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Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph

Shimane Prefecture · Chugoku region

Michi-no-Eki Sun Eight Mito

道の駅 サンエイト美都

A small stop in mountain-ringed Mito on Route 191, where you can pick up yuzu gifts, eat 100% buckwheat soba, and continue to a hot spring.

Updated Michi-no-Eki JournalRead in Japanese

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph

Location
Masuda City
Road
National Route 191
Hours
9:00–19:00
Hours shown are for the information corner and shop. Ekisoba restaurant is generally open 11:00–14:30. Check official notices for temporary closures and the New Year period.
Parking
Cars: 33 / Large vehicles: 2
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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 on arrival
Browse the yuzu products

Yuzu kosho, yuzu cider, Yuzukko, and yuzu miso make for a distinctly Mito shopping stop, even when time is short.

If stopping for lunch
Check Ekisoba's hours

The restaurant generally opens 11:00–14:30. Arrive around lunchtime if soba is your reason for stopping.

If adding a hot spring
Visit Mito Onsen Yumotokan

It is close enough to reach on foot. A bath can extend a station stop into a half-day outing.

If choosing by season
Cherry blossoms in spring, fireflies in summer, yuzu in autumn

These are the seasons highlighted by Mito's official guide. Allow extra travel and parking time on event days.

If traveling with children
A short break or a station-and-hot-spring outing

Come for toilets and a quick meal, or combine the stop with the hot spring and a park; the station is not a large playground.

On a mountain drive
A stop between Masuda and Togouchi

Allow about 25 minutes from central Masuda or about 60 minutes from Togouchi Interchange. In poor weather, keep detours modest.

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph
Highlights

Sun Eight Mito makes a short break enjoyable on Route 191 between central Masuda and Togouchi Interchange on the Chugoku Expressway. Browse yuzu kosho (a citrus and chili seasoning), yuzu cider, Yuzukko, and yuzu miso made with Mito yuzu; eat juwari soba, noodles made entirely from buckwheat, at Ekisoba; and, if time allows, visit nearby Mito Onsen Yumotokan. This is a small station, but it brings together food, shopping, and a hot bath on a mountain drive.

  • #Shimane Prefecture
  • #Masuda City
  • #National Route 191
  • #Yuzu citrus
  • #Juwari soba (100% buckwheat)
  • #Ekisoba restaurant
  • #Mito Onsen
  • #Iwami Kagura dance theater
  • #Fireflies
  • #Mountain drive
Why I like it

Reasons to stop here

01

Take the flavor of yuzu-growing Mito home from the shop

Mito is described as one of the Chugoku region's leading yuzu-growing areas. The shop stocks easy-to-carry products such as yuzu kosho (a yuzu and chili seasoning), yuzu cider, Yuzukko, yuzu miso, and Yufuka 100% yuzu juice. Many belong on the dinner table rather than a souvenir shelf, so even a brief stop gives you a taste of the area to take home.

02

Make Ekisoba the center of a lunchtime stop

Ekisoba restaurant generally opens 11:00–14:30. Its menu includes chilled zaru soba for a simple taste of juwari (100% buckwheat) noodles, soba with thick fried tofu from Masago, mushroom soba, duck and scallion soba, and soba with akaten, Iwami-style spicy fried fish cake. If you miss the dining hours, a drink and gifts from the shop make a practical short stop.

03

A nearby hot spring can turn a break into half a day

Mito Onsen Yumotokan is within walking distance of the station. Stop for soba, buy yuzu gifts, and then bathe at Yumotokan to make more of your time in the mountains. It is an easy turnaround point or final stop on a Route 191 drive.

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 day heading toward the mountains from central Masuda or the Hagi-Iwami Airport area

A lunch break on Route 191 from central Masuda

About 21 km and 25 minutes from central Masuda, this is a useful break before or after the mountain road. Have juwari soba if the restaurant is open; otherwise, focus on yuzu drinks and the shop for a short taste of Mito.

Central Masuda → National Route 191 → Sun Eight Mito

The station's Tuesday closure and the restaurant's lunchtime hours limit its usefulness as a meal stop.

Shoppers, cooks, and anyone who enjoys a sweet drink in the car

Bring yuzu gifts back to your own table

Yuzu kosho, yuzu miso, Yufuka 100% yuzu juice, yuzu cider, and Yuzukko are useful at home, not just decorative souvenirs. You can make a satisfying local shopping stop in as little as 15 minutes.

Browse the shop first, choosing drinks for the car and seasonings for home separately.

Selection and prices change with the season and stock. Check the online shop or official information for a particular item.

Couples, adults on a weekend, or a short outing on a rainy day

Make a half-day mountain drive of soba and a hot spring

Eat lunch at Ekisoba, then visit Mito Onsen Yumotokan to turn a break into a destination. Yumotokan has a large communal bath, an open-air bath, and a rest room, making this easy to plan even when the weather is uncertain.

Sun Eight Mito → Mito Onsen Yumotokan. It is within walking distance, though driving may be easier with luggage or in bad weather.

The station is generally closed Tuesdays and Yumotokan Wednesdays; check that both are open.

Visitors who want to time a trip with a local event

Come for summer fireflies or autumn festivals and yuzu

Official and tourism association listings have included a firefly festival, rice-field owner experience, regular Iwami Kagura performances, and a roadside-station appreciation festival. An event day gives this small station a very different feel from an ordinary shopping stop.

Check the official event list and visit the station and Mito Onsen area together.

Many listed events have already ended. Confirm the date and meeting or registration point in official information shortly before traveling.

A day for a little nature walking or learning a local story

Add one short detour to a gorge or museum

In cool, clear weather, visit Sosen Gorge (双川峡) and Yodo Falls; for a quieter stop, try the Sahachiro Hata Memorial Museum. Either adds another side of Mito beyond its food.

Sun Eight Mito → Sosen Gorge (双川峡) / Sahachiro Hata Memorial Museum

Conditions underfoot change with the weather in the mountains. Keep plans flexible after rain or in winter.

Hours

Opening hours

Shop and information corner
9:00-19:00

Closed Tuesdays. Check official notices for New Year and temporary changes.

Ekisoba restaurant
11:00-14:30

Temporary closures have occurred, including for kitchen renovations. Check official news if you are coming for soba.

Outdoor toilets and accessible facilities
Open 24 hours

Official shop information lists outdoor toilets, ostomate facilities, and one accessible parking space.

Mito Onsen Yumotokan
8:00–21:00; last admission 20:30

Generally closed Wednesdays. Check Yumotokan's official information when planning a bath.

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 a toilet break and brief shopping, rather than a large play area. If visiting the hot spring, access to its rest room can make the outing easier.

Ages 2–3
★★★☆☆

A shop-and-soba stop can be brief. For summer fireflies or a hot spring visit, set out before children get tired.

Ages 4–6
★★★☆☆

Combine the restaurant, yuzu cider, hot spring, and park for more to do. The station alone is not a place for extended play.

Elementary-school children
★★★★☆

Firefly watching, rice-field activities, Iwami Kagura, and a walk at Sosen Gorge (双川峡) can add nature and local learning to the trip.

Rest

Ideas for a restful stop

  1. 1
    Allow for a small parking lot

    With space for about 33 ordinary cars, plan your meal, shopping, and hot spring visit rather than leaving the car here for a long stay.

  2. 2
    Use the toilets and information corner first

    On the mountain stretch of Route 191, the next rest stop can feel far away. Use the toilets and check the road ahead before browsing the shop.

  3. 3
    Switch to shopping if you miss restaurant hours

    Outside Ekisoba's hours, you can still choose yuzu products and drinks at the shop during its opening hours.

  4. 4
    Check Yumotokan's closure day separately

    The station is generally closed Tuesdays and Yumotokan Wednesdays. Check both schedules for a half-day visit.

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

Regular Iwami Kagura performances

The official event list announced a schedule for fiscal 2026. These traditional dance-theater performances offer a cultural reason to visit in the evening or on a weekend.

Rice-field owner experience

Recruitment for 2026 was limited to eight groups; official information also shows ducks joining the field after rice planting. It is a way to experience rice growing in Mito.

Firefly festival

Tourism association material describes a firefly-watching walk that meets and departs near the station. For a summer night, check the weather and bring suitable safety gear.

Roadside station appreciation festival

Past editions drew many visitors, and the official blog asked visitors to be mindful of congestion. Allow extra time for parking on an event day.

Local feel

Reasons to return

Practical ideas and things to consider when spending time here.

Yuzu products give you a reason to shop

Products such as yuzu kosho, yuzu miso, and yuzu drinks are easy to use at home. Even a brief stop without a meal can leave you with a taste of the area.

Source: Official shopping page and online shop

Event days change the feel of the area

Firefly events, Iwami Kagura, the rice-field owner program, and appreciation festivals bring people together for reasons beyond a shopping break. Allow extra time at the small parking lot.

Source: Official events and Masuda tourism association

Let weather and footing guide a nature detour

Sosen Gorge (双川峡) and Yodo Falls offer a cool nature stop, but the walk is in the mountains. After rain or in winter, consider the Hata museum or hot spring instead.

Source: Mito local products and tourism association
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 shop and information corner generally open 9:00–19:00, and Ekisoba 11:00–14:30. Closed Tuesdays and during the New Year period.
  • Official news announced Ekisoba renovations and temporary closures in June–July 2026. Check current official notices before traveling specifically for soba.
  • Parking has space for about 33 cars. Allow extra arrival time during festivals and other events.
  • Official shop information says the outdoor toilets, ostomate facilities, and one accessible parking space are available 24 hours.
  • Official estimates from central Masuda are about 21 km and 25 minutes via Route 191; from Togouchi Interchange on the Chugoku Expressway, about 47 km and 60 minutes.
  • Mito Onsen Yumotokan is within walking distance. A bath, rest room, restaurant, and farmers' market can make this a half-day outing.
  • Spring brings cherry blossoms, summer fireflies, and autumn yuzu. Check both official event listings and the Masuda tourism association when planning a seasonal 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.

  • Ekisoba restaurant
    Zaru soba (chilled noodles)
    About ¥720
  • Ekisoba restaurant
    Soba with Masago thick fried tofu
    About ¥740
  • Ekisoba restaurant
    Mushroom soba
    About ¥770
  • Ekisoba restaurant
    Duck and scallion soba
    About ¥1,000
  • Ekisoba restaurant
    Akaten (spicy fried fish cake) soba
    About ¥740
  • Shop and online shop
    Yuzu cider and Yuzukko
    Varies by product
  • Mito yuzu products
    Yuzu kosho and yuzu miso
    Varies by product
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
Eat soba

Zaru soba / soba with Masago thick fried tofu / mushroom soba / duck and scallion soba / akaten soba

The main choice for a distinctly local lunch. Start with juwari (100% buckwheat) soba, then choose local ingredients or Iwami-style toppings.

The restaurant opens 11:00–14:30. Temporary closures and price changes may be announced.

Buy yuzu products

Yuzu kosho / yuzu cider / Yufuka 100% yuzu juice / yuzu miso / Yuzukko

Choose cooking seasonings, sweet drinks for the car, and gifts that are easy to share at home.

Fresh fruit and seasonal products change through the year. Autumn is yuzu season.

Look for local processed foods

Tsugani river-crab ramen / Shimane duck curry / Masuda SUN tomato products / wild boar jerky

For something besides yuzu, try foods from Masuda and the Mito area at home.

Stock and selection may differ between the online shop and the station.

A light finish after the hot spring

Yuzu drinks / Attaka-ichi market / Yumotokan's Yuzunoki restaurant

On a visit to Yumotokan, you can shop at the station and rest on the hot-spring side.

Yumotokan is generally closed Wednesdays, a different day from the station.

Access

Location and surroundings

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1
Roadside station
Michi-no-Eki Sun Eight Mito

A small stop in mountain-ringed Mito on Route 191, where you can pick up yuzu gifts, eat 100% buckwheat soba, and continue to a hot spring.

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

Day-use hot spring
Mito Onsen YumotokanJapanese guide
About 300 m from the stationAbout 5 minutes on foot / a few minutes by car

For turning a soba and shopping stop into a half-day outing.

Gorge and waterfall
Sosen Gorge (双川峡) and Yodo FallsJapanese guide
Drive from the stationAbout 15–20 minutes by car

For adding a nature walk after lunch on a clear day with good footing.

Memorial museum
Sahachiro Hata Memorial MuseumJapanese guide
Drive from the stationAbout 10 minutes by car

A cultural detour for a rainy day or an adults' trip alongside the hot spring and shopping.

Park and ground golf
Hidamari Park MitoJapanese guide
Drive from the stationAbout 10–15 minutes by car

For families who want more play than the station offers, or a little outdoor time on a clear day.

Local history and Shiba Inu heritage
Ishigo Village (石号の里)Japanese guide
Drive from the stationAbout 20–30 minutes by car

For dog lovers, people curious about local stories, or a visit combined with hot-spring festivals or events around Futagawa.

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