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

Shimane Prefecture · Chugoku

Michi-no-Eki Honjo

道の駅 本庄

A small food stop for views of Lake Nakaumi, Benkei no Yakidokoro grilled rice cakes, and Saijo persimmons.

Updated Michi-no-Eki JournalRead in Japanese

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph

Location
Matsue City
Road
National Route 431
Hours
09:00–18:00
Approximate hours for the shop and café. The information corner is open 8:30–18:00; meal service ends at different times depending on the day.
Parking
Cars: 46 / 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.

Buy first
Benkei no Yakidokoro grilled rice cakes

Their chewy outer layer and large locally grown black soybeans are a Honjo specialty.

To eat
Udon, seasoned sticky rice, or persimmon soft serve

Choose lunch or a sweet break.

For the view
Lake Nakaumi, Mount Daisen, Eshima Ohashi Bridge

On a clear day, take in the lake view after shopping.

Driving route
A break between central Matsue and Sakaiminato

About 10 minutes from Kawatsu IC on the Dandan Road.

Choose by season
Saijo persimmons, ark clams, asari clams, abalone

Deliveries and sales seasons change what you will find.

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph
Toma's shopping notes

Buy one specialty, take in Lake Nakaumi, then drive on.

Toma Kashiwagi sees Honjo as a place to taste the area along National Route 431. Pick up Benkei no Yakidokoro, look for Saijo persimmons and a rice-with-ark-clams kit, then choose udon or persimmon soft serve at the café. A final look at Lake Nakaumi brings Matsue's waterfront and Honjo's food into even a short stop.

Highlights

Michi-no-Eki Honjo sits on National Route 431 between central Matsue and the Sakaiminato area, making it an easy place for a short meal, shopping stop, and rest. It is not a large tourist complex, but you can choose a local flavor: Benkei no Yakidokoro grilled rice cakes, Saijo persimmons grown in Honjo, a kit for cooking rice with ark clams, Matsue abalone products, udon, or persimmon soft serve. On clear days, views extend across Lake Nakaumi toward Mount Daisen, Eshima Ohashi Bridge, and Daikonshima Island. After the dining room and produce shop, take in the lakeside view before continuing your drive.

  • #Benkei no Yakidokoro grilled rice cakes
  • #Saijo persimmons
  • #Lake Nakaumi
  • #Rice with ark clams
  • #Persimmon soft serve
  • #Eshima Ohashi Bridge
  • #National Route 431
Why I like it

Reasons to stop here

01

A small shop with a clear choice of local specialties

Start with Benkei no Yakidokoro grilled rice cakes, Saijo persimmons, a rice-with-ark-clams cooking kit, Matsue abalone products, and persimmon sweets and jam. This is a place to pick one flavor of Honjo or Lake Nakaumi, rather than browse an enormous selection.

02

The dining room offers udon, seasoned rice, and persimmon soft serve

The café is called Ofukuro no Aji Oshokujidokoro (“Mom's Home Cooking”). It serves broth and coffee made with local natural water, chikara udon topped with Benkei mochi rice cake, sansai okowa (sticky rice with mountain vegetables), and persimmon soft serve. Stop for lunch or something sweet.

03

A convenience store and 24-hour facilities make a practical Route 431 stop

The parking area, toilets, nursing room, telephone, and convenience store are listed as available 24 hours a day. On the way from central Matsue toward Sakaiminato or Daikonshima Island, you can combine a local food stop with a practical break.

04

Lake Nakaumi views lead naturally toward Daikonshima and Eshima Ohashi

The information room has a glass frontage overlooking Lake Nakaumi, with views toward Mount Daisen, Eshima Ohashi Bridge, and Daikonshima Island. On a clear day, shop and have a snack here, then make a short trip to Yuushien Garden or Eshima Ohashi Bridge.

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 short break between Matsue and Sakaiminato

Find a Honjo snack and souvenir in 30 minutes

After parking, use the toilet, then look for Benkei no Yakidokoro, Saijo persimmon products, and the rice-with-ark-clams kit in the shop. Even if you skip the dining room, a grilled rice cake or persimmon sweet gives you a taste of Honjo.

Parking → toilets → shop → Lake Nakaumi view → departure

Seasonal goods and processed seafood vary with deliveries and production. Check official notices if you have a particular item in mind.

A light bite before getting back on the road

Make the café a midday rest stop

Options include chikara udon with Benkei mochi, sansai okowa (sticky rice with mountain vegetables), curry, and persimmon soft serve. Meal service ends at different times on weekdays and weekends or holidays. For a late lunch, leave room to switch to the café's drinks or the shop.

Shop → dining room → coffee or persimmon soft serve → departure

The café is listed as open until 18:00, but meal service ends at 16:00 on weekdays and 17:00 on weekends and public holidays.

A clear-day half-day drive

Continue from Lake Nakaumi to Daikonshima Island

Look across Lake Nakaumi toward Mount Daisen, shop at the station, then head to Yuushien Garden or Daikonshima Island. Peonies, autumn foliage, and illuminations offer different seasonal highlights; use the station for food and toilets along the way.

Michi-no-Eki Honjo → Lake Nakaumi view → Yuushien Garden and Daikonshima Island

Yuushien's hours and admission prices may change during events. Check its official information if you are visiting for the flowers.

A drive east on National Route 431

Continue to Eshima Ohashi and Sakaiminato

Rest at Honjo before heading to Eshima Ohashi Bridge for a drive that links lake and bridge views. Instead of searching for a place to stop for photos along the way, take your break at the station before crossing the bridge.

Michi-no-Eki Honjo → Eshima Ohashi Bridge → Sakaiminato area

Do not stop on the bridge or where you obstruct traffic; enjoy the view from a safe place.

Days when you want little time outdoors

On a rainy day, keep the stop to food and shopping

In heavy rain or wind, skip a long look at Lake Nakaumi and use the shop, café, and attached convenience store. With a baby or toddler, use the nursing room or multipurpose toilet first and keep the stop short.

Parking → toilets and nursing room → shop → light meal or convenience store

This small station is not suited to a rainy-day play outing. Adjust nearby sightseeing to the weather.

Hours

Opening hours

Shop
09:00–18:00

Approximate hours from the official facility guide. Direct-sale produce and seasonal goods vary with deliveries.

Café and light meals
09:00–18:00

Meals generally end at 16:00 on weekdays and 17:00 on weekends and public holidays; the café is listed as open until 18:00.

Information corner
08:30–18:00

Listed as open year-round.

Parking, toilets, nursing room, convenience store
Open 24 hours

As listed by Shimane Tourism Navi. Check notices on site for current facility status.

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
★★★★☆

A nursing room, multipurpose toilet, and 24-hour facilities suit a short break.

Use it for a brief feeding, diaper-change, and shopping stop rather than as a large play area.

Ages 2–3
★★★☆☆

Good for sweets and a toilet break, but not extended play.

Share persimmon soft serve or a grilled rice cake, and hold children's hands near the road and parking area.

Ages 4–6
★★★☆☆

A short mix of lake views, Benkei legend, and sweets helps keep the stop interesting.

Talk about Benkei's name or the view of Eshima Ohashi Bridge. For outdoor play, continue to Yuushien Garden or another nearby spot.

Primary school children
★★★★☆

Talk about Lake Nakaumi, Mount Daisen, Eshima Ohashi, ark clams, and local persimmons.

On the drive from Matsue to Sakaiminato, this is a short chance to connect the landscape and its food.

Nursing room and multipurpose toilet

Shimane Tourism Navi lists a nursing room, diaper-changing facilities, a multipurpose toilet, and ostomate facilities.

Meal service hours

Meals generally end at 16:00 on weekdays and 17:00 on weekends and public holidays; the café is listed as open until 18:00.

Outdoor play

There is green space and a scenic spot, but this is not a place for a long visit centered on playground equipment.

Rainy days

Make a short stop at the shop, café, convenience store, and toilets, then choose nearby sightseeing according to the weather.

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

Direct-sale market and shop

The market hosts seasonal shopping events such as an equinox market, Obon flower market, and persimmon festival.

Café and light meals

Coffee, udon made with local natural water, and persimmon soft serve make this a useful break even outside event days.

Scenic viewpoint

Views across Lake Nakaumi toward Mount Daisen, Eshima Ohashi Bridge, and Daikonshima Island give you another reason to stop on a clear day.

National Route 431 rest stop

Straightforward routes from central Matsue, Kawatsu IC, and Yonago IC make it a convenient car stop during events too.

Local feel

Reasons to return

Practical ideas and things to consider when spending time here.

Small for a roadside station; easier to use with a purpose

Visitor accounts tend to mention a quick use of the toilets, shop, café, and attached convenience store rather than a large market. Add one local specialty to a practical break between Matsue and Sakaiminato.

Benkei no Yakidokoro is worth a stop even without a meal

Local media and social media often describe these chewy, black-soybean-filled grilled rice cakes as an easy snack to share on a drive. Look for them in the shop even if you miss dining hours.

Source: Nikkan Lazuda

Seasonal goods shift between Saijo persimmons and Lake Nakaumi seafood

Official notices update sales of ark clams, asari clams, and Matsue abalone. Autumn persimmons, early-spring shellfish, and the production status of processed goods change the shop's selection; check recent notices if shopping is your main reason to visit.

Source: Michi-no-Eki Honjo official notices

Lake Nakaumi and Mount Daisen views shine on clear days

Visitor reviews mention views of Lake Nakaumi, distant Mount Daisen, and Eshima Ohashi Bridge from the parking area or roadside. In cloudy or rainy weather, focus on food and facilities; on clear days, add the view.

Source: Summary of tourism information and map reviews

Useful facilities for families, but little for extended play

The nursing room, multipurpose toilet, and attached convenience store help with a family break. This is not a station with playground equipment or a large indoor facility; with young children, make a short stop for a sweet and the toilet, then continue toward Daikonshima or central Matsue for more activities.

Source: Summary of Shimane Tourism Navi and facility information

Route 431 connects Matsue, Sakaiminato, and Daikonshima

Official access guidance puts the station about 20 minutes from central Matsue, 10 minutes from Kawatsu IC, and 45 minutes from Yonago IC. After planning your next leg here, continue to Yuushien Garden, Eshima Ohashi Bridge, or the Sakaiminato area.

Source: Official access guidance
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 café generally close on the third Tuesday of odd-numbered months, except the second Tuesday in March and September, and during Obon and the New Year period. The information corner is listed as open year-round.
  • Meals generally end at 16:00 on weekdays and 17:00 on weekends and public holidays. If you arrive late, switch to drinks at the café, the shop, or the attached convenience store.
  • Benkei no Yakidokoro, Saijo persimmons, ark clams, asari clams, and abalone products vary with deliveries and production. Check official notices if you have a particular item in mind.
  • On clear days, take in views of Lake Nakaumi, Mount Daisen, Eshima Ohashi Bridge, and Daikonshima Island. On rainy days, make a shorter stop for food and facilities.
  • For Yuushien Garden or Eshima Ohashi Bridge, use the station for toilets and shopping. Photograph the bridge only from a safe place.
  • With babies or toddlers, locate the nursing room, multipurpose toilet, and ostomate facilities first; a shorter stop is easier to manage.
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.

  • Local specialty snack
    Benkei no Yakidokoro grilled rice cakes
    Grilled rice cakes with large locally grown black soybeans. Check availability in the shop.
  • Seasonal shopping
    Honjo-grown Saijo persimmons and persimmon products
    Deastringed persimmons, dried and fresh persimmons, persimmon juice, jam, and more; selection varies by season.
  • Lake Nakaumi souvenir
    Rice-with-ark-clams cooking kit
    A take-home product made with ark clams from Lake Nakaumi; availability depends on deliveries and production.
  • Processed seafood
    Matsue abalone products
    Products include salted, fermented abalone and abalone ajillo. Check official notices for availability.
  • Light meal
    Chikara udon with Benkei mochi
    Meal service generally ends at 16:00 on weekdays and 17:00 on weekends and public holidays.
  • Sweet treat
    Persimmon soft serve
    For a break when a full meal feels too much. Check the café's current availability.
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
Start with the specialty

Benkei no Yakidokoro grilled rice cakes

An easy introduction to Honjo even outside meal hours. Take a grilled rice cake with black soybeans as a car snack or to go.

Freshly grilled cakes and quantities vary by day, so pick one up when you find it.

Local sweets

Saijo persimmons, persimmon soft serve, persimmon products

Honjo-grown Saijo persimmons are central to shopping here. In autumn, look for fresh fruit; at other times, sweets, jam, and soft serve offer a taste of persimmon.

Flavors of Lake Nakaumi

Rice-with-ark-clams kit, salted fermented abalone, abalone ajillo

These are options for taking home flavors of Lake Nakaumi and Matsue. Choose something for rice or a savory accompaniment to drinks for your group.

Production of some items, including ark-clam curry, has been suspended; check the shelves and official notices.

For lunch

Chikara udon with Benkei mochi, sansai okowa, curry

These light meals let you continue your drive without a heavy lunch. The udon broth, rice, and coffee use local natural water.

When busy or sold out

A shop item, the café, or the attached convenience store

Even if your chosen item is unavailable, you can still take a break with a sweet, drink, or convenience-store purchase. At this small station, pick one reason to stop before setting off.

Access

Location and surroundings

Driving directions from your location
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Explore stations near 松江市 (Japanese guide)
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1
Roadside station
Michi-no-Eki Honjo

A small food stop for views of Lake Nakaumi, Benkei no Yakidokoro grilled rice cakes, and Saijo persimmons.

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2
Lakeside view
Lake Nakaumi Viewpoint (near Michi-no-Eki Honjo)

After shopping, take a brief look toward Lake Nakaumi and Mount Daisen on a clear day.

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3
Garden and flowers
Yuushien Japanese Garden (日本庭園 由志園)

Add Daikonshima's peonies and seasonal sights to turn a station stop into a half-day outing.

Open in Google Maps
4
Bridge and driving scenery
Eshima Ohashi Bridge (Betabumizaka, 江島大橋)

A landmark view on National Route 431 across Lake Nakaumi, easy to include before or after heading to Sakaiminato.

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5
Island and seasonal walks
Daikonshima Island (大根島)

A short trip from the station's food stop to an island known for peonies and Korean ginseng.

Open in Google Maps
6
Castle town sightseeing
Matsue Castle and central Matsue (松江城・松江市街)

Use Honjo for a food break on National Route 431 before or after visiting central Matsue.

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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

Lakeside view
Lake Nakaumi Viewpoint (near Michi-no-Eki Honjo)Japanese guide
In front of the stationA short walk

For a lake view after a meal or shopping on a clear day.

Garden and flowers
Yuushien Japanese Garden (日本庭園 由志園)Japanese guide
About 10 minutes by carAbout 6 km

For extending a clear-day or flower-season food and shopping stop into a half-day visit.

Bridge and driving scenery
Eshima Ohashi Bridge (Betabumizaka, 江島大橋)Japanese guide
About 10 minutes by carAbout 7 km

For seeing the bridge after a rest at the station while driving east on National Route 431.

Island and seasonal walks
Daikonshima Island (大根島)Japanese guide
About 10 minutes by carAbout 6 km

For adding flowers and a garden to make a short station stop a half-day drive.

Castle town sightseeing
Matsue Castle and central Matsue (松江城・松江市街)Japanese guide
About 20 minutes by carAbout 12 km

For a food and toilet break between sightseeing in central Matsue and a trip toward Sakaiminato or Daikonshima Island.

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