Michi-no-Eki Kawaba Denen Plaza

Kawaba Denen Plaza sits in a farming village at the foot of Mount Hotaka, and it feels more like a small park than a rest area. The village built it around its own workshops: a dairy making yogurt, a meat workshop for ham and sausages, a bakery and a microbrewery. Jalan readers voted it first in the national michi-no-eki rankings in both 2025 and 2026.

Start at the farmers market for village vegetables, fruit and the drinking yogurt that many visitors leave with. Kawaba’s Yukihotaka rice turns up in the bakery’s bread as rice flour. For lunch, choose between soba, ramen, pizza and the beer restaurant, then let children loose on the lawns and play area.

Popularity has a price. Weekends and holidays fill the car parks, and the operator runs overflow parking with shuttle buses on its busiest days. Each shop and restaurant keeps its own hours and closing days, so check the official site before planning a meal around one counter.