Ehime Prefecture · Shikoku
道の駅 うわじま きさいや広場
Fish from the Uwa Sea, Uwajima tai-meshi, pearls and Ushioni: eat, shop and explore at the gateway to this port town.
Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph
Records are saved in this browser. Visited stations receive a stamp and count towards your nationwide progress.
Eat, shop, play, take in the view or rest. Choose from the station’s strengths to suit your day.
Flavors from the Uwa Sea and southern Ehime are gathered here. A lap around the shop before eating helps you decide what to buy.
The three vendors are Kadoya, Hozumitei and Uwakai-mae Wabisuke. Order with meal tickets; seats cannot be reserved.
The imposing Ushioni display makes an impression even on a short visit. It is an easy change of pace in the rain or while waiting for a meal.
Look at Uwajima souvenirs and the unusual year-round ROYCE' selection separately to make choosing easier.
Choose Uwajima Castle for a town walk or Kushima for sea breezes and cycling. The station makes a starting point for a half-day trip.
At Kisaiya Hiroba, a family visit often goes more smoothly if you settle the children's mood and shopping plans before heading straight for tai-meshi. Try the outdoor toilets, Ushioni Hall, fresh fish and citrus, Shoku no Hiroba, then Pearl Hall. In that order, Uwajima's food and culture become a single stopover.
Michi-no-Eki Uwajima Kisaiya Hiroba is a tourism and community hub just off Uwajima Asahi IC and near Uwajima Port. Start with the fresh fish, citrus, jakoten (fried minced fish cakes), pearl croquettes and Uwajima sweets. At lunchtime, try tai-meshi (sea bream over rice) or a seafood rice bowl at Shoku no Hiroba food court. With children, the Ushioni Hall, Pearl Hall, covered plaza and outdoor toilets make a rainy-day visit easier. In fair weather, add Uwajima Castle or Kushima Island for half a day in the port town.
Fresh fish, citrus, iriko dried small fish, chirimen dried whitebait, smoked sea bream, jakoten fried fish cakes and Uwajima sweets are all in one building. Eat tai-meshi or seafood at Shoku no Hiroba, then take home local flavors from the shop.
Ushioni Hall displays a large ushioni float used in festivals. At Pearl Hall you can see exhibits and products featuring Akoya pearls grown in the Uwa Sea. Together they offer children a way to discover Uwajima beyond its food.
The station is just off Uwajima Asahi IC on the Uwajima Road and about 1 km from JR Uwajima Station. Use it for a short break or before or after visiting Uwajima Castle, Warei Shrine, Kushima Island or Ushioni Festival events downtown.
Spend your time at the station or add somewhere nearby. These ideas help you plan around your companions and the weather.
Use the outdoor toilets, then choose a jakoten fish cake or pearl croquette from the takeaway counter. If children are restless, visit Ushioni Hall for a quick surprise before returning to the car.
Parking → outdoor toilets → takeaway → Ushioni Hall → depart.
The parking area is large, but on event days and holiday lunchtimes it may be easier not to insist on a space near the entrance.
First check the seating and meal-ticket system at Shoku no Hiroba. If it is crowded, browse the fresh fish, citrus, ROYCE' and local sweets sections. Even if tai-meshi is your goal, shopping can fill the wait.
Shoku no Hiroba → produce and seafood shop → ROYCE' and sweets → Pearl Hall.
Last orders at Shoku no Hiroba are listed as 16:00. Check the hours first if planning a late lunch.
Visit Ushioni Hall, Pearl Hall, the specialty shop and Shoku no Hiroba mostly indoors. When events are held in the covered plaza or community gallery, they offer another way to spend time before or after eating.
Ushioni Hall → Pearl Hall → Shoku no Hiroba → shop → covered plaza.
The building also has many shoppers. Keep toddlers from running through the sales area, and break up the visit with short stops at the displays and outdoor toilets.
After lunch and shopping at the station, choose Uwajima Castle for a town walk or Kushima Island for the sea breeze. Seeing the pearls and Ushioni at the station first connects the port town's sea and history with the next stop.
Kisaiya Hiroba → Uwajima Castle or Kushima → Warei Shrine or downtown.
Uwajima Castle has slopes and stone steps; weather and wind matter on Kushima. With small children, keep distances manageable.
Hours from the official overview. Tourist information also lists an 8:30 opening for the produce section.
Last orders at 16:00. Separate closing days are listed for Kadoya (Thursday), Hozumitei (Wednesday) and Wabisuke (Tuesday).
Indoor exhibits that are easy to visit while shopping or waiting for a meal.
During renovation or events, follow the substitute-toilet directions in official notices.
These are the officially listed rental hours. Apply at the management office inside Kisaiya Hiroba. Cross bikes, city bikes and e-bikes are available in limited numbers; check ahead if heading toward Kushima.
Stars show the editorial recommendation for each age group on a five-point scale. Read the reasons alongside each rating.
A nursing room, baby changing table and route to the outdoor toilets make short breaks easier.
The shop has plenty of foot traffic. Avoid packing in too much dining and shopping; sort out toilets and stroller movement first.
Ushioni Hall and the large aquarium offer a short change of pace.
Fresh fish and souvenir displays invite touching. Adults can take turns shopping while the other visits the exhibits or covered plaza with the child.
Ushioni, pearls, jakoten and soft desserts can make even a short stop memorable.
In the rain, add an indoor exhibit; in fair weather, add just one of Uwajima Castle or Kushima Island.
Talk about the Ushioni Festival, pearls and Uwa Sea fish, then extend the trip into town or to the island.
Uwajima Castle has slopes, while cycling on Kushima is affected by wind. Choose one to match stamina and weather.
The station lists 24-hour outdoor toilets, ostomate facilities, baby chairs and changing tables. Check official notices during construction or events.
Children's chairs are listed for Shoku no Hiroba. With meal tickets and no seat reservations, an earlier meal or snacks may make holiday lunch easier.
Ushioni Hall, Pearl Hall, the shops and Shoku no Hiroba make a worthwhile short visit possible even in the rain.
Shopping and exhibits are the focus at the station. For more physical activity, continue to Uwajima Castle's hill or Kushima Island.
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.
Used for stage events and outdoor stalls. Events can make a longer station visit appealing even in rain or strong sun.
Spaces for exhibitions and presentations by local groups. They suit a brief stop while family members shop or on a rainy day.
A likely venue for sister-city fairs, ROYCE' promotions and seasonal products. Check notices if you are visiting primarily to shop.
The whole downtown area becomes busy around the Uwajima Ushioni Festival. Consider the station a base for meals, toilets and shopping.
Practical ideas and things to consider when spending time here.
Traveler reviews often mention afternoon parking crowds on holidays and interest in Shoku no Hiroba. Even when lunch is the goal, leave room to browse the shop or exhibits first so the wait does not disrupt the itinerary.
Year-round sales are a draw, but chocolate needs care in a car in summer. Bring a cooler bag or buy it last, as you would seafood or chilled items.
The large Ushioni display can appeal to children who are less interested in shopping. Visit during rain or while waiting for a meal so the stop offers more than the specialty shop.
Fresh fish, processed seafood, jakoten and pearl croquettes are tempting, but consider cooling and smells in the car. On a long drive, eat and see the exhibits first, then shop at the end.
Ushioni Hall, Pearl Hall, the specialty shop and Shoku no Hiroba let you reshape a visit in bad weather. Events in the covered plaza or gallery add more options.
The late-July Uwajima Ushioni Festival changes the rhythm of the whole downtown area. The station is useful for meals and toilets, but allow extra time for roads and parking.
For a half-day outing, Kushima offers sea breezes while Uwajima Castle offers a hilltop historic site. Cycling on Kushima may suit primary-school children and older visitors; Uwajima Castle may suit adults and history lovers.
Official videos show the market and nearby park before you visit. Audio and captions are in Japanese.
If the video does not load, watch it on YouTube
A short reference video showing the scale and atmosphere of Ushioni Hall before a visit.
If the video does not load, watch it on YouTube
An introduction connecting Ushioni Hall inside the station to the festival culture of downtown Uwajima.
Opening and closure days, individual businesses and facilities for children or dogs can affect your plans.
Specialities, places to eat, sweets and bakeries can all give you a reason to stop. Check individual menus for current prices and availability.
A meal, a sweet treat, market shopping or something to take away: choose a focus for the day instead of trying everything at once.
For a visit spanning lunch, make Shoku no Hiroba the main stop. Kadoya, Hozumitei and Uwakai-mae Wabisuke offer choices when family members want different dishes.
The food court uses meal tickets and does not take seat reservations. Check the crowd first on holidays.
When you do not need a full food-court meal, fried snacks or bread still offer a taste of Uwajima. They also help when children need food sooner.
Uwa Sea seafood is a strong reason to shop here. Bring a cooler bag and, on a long journey home, buy it at the end of your visit.
Compare Uwajima sweets and ROYCE' products in the same shopping area, choosing separately for work, family and yourself.
The shop changes with the seasons, from citrus in winter and spring to an apricot fair in early summer. Check event notices if shopping is the purpose of your visit.
If the food court or tills are busy, visit the displays or plaza first to make the wait easier. The station also offers options in the rain.
If the map does not load, open it in Google Maps
Fish from the Uwa Sea, Uwajima tai-meshi, pearls and Ushioni: eat, shop and explore at the gateway to this port town.
After tai-meshi, climb a short way uphill for a classic walk and views over the castle town.
Cross the bridge from port-town shopping to an island with sea breezes, best in clear weather.
Learn more about Uwajima's festival culture before or after the Ushioni Festival or Warei Grand Festival.
Get information and a bicycle downtown before heading to Uwajima Castle, Kushima or a town walk.
When Uwajima tai-meshi or seafood is the focus of lunch
When children tire of shopping or you want a taste of Uwajima culture on a rainy day
When you want to add one Uwajima history walk after eating
A family or adult stop for sea and bridge views on a fine day
When you want to explore the background to festival culture downtown after Ushioni Hall
When you need visitor information and transport before heading to Uwajima Castle or Kushima
Send your travel companions a possible stop.
