Roadside Stations: Recommended for Tohoku Drives! Introducing Roadside Stations in Ishinomaki City & Onagawa Town, Miyagi Prefecture

When you go sightseeing or on a drive, "Roadside Stations" are always a point of interest.

You stop not only for a break from driving, but also to buy local specialties or have a meal, right?

The coastal area of Miyagi Prefecture, where Roopt's share houses are located, is a recommended area for driving, offering both sea views, including Matsushima, and mountain and field landscapes along the way.

This time, we will introduce roadside stations in Ishinomaki City and Onagawa Town in Miyagi Prefecture.

Please stop by for a drive, sightseeing, or shopping.

For your Tohoku sightseeing accommodation, choose Roopt

Roadside Station Jobon-no-Sato (Ishinomaki City)

Roadside Station "Jobon-no-Sato" has been popular since its opening in 2005.

Located in the Kahoku area of Ishinomaki City, where agriculture thrives, one of its charms is the opportunity to experience local ingredients.

Parking is free and can accommodate 246 cars!

However, it gets so crowded on weekends that all 246 spaces fill up, so be mindful of when you visit.

There are various ways to enjoy "Jobon-no-Sato".

The direct sales store offers produce from local farmers and regional specialties, and it's a place used by locals for daily shopping as well as tourists!

The food court offers a wide variety of popular dishes for all ages, such as ramen, fried rice, and curry!

Outside, the "Osato Cafe" corner features a diverse range of shops, including coffee shops, sweets shops, and marine product processing stores!

It's very convenient when you're a little hungry or thirsty.

There's also a convenience store at one end, covering your shopping needs in a pinch!

And the biggest attraction of Jobon-no-Sato is the hot spring health facility located within the premises!

You can enter the "Futago-no-Yu" hot spring for about 700 yen, and it also has a sauna!

The cold bath also uses hot spring water, making it a popular hot spring for sauna enthusiasts.

・Address 1-1 Futagokita-shita, Obunakoshi, Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture 986-0132 ・Business Hours Open all year round Yamazaki Shop 6:00 - 19:00 Agricultural Product Direct Sales Store 9:00 - 19:00 Hot Spring Health Facility 9:00 - 21:00 (Last admission 20:30) Food Court 10:00 - 20:00 (Last order 19:30) ・Access 3 minutes by car from Sanriku Expressway Kahoku Interchange ・Parking Free (246 spaces) ・Official HP

Roadside Station Suzuri-no-Sato Ogatsu (Ishinomaki City)

Next is Roadside Station "Suzuri-no-Sato Ogatsu" in Ogatsu Town, Ishinomaki City.

Ogatsu Town is located in the northeastern part of Ishinomaki City, about a 40-minute drive from Ishinomaki Station, but that's precisely why it's such an attractive area!

This "Suzuri-no-Sato Ogatsu" is also built in a location overlooking Ogatsu Bay, which extends from the Pacific Ocean, allowing you to enjoy the magnificent nature of Ogatsu at the same time!

Suzuri-no-Sato Ogatsu largely consists of two types of facilities: the "Ogatsu Suzuri Traditional Industry Museum" and the "Ogatsu Tanakoya Tourist Product Exchange Center."

The former, the "Ogatsu Suzuri Traditional Industry Museum," is a place where you can learn about Ogatsu Suzuri, the traditional industry of Ogatsu, as its name suggests.

Ogatsu Suzuri, with a history dating back to the Muromachi period, are all one-of-a-kind, and just comparing the differences between each inkstone is an enjoyable experience.

On the day I visited, a calligraphy exhibition was also being held, allowing me to experience the charm of traditional Japanese culture.

The other facility, the "Ogatsu Tanakoya Tourist Product Exchange Center," houses a total of seven shopping and dining establishments, offering a lineup that caters to various needs.

There's the "Ogatsu Marine Products Direct Sales Store," which handles a wide variety of marine products caught in Ogatsu's rich waters and local products from the Ogatsu area; the "Uzumaki Megane Coffee Shop," where you can relax with a cup of coffee at a seat with a sea view; and "Misato," popular for its soba and udon made with ingredients from the sea and mountains, among others.

It's a roadside station we recommend for both a driving break and Ogatsu sightseeing, as it also provides extensive tourist information about the Ogatsu area.

・Address 2-5 Shimo-Ogatsu, Ogatsu-cho, Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture 986-1335 ・Business Hours Open all year round Ogatsu Suzuri Traditional Industry Museum 9:00 - 16:30 (Closed Tuesdays) Tourist Product Exchange Center "Ogatsu Tanakoya" varies by store ・Access 25 minutes by car from Sanriku Expressway Kahoku Interchange ・Parking Free (105 spaces) ・Official HPhttps://ogatsu-rs.jp/

Roadside Station Onagawa (Onagawa Town)

The area directly in front of Onagawa Station, comprising "Seapalpia Onagawa," "Local Market Hamaterasu," "Onagawa Town Machinaka Exchange Center," and "Onagawa Town Tabi no Joho-kan Puratto," was registered as Roadside Station "Onagawa" in the spring of 2021.

It is a symbol of the new Onagawa, redeveloped after the Onagawa Station front suffered significant damage from the Great East Japan Earthquake!

Although it's a roadside station, it's located in front of Onagawa Station, so it's accessible by train, making it a recommended spot for train travel too!

Taking a leisurely train trip on a one-man train, which is becoming less common in Japan, is also a delightful experience.

*However, please note that transportation IC cards like Suica cannot be used.

This Roadside Station "Onagawa" is famous in the field of architectural design, characterized by a design that extends straight from the station building towards the sea.

In fact, it is designed so that the sunrise on New Year's Day aligns with this path.

I also witnessed the first sunrise of 2023, and it was simply "magnificent."

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Roadside Station Onagawa (@michinoeki_onagawa)

The biggest charm of Roadside Station "Onagawa" is, without a doubt, the sheer number of shops and facilities!

Comprising "Seapalpia Onagawa," "Local Market Hamaterasu," "Onagawa Town Machinaka Exchange Center," and "Onagawa Town Tabi no Joho-kan Puratto," it's a roadside station where just walking around is enjoyable.

"Seapalpia Onagawa" gathers various tenants, including restaurants, specialty stores for soap and clothing, and a diving school counter.

There's also a cafe called Mother Port Cafe, making it perfect for a break when you're tired from walking!

Also, "Local Market Hamaterasu" is packed with shops dedicated to local products, such as a fresh fish corner directly from Onagawa Port and "Onagawa Burger," which opened in 2023!

It's a place where you can experience the atmosphere unique to a seaside town.

In addition to these two facilities, there are restaurants, disaster memorials, and accommodations.