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Nara Prefecture · Kinki

Michi no Eki Yamatoji Heguri

道の駅 大和路へぐり

Stop along National Route 168 for Kotoka strawberries and Heguri flowers and vegetables.

Updated Michi-no-Eki JournalRead in Japanese

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph

Location
Heguri Town, Ikoma District
Road
National Route 168 / Heguri Bypass
Hours
8:30–17:00
These are the general hours for Toretate-ichi, the local specialties corner, and the information area. Restaurant hanana is open 11:00–16:30; the fresh sweets workshop is open 11:00–15:00 on weekdays and 9:00–17:00 on weekends and public holidays. Parking and toilets are available 24 hours a day.
Parking
Cars: 102 / Large vehicles: 3
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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.

Shop first
Heguri vegetables and flowers at Toretate-ichi

Farm produce harvested that day and flowers are sold here. Hours are 8:30–17:00.

For a meal
Restaurant hanana’s weekly lunch

Open 11:00–16:30; closed Wednesdays. The restaurant’s hours and closure day differ from the main station facilities, so check the day if you plan to eat here.

For something sweet
Fresh sweets workshop

Open 11:00–15:00 on weekdays and 9:00–17:00 on weekends and public holidays. It is closed in the morning and later afternoon on weekdays.

Seasonal picks
Kotoka strawberries and grapes

According to the official site, Heguri Town has the largest Kotoka strawberry cultivation area in Nara Prefecture. Stock varies by season and day.

For a rest stop
Parking and toilets are open 24 hours

You can park and rest outside shop hours. A multipurpose toilet and baby cot are also available.

Coming by train
Eight minutes on foot from Heguri Station, Kintetsu Ikoma Line

You can visit without a car. From the Nishi-Meihan Expressway, Kashiba Interchange is 6.8 km away and Horyuji Interchange is 4.8 km away.

Rinta’s stopover notes

Shopping, lunch, and sweets each run on different hours here.

Rinta Sawatari sees food as the main reason to stop here. The farmers market opens at 8:30, the restaurant at 11:00, and the sweets workshop opens only 11:00–15:00 on weekdays. Hours differ even within the same grounds, so decide what you most want to do before choosing your arrival time. Heguri’s reputation for Kotoka strawberries and grapes is especially visible on the farmers market shelves.

1

Shopping is the priority

Arrive near the 8:30 opening for a wider choice from the day’s harvest.

2

Lunch is the priority

Restaurant hours are 11:00–16:30, with Wednesdays closed. Check the day before planning your stop.

3

Sweets are the priority

The sweets workshop is open 9:00–17:00 on weekends and public holidays, but only 11:00–15:00 on weekdays.

Highlights

Michi no Eki Yamatoji Heguri is a roadside station on National Route 168 (the Heguri Bypass) in Heguri Town, Ikoma District, Nara Prefecture. Its nickname is Kumagashi Station. The Toretate-ichi farmers market sells Heguri vegetables and fruit harvested that day, along with flowers such as spray chrysanthemums and roses. According to the official site, Heguri Town has Nara Prefecture’s largest cultivation area for the Kotoka strawberry variety. The Natural Cafe & Restaurant hanana and a fresh sweets workshop let you add a meal or dessert to your shopping stop. Parking and toilets are available 24 hours a day, and Heguri Station on the Kintetsu Ikoma Line is an eight-minute walk away. It is a convenient place to shop and rest while traveling north or south on Route 168.

  • #Kumagashi Station
  • #National Route 168
  • #Kotoka strawberries
  • #Toretate-ichi farmers market
  • #Heguri grapes
  • #Spray chrysanthemums and roses
  • #Restaurant hanana
Why I like it

Reasons to stop here

01

Choose Kotoka strawberries and seasonal Heguri produce from the day’s arrivals

Toretate-ichi is a farmers market for produce harvested that day and flowers. The official site describes Heguri as the town with Nara Prefecture’s largest cultivation area for Kotoka strawberries. Depending on the season, the stalls also carry grapes, melons, vegetables, spray chrysanthemums, and roses. Nara’s official tourism site says local shoppers regularly visit for flowers and fruit.

02

Combine a meal or dessert with shopping at the station

Natural Cafe & Restaurant hanana is open 11:00–16:30 and serves a changing weekly lunch and a seasonal Kotoka strawberry parfait. The fresh sweets workshop is open 11:00–15:00 on weekdays and 9:00–17:00 on weekends and public holidays. These hours differ from the farmers market’s 8:30–17:00 opening, so time your arrival around whether shopping, lunch, or dessert is your main reason to stop.

03

A 24-hour rest stop on National Route 168, with parking and toilets

Parking and toilets are available 24 hours a day, including a multipurpose toilet and baby cot. South of the parking area are Fureai Square and a disaster-preparedness multipurpose square, with tables, chairs, parasols, and stove benches designed for use in disasters. The station is also an eight-minute walk from Heguri Station on the Kintetsu Ikoma Line.

04

Find Heguri and Nara gifts together in the local specialties corner

Products listed by Nara’s official tourism site include Sato no Megumi sweet potato shochu, Kofuku no Umeshu plum liqueur, handmade miso, okazu miso (a seasoned miso eaten as a side), sake named Heguri, Sakon-kun and Nagaya-kun manju (sweet buns), and several Heguri-aji jams. These offer gifts that keep longer when fresh produce is difficult to take home.

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 Ikoma or Ikaruga and the Yamato Plain

Combine shopping and lunch on a north–south drive along Route 168

The farmers market is open 8:30–17:00 and the restaurant 11:00–16:30, so arriving around midday lets you shop and eat in one stop. This station suits a practical stop of about 30 minutes to one hour rather than a long stay.

National Route 168 → Michi no Eki Yamatoji Heguri (shopping and lunch) → Ikaruga or Ikoma

The restaurant is closed on Wednesdays. Check the day if you want to include a meal.

A day out to buy strawberries or other seasonal fruit

Make the farmers market your destination in Kotoka season

According to the official site, Heguri Town has Nara Prefecture’s largest cultivation area for Kotoka strawberries. The market sells the day’s harvest, so arriving close to opening leaves the widest choice. After shopping, add sweets from the workshop or a Kotoka parfait for a combined shopping and dessert visit.

Arrive for the 8:30 opening → Toretate-ichi → fresh sweets workshop or Restaurant hanana

Stock varies by season and on the day; no particular product is guaranteed.

A short outing without a car

Take the train to Heguri and visit the station as your destination

The roadside station is an eight-minute walk from Heguri Station on the Kintetsu Ikoma Line. You can visit the farmers market, eat, and rest in Fureai Square on foot. Keep your purchases to what you can comfortably carry back on the train.

Heguri Station, Kintetsu Ikoma Line → eight-minute walk → roadside station (shopping, food, rest)

If you buy fresh food or flowers, allow for the journey home and the weight of your bags.

Early morning or evening travel

Use the station as a rest stop outside business hours

Parking and toilets are available 24 hours a day. A multipurpose toilet and baby cot are also provided, so you can stop to rest when the shops are closed. There are tables and chairs in Fureai Square south of the parking area.

National Route 168 → rest at the parking area and toilets → continue your journey

Visitors are asked not to bring pets into Fureai Square. If traveling with a pet, follow the signs for the disaster-preparedness multipurpose square.

Hours

Opening hours

Toretate-ichi, local specialties corner, and information area
8:30-17:00

General hours for the main station facilities. Closed over the New Year holidays.

Natural Cafe & Restaurant hanana
11:00-16:30

Closed Wednesdays. The Kinki Regional Development Bureau lists 11:00–17:00 with last order at 16:30, while the station’s official site lists 11:00–16:30. Check the official site if arriving late.

Fresh sweets workshop
Weekdays 11:00–15:00 / weekends and public holidays 9:00–17:00

Opening hours differ substantially between weekdays and holidays.

Parking and toilets
24 hours

A multipurpose toilet and baby cot are also available.

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

Fureai Square

A gathering space with tables, chairs, and parasols where you can eat purchases or rest. Visitors are asked not to bring pets.

Disaster-preparedness multipurpose square

South of the parking area, this square is also a designated evacuation shelter and emergency evacuation site. Stove benches designed for disaster use were installed in March 2024. In ordinary times, the space is used as a gathering place for pet owners.

Hana no Yakata flower shop

A sales area beside Toretate-ichi selling Heguri flowers, including spray chrysanthemums and roses. Nara’s official tourism site also describes local shoppers who regularly visit for flowers.

Training room and cooking practice room

Rooms used for agricultural training and cooking practice with farm produce. Applications to use them are accepted starting three months in advance.

Local feel

Reasons to return

Practical ideas and things to consider when spending time here.

Use the official site when checking the station’s opening hours

The Kinki Michi no Eki network’s station page lists 9:00–18:00, but a notice from the same network says the hours changed from those printed in its stamp rally book to 8:30–17:00. The station’s official general information also lists 8:30–17:00. For an opening-time or closing-time visit, use the official site’s current listing.

Source: Kinki Michi no Eki network notice and station official general information

The farmers market shelves show Heguri’s local produce

Nara’s official tourism site describes local shoppers coming for Heguri vegetables, fruit such as grapes, melons, and strawberries, and flowers including spray chrysanthemums and roses. The station’s official site also describes Heguri as the town with Nara Prefecture’s largest Kotoka strawberry cultivation area. Alongside visitor gifts, the shelves carry everyday purchases for local residents.

Source: Nara official tourism site Aoniyoshi Nara Tabi Net and station official site

A digital roadside station stamp is also available

The station’s official notice says the nationwide Michi no Eki Digital Stamp Memories program began on July 1, 2026. Visitors can collect a stamp by turning on smartphone location services while on the station grounds.

Source: Station official notice
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.

  • The main station facilities are open 8:30–17:00; Restaurant hanana is open 11:00–16:30 and closed Wednesdays; the sweets workshop is open 11:00–15:00 on weekdays and 9:00–17:00 on weekends and public holidays. Time your arrival for what you want to do.
  • Stock of seasonal goods such as Kotoka strawberries, grapes, and cut flowers varies by day. Arriving earlier gives you a better selection when you are looking for something specific.
  • Parking and toilets are available 24 hours a day. A multipurpose toilet and baby cot make a rest stop possible even when the shops are closed.
  • The Kinki Regional Development Bureau lists 105 parking spaces (102 standard and 3 large-vehicle), plus 4 wheelchair-priority and 2 courtesy spaces. The station’s official site lists 106 spaces across its two lots.
  • Heguri Station on the Kintetsu Ikoma Line is an eight-minute walk away. By car, the station is 6.8 km from Kashiba Interchange and 4.8 km from Horyuji Interchange on the Nishi-Meihan Expressway.
  • Visitors are asked not to bring pets into Fureai Square. If traveling with a pet, follow the signs for the disaster-preparedness multipurpose square south of the parking area.
  • Published New Year closures differ between December 31–January 3 and December 31–January 4. Check the station’s official notices before a holiday visit.
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
    Restaurant hanana’s weekly lunch
    11:00–16:30 / closed Wednesdays
  • Dessert
    Seasonal Kotoka strawberry parfait
    During Restaurant hanana’s opening hours
  • Dessert
    Sweets from the fresh sweets workshop
    Weekdays 11:00–15:00 / weekends and public holidays 9:00–17:00
  • Shopping
    Heguri vegetables, fruit, and flowers at Toretate-ichi
    8:30–17:00 / stock depends on the season and day
  • Shopping
    Processed foods and local sake in the specialties corner
    8:30-17:00
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.

Have lunch here

Restaurant hanana’s weekly lunch

Arrive between 11:00 and 16:30 to eat a meal featuring seasonal Heguri ingredients at the station.

The restaurant is closed on Wednesdays. If you visit on a Wednesday, plan to eat elsewhere, such as around Ikaruga or Ikoma.

Add a dessert stop

Fresh sweets workshop and Kotoka strawberry parfait

On weekends and public holidays, the sweets workshop is open 9:00–17:00, so you can stop during morning shopping or toward the end of the day.

Weekday workshop hours are shorter, 11:00–15:00. Do not count on it for an early morning or late afternoon weekday visit.

Shop to take home

Vegetables, fruit, and flowers at Toretate-ichi

The market sells the day’s harvest. If you are after something specific, arriving near its 8:30 opening gives you more to choose from.

Seasonal products such as Kotoka strawberries and grapes vary from day to day. A particular item may be unavailable.

Choose gifts that keep

Sato no Megumi, Kofuku no Umeshu, Heguri sake, handmade miso, and Heguri-aji jam

The specialties corner is useful when fresh produce is hard to carry home or you need a gift for someone else.

The range changes. Call to check stock if you want a particular brand.

Stop outside shop hours

Parking and toilets

Parking and toilets remain available 24 hours a day, so you can stop just to rest before 8:30 or after 17:00.

The shops, restaurant, and sweets workshop are closed outside their respective hours. Plan to arrive while they are open if you want to shop or eat.

Access

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Roadside station
Michi no Eki Yamatoji Heguri

Stop along National Route 168 for Kotoka strawberries and Heguri flowers and vegetables.

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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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