Kochi Prefecture · Shikoku
道の駅 東洋町
Kochi's easternmost roadside station faces Shirahama Beach, where you can choose fish and decide how to enjoy it.
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Eat, shop, play, take in the view or rest. Choose from the station’s strengths to suit your day.
Decide here whether to have lunch, take fish home or buy ingredients for camping.
Options vary with fish deliveries and crowds, so arriving early around lunchtime is a good idea.
Open ponkan, Konatsu or dried fish later at your accommodation or at home.
The sea is right outside. A short walk is worthwhile outside swimming season too.
An easy way to refresh yourself during a long journey on National Route 55.
Weather, waves and the operating season affect what's possible; check the day's notices.
Toru Asakura sees this station as a seaside base for resetting during a long National Route 55 drive, as well as a place to eat. Check parking, toilets, the distance to Shirahama and restaurant hours first; then it becomes easier to plan a fish meal, a camping visit or a wait for the DMV.
Michi-no-Eki Toyo Town is a rest stop directly by the sea on National Route 55, between the Tokushima prefectural border and the Muroto area. Toru Asakura recommends first checking parking, toilets, rest space and opening hours, then making time for the fish at the market, ponkan and Konatsu citrus, and Shirahama Beach.
Browse the market's fresh fish and sashimi blocks before deciding what to eat. Instead of heading only to the dining room, see what fish is available that day and leave room to choose between the daily set meal and something to take away. A sashimi block is a cut of fish sold for slicing into sashimi.
The shallow waters of Shirahama Beach are directly in front of the station. In summer, enjoy swimming or the floating obstacle course; in spring, autumn and winter, take a short walk to the sound of the waves. With toilets, showers and parking nearby, a driving break can easily become time by the sea.
Whether entering Kochi from Tokushima on National Route 55 or heading toward Muroto, you can pause here and plan your next leg. The station has many standard-car parking spaces, and bus and DMV stops are nearby, making it useful for both drivers and public transport users. DMV refers to the Asa Coast Railway's dual-mode vehicle, which operates on road and rail.
Spend your time at the station or add somewhere nearby. These ideas help you plan around your companions and the weather.
On arrival, first browse the fish and citrus at the market. Decide on the spot whether to have the daily sashimi set meal or take home sashimi blocks or dried fish; that is a particularly Toyo Town way to visit.
Parking → toilets → market → restaurant → short walk at Shirahama.
Fish, boxed meals and seasonal goods vary by delivery and time of day. Arrive early if lunch is your main reason for visiting.
Continue from the station to Shirahama Beach for a change of pace during the drive. In summer, check swimming hours, lifeguard supervision and wave conditions. Outside swimming season, a walk on the sand is plenty.
Station → Shirahama Beach → showers and a change of clothes if needed → snack at the station.
Avoid entering the shops while wet. In bad weather or high waves, do not force a visit to the beach.
Before entering the adjacent Shirahama Campground, pick up fish, dried fish, citrus and drinks at the roadside station. The rest area and a walk by the sea also make it easier to spend time around check-in.
Roadside station → Shirahama Campground → restock at the station the next morning.
Check reservations, check-in and food options separately with the campground.
Think of Shirahama for swimming and family breaks, and Ikumi for watching surfing or a surf trip. Eat and shop at the station before heading to Ikumi to make a coherent day along the coast.
Roadside station → Ikumi Surfing Beach → Shishikui Onsen area or Muroto area.
Surfing and similar activities are prohibited during Shirahama Beach's official swimming season, so keep the two beaches' uses distinct.
The Asa Coast Railway DMV and local bus stops are nearby, making the station handy before or after a connection. Combine a meal, tourist brochures, the toilet and a short walk by the sea to make use of your wait.
Umi no Eki Toyocho stop → roadside station → Shirahama → next service.
Services are infrequent, so check your departure time before sitting down to eat.
Closed on New Year's Day. Deliveries of fresh fish, farm produce and souvenirs vary by day.
Mainly cafe menu after 15:00. Arrive early if lunch is the priority.
Available for breaks and after seaside activities, separately from shop hours.
Follow the campground's guidance for reservations and check-in.
Stars show the editorial recommendation for each age group on a five-point scale. Read the reasons alongside each rating.
Suitable for a short use of the nursing room, diaper changing station and indoor rest area.
The shore can be windy or intensely sunny. Plan on carrying your child, taking breaks in the car and keeping time at Shirahama short.
A good age for a change of pace on the sand at Shirahama.
Even shallow water feels different with changing waves and weather. A plan for brief sand play is easier to manage than a swim.
Shirahama Beach and the Mini Kids Park work in summer; seaside walks work year-round.
The floating obstacle course has height and age requirements. Check them in advance if it is central to your visit.
Swimming, the floating obstacle course and camping can turn the stop into a full day.
Check the obstacle course's guardian-accompaniment rules for elementary school children and its session changeover times before planning meals and play.
Use the station facilities before heading to Shirahama to make the return easier.
Check on-site guidance for showers and changing facilities, and avoid entering shops while wet.
Shirahama is an open shore; in summer, bring shade, water and protection from sand.
There are many standard-car spaces, but beachgoers add to the numbers in summer and on event days. If you prefer to walk less, choose a route near the entrance.
Travel on National Route 55 can be lengthy. Refresh yourself before dining or shopping to make the rest of the visit easier.
The beach is appealing, but the sand can make footing difficult. Simply enjoying the view still captures the character of this stop.
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.
A center for summer swimming, the floating obstacle course and seaside events.
A place where local vendors gather for Saturday markets and anniversary events.
Adds camping, barbecue packages with equipment provided, and winter illuminations to the area's activities.
A starting point for planning your next stop by DMV or around Toyo Town, Muroto or Tokushima.
Practical ideas and things to consider when spending time here.
Official and roadside-station network information highlights the option of having sashimi blocks bought at the market served as a set meal in the restaurant. Look at the fish on sale before choosing how to eat, instead of checking only for a restaurant seat.
Shirahama Beach, the floating obstacle course and the campground sit next to each other, so at midday in summer people stopping for a break share the parking area with those coming to play. For a short break, morning or late afternoon is easier.
Travelers also praise the quiet view of Shirahama outside swimming season. Take a moment to look at the beach rather than rushing away after a meal or shopping.
Shirahama is described as shallow and suitable for families; Ikumi is a surfing beach with a no-swimming notice. Decide which beach fits your activity before setting out.
DMV and local bus stops are nearby, but services are not frequent. Check departure times before a leisurely meal, then use any spare time at the market or on a Shirahama walk.
Shirahama Campground is adjacent, but its own guidance governs reservations, check-in and food options. Use the roadside station for extra supplies, lunch, toilets and tourist information.
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.
First choice when you want local fish. Seeing what's at the market before dining makes the choice more satisfying.
Options vary with lunch crowds and fish deliveries.
If you plan to eat at your accommodation or at home, consider chilled storage and the length of your journey.
Add Toyo Town citrus alongside your fish purchase for a lighter taste of the area. Ponkan and Konatsu are citrus varieties named in the market selection.
A useful choice after 15:00, or when you prefer something lighter, paired with a Shirahama walk.
On a day at Shirahama Campground, top up supplies at the station before checking in to keep travel simple.
If the restaurant wait is long, switch to shopping and a walk at Shirahama.
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Kochi's easternmost roadside station faces Shirahama Beach, where you can choose fish and decide how to enjoy it.
Directly in front of the station, shallow Shirahama turns a rest stop into time by the sea.
A summer floating obstacle course that makes Shirahama a play destination for children and adults.
A natural-grass campground beside Shirahama where you can stock up on fish and take a break at the station first.
One of western Japan's leading surf spots, with a different purpose from family-oriented Shirahama.
Add the clear waters and ayu sweetfish of Toyo Town to a day that reaches beyond the sea.
For a change of pace by the sea before or after a meal or shopping. In summer, check the swimming season and wave conditions.
For a summer family day combining station dining and shopping with play at Shirahama.
For using the station to get seafood, drinks, toilets and tourist information before or after camping.
For surfing, watching the waves or seeing a different side of the coast. Keep this separate from swimming at Shirahama.
For a half-day drive that adds a hill-country river and its ayu sweetfish heritage to a coastal station visit.
Send your travel companions a possible stop.
