Japan’s Expressway Rest Stops: 14 Expert Picks That Bring Local Culture to Life

Let’s start in Tohoku with the northernmost service area on Honshu: Tsugaru SA on the outbound Tohoku Expressway. It usually feels fairly simple and quiet, but for a short period each year, you can pick your own seasonal produce here. And in Tsugaru, that means apples. For about a week in late October, the apple orchard on the grounds opens to the public for apple picking. What’s more, it’s free! There’s a limit on how many you can pick, of course, but picking apples at an SA is an experience you’ll hardly find anywhere else.

Staying in Tohoku, let me introduce Chojahara SA in Miyagi Prefecture, starting with the outbound side. You can try the region’s famous beef tongue dishes at the food court and other dining spots, while the shops offer an extensive selection of local sweets, specialties, and souvenirs. For me, its greatest appeal is the chance to discover Miyagi’s food culture. It’s a stop that gives you a real sense of both Miyagi and the wider Tohoku region during a journey along the Tohoku Expressway.

The inbound side, meanwhile, offers a wonderful natural setting beside Kejo-numa, a lake designated as a Ramsar Site under the international convention protecting wetlands, particularly important waterbird habitats. Lotus flowers bloom across the water in summer, while winter brings waterbirds such as bean geese, greater white-fronted geese, and whooper swans to rest here. There’s also an observation area, making this an unusual SA where you can enjoy some serious birdwatching while taking a break from driving.

Next, in Kanto, is Sano SA. Its layout is particularly interesting. The facilities serving both directions are grouped on one side of the expressway, but the inbound and outbound buildings are separate. You can walk between them, which means you can enjoy what both sides have to offer.
The outbound side was renovated in summer 2022, and the inbound side in spring 2026. The inbound facilities were developed under the supervision of internationally renowned architect Kengo Kuma. And, of course, Sano is famous for Sano ramen. Different restaurants serve it on each side, so I recommend walking between them and comparing bowls.

My other Kanto pick is Kawaguchi Highway Oasis. It opened in spring 2022 when the city-run IINA Park Kawaguchi was linked with Kawaguchi PA on the Metropolitan Expressway’s Kawaguchi Line, creating the network’s first highway oasis. Access from both the expressway and local roads is convenient, of course, but what really stands out is the food! Of all the dishes on the menu, I can’t recommend the rice bowl topped with grilled offal highly enough. It has been a signature dish with a devoted following since the Kawaguchi PA days, and it’s something I’d love everyone to try.
There’s also ASOBooN, a large indoor play facility that can be enjoyed in any weather, making this a place where the whole family can spend the day.

Now let’s move to Chubu and the NEXCO CENTRAL area, starting with Fujikawa SA on the outbound Tomei Expressway. If you want to admire or photograph Mt. Fuji from an SA or PA, this is the best spot! The combination of majestic Mt. Fuji and Fujikawa Bridge, known as “the red bridge,” looks like a postcard. The scene changes with the season and time of day, so come back more than once and see if you can capture your perfect shot.

On the inbound side, my recommendation is the Ferris wheel. I’ll admit that I used to think, “A Ferris wheel? Really?” But seeing Mt. Fuji from up there is actually quite fun. And that’s not all: I love looking down at the expressway and the SA’s parking lots. I’ll watch the traffic and say things like, “Oh, the outbound side is busy today!” (laughs) The wheel operates until 7 pm on weekends and public holidays, so you can also enjoy watching the headlights moving along the expressway.
There’s even a planetarium at the adjoining michi-no-eki, or roadside station.

My other Chubu recommendation is the outbound Futaba SA on the Chuo Expressway. It’s operated by local transportation company Yamanashi Kotsu and serves as something of a gateway to Yamanashi Prefecture. What makes it so interesting is how far the menu reaches beyond regional boundaries. Alongside dishes made with local ingredients, you’ll find options featuring basmati rice and even seafood from Shiretoko in Hokkaido-despite being in a landlocked prefecture. I was invited to a tasting when they were updating the menu, and the food was incredibly good. The dishes are outstanding-the kind that make you want another helping of rice.
You can also catch a glimpse of Mt. Fuji, although it’s quite far away.

My first Kansai pick is Takarazuka-kita SA on the Shin-Meishin Expressway. Opened in spring 2018, this shared facility serves both directions and is one of the largest SAs in western Japan. It captures the character of Takarazuka, a city famous for musical theater, so well! Under the “Takarazuka Modern” design concept, the buildings share a Southern European look, while merchandise and displays celebrate internationally renowned manga artist Osamu Tezuka, who had close ties to the city. It feels almost like visiting a theme park devoted to Takarazuka. An entertainment company operates the facility, so there are all sorts of events and creative touches to keep visitors entertained.

My second Kansai choice is the outbound Miki SA, which I adore for a very personal reason. The Italian restaurant here serves exceptionally good food, attracting fans from across Japan. The ingredients mainly come from the surrounding area and nearby Awaji Island. Now, despite loving food, I used to have quite a few ingredients I disliked. But after eating eggplant and asparagus here, something miraculous happened: I didn’t just stop disliking them-I came to love them! (laughs) They were that fresh and delicious. I really hope you’ll try the food here, too.

Let me squeeze in one more from Kansai: Amagasaki PA on the Hanshin Expressway. It’s no exaggeration to say that this is one of my top two favorites among Japan’s 891 SAs and PAs. It’s an unstaffed facility, which might make you imagine somewhere small, lonely, and bare. But this place is completely different. Among unstaffed PAs, it feels remarkably advanced-almost as though it has leaped into the future. It makes clever use of a former toll plaza site and feels wonderfully calm despite sitting right beside the expressway. With green trees and a design that brings in the warmth of wood throughout, it’s like an oasis on an urban expressway. I also love the evening sunlight reflected on the wood and the beauty of the moonlight at night.

For Chugoku and Shikoku, I simply have to recommend Kurushima Kaikyo SA on the Nishi-Seto Expressway, part of the Shimanami Kaido-a favorite route for driving, motorcycle touring, and cycling. It’s my absolute favorite, the king of service areas! First, there’s the dramatic cliffside setting and the views of islands, sea, and bridges. Then there’s the wide range of local food, including "taimeshi", or sea bream rice. And on top of all that, there’s a beautiful modern building designed to take you out of the everyday. Once I stop here, I don’t want to leave. (laughs) Honestly, it’s worth making this place the sole purpose of a trip.
Since it’s one shared facility serving both directions, you can stop on both the outward and return legs of a round trip along the Shimanami Kaido.

My second pick for Chugoku and Shikoku is Dannoura PA, at the western end of Honshu just before you enter Kyushu. Here, it’s all about seafood! Shopping for dried fish and other local products is fun, but my ideal plan is to sit down to a hearty seafood meal before heading into Kyushu. And if there’s one thing you should order, it’s Shimonoseki’s famous fuku, the local name for pufferfish. Places serving proper fuku dishes at expressway rest areas are a rare find.
The scenery is another attraction. From the deck, you can take in the imposing Kanmon Bridge and Moji Port on the opposite shore. Being able to enjoy both in one view is a big part of the appeal.
Oh, and there’s a hotel on the grounds, too. You could enjoy a seafood feast, stay the night, and cross into Kyushu the following morning.

At last, we’ve reached Kyushu and Okinawa. My recommendation from Kyushu is Beppuwan SA on the Higashi-Kyushu Expressway. A walking path connects the inbound and outbound facilities, so you can explore both on foot. From its hillside setting approximately 380 meters above sea level, the view over Beppu Bay is truly spectacular. It’s well known not just in Kyushu but across Japan. With wood-fired pizza, afternoon tea, and other food experiences to savor, this SA offers a little luxury along the way.