen at Station Ramen Hana
    A lightly flavored, slightly sweet regional noodle dish from northern Harima, suited to a shorter meal stop on a drive.
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
Take-home favorites

Yamada Nishiki sake, Yamada Nishiki baumkuchen and sake-lees sweets

These shelves offer some of the easiest ways to take a taste of Tojo home. Even when the driver cannot drink, you can choose something to open at home.

Plan alcohol purchases around who is driving and who will drink.

Seasonal finds

Yashiro peaches, grapes, black edamame, mountain yams and Tojo leeks

The farm market changes with the seasons. If you have a particular item in mind, visiting earlier in the day may give you more choice.

Stock varies with weather and growing conditions.

A substantial lunch

Fried prawn and tonkatsu-style pork cutlet set meals at Shishigin

A choice for families who want to sit down, those traveling with grandparents, or anyone making lunch a main stop.

Mondays are generally closing days; check for shop-specific changes such as the day after a public holiday.

A shorter meal

Banshu ramen and set menus at Station Ramen Hana

A handy option before or after heading to a play area when you want a more predictable meal stop.

As a guide, the shop closes on Thursdays and does not serve dinner on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.

If lunch is busy

Farm market, sweets, convenience store or another nearby stop

If the wait for a table is long on a holiday midday, switch to shopping and adjust your timing in the Lake Tojo area.

Access

Location and surroundings

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1
Roadside station
Michi-no-Eki Tojo

Just off the Hyogo-Tojo interchange: a Kato gateway to Yamada Nishiki sake, farm-fresh vegetables and family time at Lake Tojo.

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2
On-site dining and shopping
Shopping and dining at Michi-no-Eki Tojo

Choose Yamada Nishiki sake, farm-fresh vegetables, Shishigin and Station Ramen Hana on the same grounds.

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3
Children's activities
Tojoko Toy Kingdom

A toy theme park on the shore of Lake Tojo where even children aged 0 can find play options.

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4
Rainy-day activities and learning
Aqua Tojo

A small free aquarium by Lake Tojo featuring freshwater fish and the area's fishing-hook culture.

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5
Hot spring and rest
Tojo Onsen Todorokiso

A day-use hot spring where adults can rest after playing or shopping around Lake Tojo.

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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

On-site dining and shopping
Shopping and dining at Michi-no-Eki TojoJapanese guide
On the station groundsA short walk

Good for lunch, shopping on the way home, a restroom break with children, or early-morning and evening supplies from the convenience store.

Tojoko Toy Kingdom
Children's activities
Tojoko Toy KingdomJapanese guide
About 10 minutes by carHead from the roadside station toward Lake Tojo

For days centered on play for ages 4–6 and elementary school children. Use the station before or afterward for restrooms, lunch, drinks and souvenirs to keep the day manageable.

Rainy-day activities and learning
Aqua TojoJapanese guide
About 10 minutes by carNear Tojoko Toy Kingdom

Good for a rainy day, a short learning stop, or a change of scene for children aged 2–3 through elementary school. Check the Thursday closure before visiting.

Hot spring and rest
Tojo Onsen TodorokisoJapanese guide
About 15 minutes by carHead from the roadside station toward Lake Tojo

Good after a meal or play, when traveling with grandparents, or to finish a rainy day. Check its Wednesday closure and last admission time before leaving.

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