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Nara Prefecture · Kinki

Michi-no-Eki Udaji Murou

道の駅 宇陀路 室生

A small rest stop on National Route 165 that links morning shopping at Komorebi Market with a detour toward Murouji Temple.

Updated Michi-no-Eki JournalRead in Japanese

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Location
Uda City
Road
National Route 165
Hours
9:00–18:00
Approximate hours for the souvenir shop. Restaurant and produce market hours vary by season and day.
Parking
Cars: 29 / 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.

Visit in the morning
Komorebi Market

For open-field vegetables grown in Murou, aim for the 8:00 hour. Some items may run low around 9:00.

Have lunch
Aoba no Sho

Take time over local vegetable tempura, house-made sesame tofu, or a tea-rice porridge set meal. Check the Wednesday closure and last-order time.

Take something home
Yamato tea and Uda sweets

Detchi yokan (sweet bean jelly), yomogi-maru (mugwort rice cakes), Udagawa manju (filled buns), roasted tea, and Yoshino honkuzu bring together flavors from Murou and eastern Nara.

Explore nearby
Toward Murouji and Oonodera temples

Use the toilets and shop at the station before driving to the temples, shrines, or hilltop park. Allow extra time in spring and autumn.

Take a short break
24-hour parking and toilets

Early in the morning or at night, use the station as a rest stop while the shops are closed when planning a drive along National Route 165.

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph
Rinta’s rest-stop notes

Morning vegetables, lunchtime tea porridge, afternoon at Murouji: the station changes roles through the day.

Rinta Hayase does not judge this station by its size. First, use the parking area and toilets to reset your drive. In the morning, head for Komorebi Market; at lunchtime, Aoba no Sho. If time remains, continue to Murouji Temple or Ryuketsu Shrine. As a gateway to Murou, this small station neatly joins reasons to eat, shop, and explore the area.

Highlights

Michi-no-Eki Udaji Murou stands on National Route 165 near the Nara–Mie prefectural border, convenient before or after visiting Murouji Temple, Ryuketsu Shrine, or Oonodera Temple. It is no large regional products hall, but Komorebi Market opens at 8:00 with local produce, the Japanese-style restaurant Aoba no Sho serves local vegetables, and the souvenir shop offers Uda sweets, Yamato tea, and Yoshino honkuzu (pure kudzu starch). Even a brief stop offers a taste of Murou. The parking area and toilets are available 24 hours, making the station useful for an early vegetable run, lunch, or a half-day outing toward Murouji.

  • #Komorebi Market
  • #Opening hours
  • #Yamato tea
  • #Yoshino honkuzu
  • #Murouji Temple
  • #National Route 165
Why I like it

Reasons to stop here

01

The morning produce market is the station’s most practical draw

Komorebi Market sells vegetables grown locally in Murou. Its posted hours are 8:00–17:00 from April 20 through September and 8:00–16:00 from October through April 19. The official market information says popular items can sell soon after delivery and some may run low around 9:00. If vegetables are your goal, make this a morning stop instead of waiting until lunch.

02

Forest Corridor Hall and Inoue’s sculpture give the station its Murou character

The station building, Mori no Kairokan (Forest Corridor Hall), is designed as one space with a central pillar made from a 130-year-old tree and monument plaza. “my sky hole,” by Murou-born sculptor Bukichi Inoue, makes the station feel like an entrance to Murou’s nature and art as well as a rest stop.

03

Meals and shopping focus on the flavors of eastern Nara

At Aoba no Sho, look for local vegetable tempura, house-made sesame tofu, and tea-rice porridge set meals. The souvenir shelves include Detchi yokan (sweet bean jelly), yomogi-maru (mugwort rice cakes), Soma soy sauce, Yamato tea, Yoshino honkuzu (pure kudzu starch), and products made with Yamato toki, a locally associated medicinal herb—foods and ingredients that retain Murou and Uda names.

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 30-minute shopping break

Buy morning vegetables before continuing along National Route 165

If you arrive during the 8:00 hour, use the toilets first, then visit Komorebi Market. Open-field vegetables such as Chinese cabbage, daikon, green onions, and carrots sell quickly in the morning. When shopping is the main purpose, there is no need to wait for lunchtime.

Parking → toilets → Komorebi Market → souvenir shop → depart

An insulated bag is useful when buying summer vegetables, tea, or sweets. The market’s closing time changes with the season.

A leisurely break with lunch

Lunch at Aoba no Sho, then choose a Murou souvenir

For a midday visit, consider the Udagawa set meal or the Genki brown-rice tea-porridge set at Aoba no Sho. After eating, browse Detchi yokan, yomogi-maru, Yamato tea, and Yoshino honkuzu, and choose a Nara specialty to take home.

Parking → Aoba no Sho → souvenir shop → monument plaza

The restaurant’s listed hours are 10:00–16:00, with last orders at 15:30 and a regular Wednesday closure. If returning after temple visits, watch the closing time.

A starting point for a half-day excursion

Prepare here before visiting Murouji Temple and Ryuketsu Shrine

Walking around Murouji Temple and Ryuketsu Shrine in the mountains is the main part of this outing. Use the station’s toilets and pick up drinks and a light sweet before leaving. During spring rhododendron bloom and autumn foliage, allow more time for parking and roads.

Station → Murouji Temple → Ryuketsu Shrine → Murou Art Forest if time permits

There are many stone steps and slopes around Murouji Temple. Wear comfortable walking shoes and allow extra travel time and care underfoot in rain.

A short spring walk

Add Oonodera Temple’s cherry blossoms and rock carving

Oonodera Temple is a short drive from the station, with weeping cherry trees and a Buddhist image carved into rock across the Uda River. Shop at the station first, then stop here for a Murou view even if there is no time to reach Murouji Temple.

Station → Oonodera Temple → return to National Route 165

Even a short visit can be crowded during cherry-blossom season. Notices about care of the Koito weeping cherry may be posted; if flowers are your aim, check the tourism association or temple information.

Hours

Opening hours

Souvenir shop
9:00–18:00

Uda sweets, Yamato tea, Yoshino honkuzu, Yamato toki products, and more.

Japanese-style restaurant Aoba no Sho
10:00–16:00

Last orders at 15:30; generally closed Wednesdays. The official facilities page also lists a 17:00 closing time, so check the restaurant page and same-day notices.

Produce market Komorebi Market
8:00–17:00 / 8:00–16:00

Posted closing times: 17:00 from April 20 through September; 16:00 from October through April 19.

Parking, toilets, and public telephone
24 hours

29 standard-car spaces, 4 large-vehicle spaces, and 2 accessible parking spaces.

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
★★★☆☆

Useful for a toilet stop and brief shopping.

Facilities for nursing babies are not prominently listed. For a visit with an infant, allow for a short stop focused on the toilets, drinks, and a quick look around the shop rather than a long stay.

Ages 2–3
★★★☆☆

A quick look at the monument plaza and shops suits this age.

This is not a place for extended play. If heading toward Murouji Temple, use the toilets first and break the journey into shorter stretches.

Ages 4–6
★★★★☆

Vegetables, Japanese sweets, and the silver monument can each be a small discovery.

See the monument that inspired yomogi-maru and the space inside Forest Corridor Hall, then head out for a walk, perhaps at Murou Art Forest.

Primary school children
★★★★☆

Combine it with Murouji Temple, Ryuketsu Shrine, or the hilltop park for learning and a walk.

The station itself suits a short break. Add the temples, shrine, or art park to compare history, nature, and contemporary art in a day.

Diapers and nursing

The main facilities officially listed are toilets, an accessible toilet, and parking. Check infant facilities on the day and allow extra time.

Strollers

A stroller can be useful for brief shopping at the station. Around Murouji Temple, many steps and slopes make a baby carrier and comfortable shoes worth considering.

Meals

Aoba no Sho has set meals, noodles, curry, and sweets. Plan lunch around its Wednesday closure and 15:30 last order.

Play

A day extending to Murou Art Forest or temple and shrine walks suits families better than spending all their time at the station.

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

Monument plaza

Inoue’s artwork and the building together form the station’s landmark. Beyond a photo stop, the plaza offers a sense of Murou’s art trail.

Tourist information corner

Use it to organize information before heading to Murouji Temple, Oonodera Temple, Ryuketsu Shrine, or the hilltop park.

Komorebi Market

The day’s seasonal vegetables shape the visit. If morning shopping is your goal, come here first.

Events in the Murou area

Check the Uda City Tourism Association’s event information for festivals and walking events in the Murou area; they may change how you plan a station stop.

Local feel

Reasons to return

Practical ideas and things to consider when spending time here.

For vegetables, make the station a morning destination

According to the official Komorebi Market information, some products sell as soon as farmers deliver them and may be scarce by 9:00. Choices can be fewer if you leave shopping until lunch or your return from Murouji Temple, so visit in the morning when vegetables are your aim.

Source: Official produce market information

Plan restaurant lunch around midday rather than after a long temple visit

Aoba no Sho lists 10:00–16:00 hours, a 15:30 last order, and a regular Wednesday closure. If you walk leisurely around Murouji Temple or Ryuketsu Shrine first, closing time may be near when you return. Eat before the walk or keep it short when lunch is the priority.

Source: Official Japanese-style restaurant information

The monument adds a sense of place to a passing break

The official facilities information presents Bukichi Inoue’s “my sky hole” as central to the station’s design. Even on a short break, step from the parking area to the plaza before returning from the shop for a glimpse of Murou’s art and natural setting.

Source: Official facilities information

In spring and autumn, plan most of your time for nearby sights

Rhododendrons and autumn leaves draw visitors to Murouji Temple; weeping cherries draw them to Oonodera Temple. At peak times, use the station to prepare with toilets, drinks, and souvenirs, leaving more time for the walks nearby.

Source: Official Nara tourism and Uda visitor information

With 33 parking spaces, allow flexibility on event and flower-viewing days

Official facilities information lists 33 parking spaces: 4 for large vehicles and 29 for standard cars. An ordinary break is easy to plan, but when a Murou festival or peak bloom coincides with your visit, choosing just one meal or shopping goal can make the stop easier to manage.

Source: Official facilities information and Uda visitor event information

Rail access is possible; plan onward travel for nearby sights

The station is listed as about a five-minute walk from Sanbonmatsu Station on the Kintetsu Osaka Line. Murouji Temple and Ryuketsu Shrine are farther away, so check bus times when using public transport, or parking and walking time at the temples and shrine when driving.

Source: Official access information and Uda visitor 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.

  • For vegetables, aim for the 8:00 hour. Popular Komorebi Market items can run low early.
  • Aoba no Sho is generally closed Wednesdays and takes last orders at 15:30. Watch the time if returning after visiting temples and shrines.
  • Parking, toilets, and the public telephone are available 24 hours. Outside shop hours, use the station as a rest stop.
  • The official facilities page still lists restaurant hours as 10:00–17:00, but the restaurant page and site footer say 10:00–16:00, with last orders at 15:30. Allow time for your meal and check current notices.
  • Toward Murouji Temple, expect slopes and stone steps; rain changes footing. Comfortable walking shoes are useful.
  • Allow extra time for parking and meals during spring cherry and rhododendron bloom, autumn leaves, and local events.
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
    Udagawa set meal
    Fresh local vegetable tempura, house-made sesame tofu, udon, and more; about ¥1,590.
  • Meal
    Genki brown-rice tea-porridge set meal
    A set meal featuring Yamato’s tea-rice porridge tradition; about ¥1,200.
  • Sweets
    Detchi yokan and yomogi-maru
    Murou-style Japanese sweets: sweet bean jelly and mugwort rice cakes. Shop stock varies by day.
  • Shopping
    Yamato tea, roasted tea, and kabusecha
    Take home tea from eastern Nara, including the Murou Obara area; kabusecha is shade-grown tea.
  • Direct farm sales
    Local vegetables at Komorebi Market
    From 8:00; popular items may run low early.
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
Shop in the morning

Open-field vegetables at Komorebi Market

Arrive early if vegetables are your goal. Visitors also come from the Osaka and Mie areas, and some produce sells soon after delivery, so a morning break suits this better than a stop just before noon.

Posted closing times are 17:00 from April 20 through September and 16:00 from October through April 19.

Eat lunch

Set meals at Aoba no Sho

The Udagawa set meal, tea-porridge set, and tea-soba set suit a seated break before or after visiting temples and shrines. The dining room looks over the Uda River.

The restaurant is generally closed Wednesdays; last orders are at 15:30.

Snacks for the car

Detchi yokan, yomogi-maru, and Udagawa manju

These sweets are easy to share on a long drive. Yomogi-maru, a mugwort rice cake, is presented as being modeled on the station’s silver sphere monument.

Use at home

Soma soy sauce, Yoshino honkuzu, and Yamato toki products

Beyond ready-to-eat souvenirs, choose seasonings, kudzu starch, or products reflecting Uda’s medicinal-herb heritage. These also make gifts for people who enjoy cooking.

Tea after a meal

Roasted tea, kabusecha, and sencha

Yamato tea from Murou Obara is described in connection with the area’s day-to-night temperature changes. Pair it with a small sweet and take home a taste of eastern Nara.

Access

Location and surroundings

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1
Roadside station
Michi-no-Eki Udaji Murou

A small rest stop on National Route 165 that links morning shopping at Komorebi Market with a detour toward Murouji Temple.

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2
Temple and nature
Nyonin Koya Murouji Temple

The heart of a Murou visit, best reached after a rest stop at the station.

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3
Shrine and nature
Murou Ryuketsu Shrine

A quiet detour beyond Murouji Temple among giant cedars and traditions of water worship.

Open in Google Maps
4
Temple and cherry blossoms
Oonodera Temple

Even on a short stop, see Murou’s landscape through weeping cherries and a Buddhist image carved into rock.

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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

Illustrative photo, not taken at Nyonin Koya Murouji Temple
Illustrative image
Temple and nature
Nyonin Koya Murouji TempleJapanese guide
About 12–15 minutes by carAbout 12–15 minutes by car

Use the station’s toilets and pick up drinks and a small souvenir before walking the temple’s stone steps in the mountains.

Illustrative photo, not taken at Murou Ryuketsu Shrine
Illustrative image
Shrine and nature
Murou Ryuketsu ShrineJapanese guide
About 15–20 minutes by carAbout 15–20 minutes by car

For an adult drive combining Murouji Temple with a short shrine visit and forest air. Watch your footing in rain.

Illustrative photo, not taken at Oonodera Temple
Illustrative image
Temple and cherry blossoms
Oonodera TempleJapanese guide
About 5–8 minutes by carAbout 5–8 minutes by car

After shopping at the station, add a scenic stop even when there is no time for Murouji Temple. Allow for crowds during cherry-blossom season.

Illustrative photo, not taken at Murou Art Forest (Murou Sanjo Park)
Illustrative image
Park and art
Murou Art Forest (Murou Sanjo Park)Japanese guide
About 15–20 minutes by carAbout 15–20 minutes by car

Suited to children, primary school families, adults wanting a walk, and photography. Check weather and opening information, and allow time to explore on foot.

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