Michi-no-Eki Kitagawa Hayuma

The name comes from hayuma, an old word for the post horses kept at relay stations under the ancient road system, and the station sign is shaped like a big horse. It opened on Route 10 as an ordinary roadside stop. When Kitagawa IC opened next door in December 2012, expressway drivers could pull in too, and because that section is toll-free, it now does the job of a service area.

Chicken nanban, fried chicken with sweet vinegar and tartar sauce, is said to have started in Nobeoka, and the restaurant pairs it with Miyazaki's cold soup, hiyajiru, in a set meal. The raw whitebait bowl is the other big seller. In the market you will find local vegetables, deli food such as salt-seasoned fried chicken, local sake and a pudding made with Nobeoka Gakuen High School.

Tour buses use it as a rest stop, so lunchtime can be busy. JR Hyuga-Nagai Station is within walking distance, but trains on this stretch are infrequent, so most visitors drive. The shop and restaurant are open year-round; New Year hours differ.