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Michi-no-Eki JournalMap
Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph

Wakayama · Kinki

Michi-no-Eki Kinokawa Manyo no Sato

道の駅 紀の川万葉の里

Pause beside the Kinokawa River, choose kakinoha sushi and seasonal fruit, then continue toward hot springs or a World Heritage shrine from this Route 24 rest stop.

Updated Michi-no-Eki JournalRead in Japanese

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph

Location
Katsuragi Town, Ito District (伊都郡かつらぎ町)
Road
National Route 24 / a riverside stop on the Kinokawa River, west of Mount Koya
Hours
Local produce shop: 8:30〜17:00
The town and regional road station guides list these hours; the shop closes over the year-end and New Year period. Check current notices.
Parking
See facility information
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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, take a break
24-hour toilets and parking

Useful while traveling on National Route 24 or near the Katsuragi-Nishi interchange of the Keinawa Expressway.

For lunch
Restaurant Mahoroba

The kakinoha sushi and noodle set makes a short meal easy to plan.

For shopping
Fruit, vegetables, and rice

Seasonal fruit and farm-direct produce give the shop its Katsuragi character.

With children
Take a short break with a river view

Use the station for food and fresh air rather than a long playground visit.

Continue the outing
Happu-no-Yu, fruit picking, and Niutsuhime Shrine

Choose the hot spring on a rainy day, or seasonal fruit and the World Heritage shrine in fine weather.

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph
Mizuno’s side-trip notes

Use this stop to prepare the family for what comes next, rather than for a long play session.

Mizuno (水野文乃) sees Kinokawa Manyo no Sato as a place to regroup before reaching the day’s destination. Use the toilets, have a light meal of kakinoha sushi, and choose a piece of fruit. In fine weather, enjoy the river breeze; in rain, head to a hot spring. The facilities are modest, but a simple plan makes the Route 24 drive easier.

Eat, shop, see the river, and move on. That sequence suits this station better than searching for play equipment.

Highlights

Michi-no-Eki Kinokawa Manyo no Sato stands beside National Route 24, yet stepping out of the car opens views of the Kinokawa River and Mount Imo, Mount Se, and Mount Funaoka. The produce shop centers on local fruit, vegetables, rice, and processed foods. At Restaurant Mahoroba, a set of kakinoha sushi—sushi wrapped in persimmon leaves—and noodles makes a light lunch. Editor Mizuno (水野文乃) recommends this as a starting point for a family outing: take a short, easy circuit through the toilets, restaurant, shop, and riverside, then continue to a hot spring, fruit picking, or Niutsuhime Shrine. It is better suited to that plan than to a long play session at a large children’s facility.

  • #Kinokawa River
  • #Man’yoshu poetry anthology
  • #Kakinoha sushi (persimmon-leaf-wrapped sushi)
  • #Restaurant Mahoroba
  • #Farm-direct fruit
  • #National Route 24
  • #Katsuragi Town
  • #Kinokawa Cycling Road
  • #Western gateway to Mount Koya
  • #Niutsuhime Shrine
Why I like it

Reasons to stop here

01

Rest beside the river, even from the highway

The town and prefectural tourism guides describe the Kinokawa River, celebrated in the Man’yoshu poetry anthology, flowing near the station, with views of Mount Imo, Mount Se, and Mount Funaoka. Alongside parking, toilets, and shopping, a short pause by the river helps break up a drive.

02

Choose Katsuragi fruit and freshly picked vegetables

Wakayama Prefecture’s farm market guide lists fruit, vegetables, processed foods, and rice as the main products. Katsuragi is known for seasonal peaches, grapes, persimmons, chestnuts, and mandarins, so the selection changes with your visit date.

03

Restaurant Mahoroba makes kakinoha sushi an easy lunch stop

Prefectural tourism and the local tourism association highlight Restaurant Mahoroba’s special kakinoha sushi and noodle set. Reviews describe a ticket-ordering and self-service style; families may find it easier to divide up finding seats and ordering.

04

A brief breath of fresh air and the next stop suit this station

This is not a large playground-style facility. With young children, keep the stop short: toilets, a snack, and a river view. For school-age children, continue by car to Seyama Park, fruit picking, cycling, a hot spring, or Niutsuhime Shrine.

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.

45–75 minutes around lunchtime

A Route 24 lunch break with kakinoha sushi and a river view

Park, use the toilets, and consider the kakinoha sushi and noodle set at Restaurant Mahoroba. After eating, browse fruit and vegetables in the produce shop and spend a moment looking over the Kinokawa River. That makes a satisfying break during a journey.

Parking → toilets → Restaurant Mahoroba → produce shop → river view.

The restaurant is closed on Mondays and has a last-order cutoff. If you are coming for a meal, check its latest official or tourism-association information.

A driving break with babies or preschoolers

A short reset with small children

This station works best for a short circuit of toilets, a snack, shopping, and fresh air, rather than a long session on large play equipment. When approaching the riverside, judge the water level and heat; simply viewing it from a safe distance may be enough.

Toilets → fruit or drinks at the produce shop → a short outdoor break.

Summer sun, winter wind, and rain can shorten outdoor time. A hot spring or indoor stop afterward gives the day more flexibility.

A family drive from spring to autumn

Follow seasonal fruit to an orchard

Katsuragi is a fruit-growing town. See what is in season at the station, then head to a visitor orchard that accepts bookings for a harvest experience. Choose among peaches, grapes, persimmons, and mandarins according to the season.

Check the station’s farm-direct selection → visit an orchard → buy more souvenirs at the station or nearby.

Booking rules, prices, and harvest seasons vary by orchard. Check the tourism association’s orchard list in advance.

Adults, three-generation groups, and rainy days

On a rainy day or on the way home, finish at Happu-no-Yu

After a light meal and shopping at the station, drive to nearby Katsuragi Onsen Happu-no-Yu. The hot spring, food, and places to rest can fill out a day when the riverside or orchards are less appealing.

Station → Happu-no-Yu → journey home.

The hot spring may close for maintenance or change its dining hours. Check its official notices for the day of your visit.

Before or after a Mount Koya or Amano area visit

Before a history visit, prepare for Niutsuhime Shrine here

On a day visiting World Heritage-listed Niutsuhime Shrine, use the station’s toilets and get drinks and a light meal before heading into the hills. The journey links a landscape celebrated in the Man’yoshu with a shrine closely connected to Mount Koya.

Station → Niutsuhime Shrine → Amano area.

The approach to the shrine uses hill roads. Allow extra travel time near sunset, in rain, and during busy periods.

Hours

Opening hours

Local produce shop
8:30〜17:00

The town and regional road station guides list these hours; the shop closes over the year-end and New Year period. Check current notices.

Restaurant Mahoroba
10:00〜16:00

Last orders are approximately 30 minutes before closing. The tourism association lists Monday and year-end/New Year closures.

Visitor information facility
8:30〜17:00

Local sightseeing and event information, plus displays of poems from the Man’yoshu.

Toilets, parking, and public telephone
Available 24 hours

Listed by the town; the shop and restaurant keep separate hours at night.

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.

Age 1 and under
★★★☆☆

Best for toilets, a short indoor break, and an easy return to the car; plan a brief stop rather than a long stay.

Details of nursing and diaper-changing facilities have not been firmly confirmed in public information. Bring what you need in the car.

Ages 2–3
★★★☆☆

Fruit and a light snack can provide a change of pace. Keep hold of children near the river and stay only briefly.

Use it as a toilet and meal stop rather than a playground destination.

Ages 4–6
★★★★☆

Look at the river, choose fruit at the shop, then continue to Seyama Park or an orchard.

In fine weather, take a short walk. In rain, consider Happu-no-Yu; deciding the next stop beforehand makes the visit easier.

Elementary school age
★★★★☆

Connect the Kinokawa River, the Man’yoshu, cycling, World Heritage, and seasonal fruit.

Combine the station with Niutsuhime Shrine or fruit picking for more to learn and do.

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

Seasonal goods at the produce shop

Fruit, vegetables, rice, and processed foods vary by season and delivery. Check what fruit is in season, year-end and New Year closures, and any shop events.

November harvest festival and December community mochi-pounding event

The prefectural farm market guide and Sato no Monogatari describe these as two annual events. Check each year’s dates and whether they will take place. Mochi is pounded glutinous rice cake.

Restaurant Mahoroba

Check opening hours, Monday closure, last orders, and current menu availability, especially if eating is the purpose of your visit.

Kinokawa riverside and cycling

Weather, heat, wind, and river level affect use. Follow local rules for barbecues on the riverbank and cycling.

Local feel

Reasons to return

Practical ideas and things to consider when spending time here.

Plan for ticket ordering and self-service at the restaurant

Food reviews, including Yahoo! Maps, describe buying a meal ticket and collecting food when a number is called. With children, dividing up seating, ordering, and toilet visits may keep the wait manageable.

Source: Editorial summary of map and restaurant reviews

On rainy days, continue to the hot spring

Happu-no-Yu publishes day-use hot spring hours and current notices on its official site. When rain makes the riverside or orchards awkward, a brief meal and shopping stop before the hot spring is a practical plan.

Source: Happu-no-Yu official website
Movie

Preview the place on video

Official videos show the market and nearby park before you visit. Audio and captions are in Japanese.

Official movie
Watch on the official site

Video candidate search: Michi-no-Eki Kinokawa Manyo no Sato

Consider only videos published by the facility, municipality, or tourism association. Use third-party videos only to get a sense of the atmosphere.

Source:
Official movie
Watch on the official site

Video candidate search: Niutsuhime Shrine, Katsuragi Town

Consider an official or municipal video as a visual aid for the World Heritage side trip only if one can be confirmed.

Source:
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 you are coming to eat, check Restaurant Mahoroba’s Monday closure and last-order time first.
  • For a fruit-focused trip, check orchard booking availability and harvest seasons as well as the produce shop.
  • The riverside is inviting, but summer sun, winter wind, and water levels after rain change how to use it.
  • With babies and toddlers, plan a short toilet and snack stop before moving on.
  • From the Katsuragi-Nishi interchange of the Keinawa Expressway toward Route 24, it is easy to combine a meal break with souvenir shopping.
  • Allow time for sunset and hill roads when heading toward Niutsuhime Shrine or Mount Koya.
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
    Special kakinoha sushi and noodle set
    Check Restaurant Mahoroba’s current information for availability
  • Meal
    Light meals such as udon, soba, and rice bowls
    Ticket-order menu; available during restaurant hours
  • Farm-direct sales
    Local fruit
    Peaches, grapes, persimmons, mandarins, and other fruit vary with season and deliveries
  • Farm-direct sales
    Local vegetables and rice
    Freshly picked items vary with deliveries
  • Souvenirs
    Processed foods and jabara citrus products
    Check the shop’s current selection
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
Taste the station’s specialty

Kakinoha sushi / noodle set

An easy, brief lunch at Restaurant Mahoroba. A good first choice on an initial visit.

Take something home

Fruit / vegetables / rice

These purchases best reflect Katsuragi’s seasons. Look for persimmons in autumn and peaches or grapes in summer.

Useful on the road

Processed foods / drinks / light snacks

Handy when traveling toward Mount Koya or along Route 24, including for a hungry child.

Divide tasks when it is busy

Ticket ordering / produce shop / riverside break

Dividing seating, ordering, and shopping among family members can ease the wait.

Check seasonal goods first

Peaches / grapes / persimmons / mandarins / rice

The shop changes with the seasons. Look through the farm-direct selection before eating, and pick up fruit or items that may sell out early.

Access

Location and surroundings

Driving directions from your location
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Explore stations near かつらぎ町 (Japanese guide)
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1
Roadside station
Michi-no-Eki Kinokawa Manyo no Sato

Pause beside the Kinokawa River, choose kakinoha sushi and seasonal fruit, then continue toward hot springs or a World Heritage shrine from this Route 24 rest stop.

Open in Google Maps
2
Riverside and walking
Kinokawa Riverside and Man’yoshu Views

After eating and shopping, let the river view ease the strain of driving on the highway.

Open in Google Maps
3
Dining
Restaurant Mahoroba

A quick Route 24 lunch of kakinoha sushi and noodles.

Open in Google Maps
4
Fruit picking and orchards
Fruit Picking in Katsuragi Town

Find what is in season at the produce shop, then continue to an orchard experience.

Open in Google Maps
5
Hot spring
Katsuragi Onsen Happu-no-Yu

When the riverbank or orchards are less inviting, relax at a hot spring on the way home.

Open in Google Maps
6
World Heritage shrine
Niutsuhime Shrine

Use the station as a rest stop before visiting the World Heritage shrine at the foot of Mount Koya.

Open in Google Maps
7
Cycling and riverside
Kinokawa Cycling Road

Use the embankment breeze and the station as a supply stop on a bicycle trip.

Open in Google Maps
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

Riverside and walking
Kinokawa Riverside and Man’yoshu ViewsJapanese guide
Around the station; a very short walkA very short walk

For a little fresh air before or after a meal or shopping. Keep riverside time short according to weather, water level, and heat.

Illustrative photo, not taken at Restaurant Mahoroba
Illustrative image
Dining
Restaurant MahorobaJapanese guide
Inside the stationInside the station

Good for lunch with children, a short break, or a light meal before a hot spring or shrine visit.

Illustrative photo, not taken at Fruit Picking in Katsuragi Town
Illustrative image
Fruit picking and orchards
Fruit Picking in Katsuragi TownJapanese guide
Various sites in town; travel by carVaries by orchard

Good for extending a fine-weather trip from the station’s farm-direct shop to a family harvest experience. Confirm booking and season first.

Illustrative photo, not taken at Katsuragi Onsen Happu-no-Yu
Illustrative image
Hot spring
Katsuragi Onsen Happu-no-YuJapanese guide
About 10–15 minutes by carAbout 10–15 minutes by car

Add a hot spring break to food and shopping at the station on a rainy day, on the way home, or with adults or three generations.

Niutsuhime Shrine
World Heritage shrine
Niutsuhime ShrineJapanese guide
About 20 minutes by car from Kinokawa Manyo no SatoHalf-day side trip

Suitable before or after a Mount Koya and World Heritage itinerary. With small children, consider the station and closer stops first.

Illustrative photo, not taken at Kinokawa Cycling Road
Illustrative image
Cycling and riverside
Kinokawa Cycling RoadJapanese guide
Around the stationAround the station

The station offers a toilet, drinks, light food, and farm-direct shopping on a bicycle trip as well as a drive. Adjust plans for heat and wind.

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