Japan Tourism / Roadside Rest Area in Tokyo’s Okutama Area Filled with Fun Things to do for Whole Day; Enjoy Hot Springs, Muscat Ice Cream

By Hiromi Hoshi / Special to Ryoko Yomiuri Publication

13:28 JST, August 28, 2024

I drove a car from Ome, on the outskirts of Tokyo, to Kosuge, a village in eastern Yamanashi Prefecture, and then along a winding uphill road looking over the abundant water of Okutama Lake, enjoying the picturesque scenery for a while.

Forests make up about 95% of Kosuge’s area, and the Tama and Sagami rivers start in the village. Taking advantage of the clean water, Kosuge is one of the largest production areas of wasabi in the prefecture. The village is also a place where advanced aquaculture has been practiced, and the nation’s first successful farming of yamame trout took place in Kosuge.

Michi no Eki Kosuge is a roadside rest area where visitors can experience attractions unique to the “headwaters village.” The rest area has a center featuring local products, restaurants, a day-trip hot spring facility, Forest Adventure Kosuge and other things.

“Since our regular parking lot is full on weekends, we have to guide drivers to temporary parking lots,” said a rest area manager.

The local products center’s building was renovated in April, making it easier for visitors to shop there.

The center is full of local specialties from Kosuge and neighboring communities. In particular, there are many processed iwana char trout and yamame trout products, such as overnight-dried iwana char trout, salt-grilled yamame trout and rice cooked with yamame trout. Other products also stimulate the appetite, such as pickled wasabi and homemade konnyaku. Among these local specialties, the Himalayan oyster mushroom is particularly rare. Since the cap of the mushroom easily comes off, the mushroom is rarely distributed outside the village.

“The mushroom goes well with oil and is quite delicious when stir-fried,” the rest area manager said.

If you are in the mood for a snack, try the “Charchan manju” Japanese steamed cake, a specialty of Kosuge. There are many different fillings for the manju, such as anko sweet bean paste, yomogi-an (Japanese mugwort bean paste) and gyoza dumplings. If you want a proper meal, go to Genryu Restaurant, where you can enjoy various dishes made with locally produced ingredients, including pizza and pasta, while overlooking the rich natural environment.

A local day-trip hot spring facility, called Kosuge no Yu, boasts outstanding water quality. The abundant hot spring water, which is colorless and clear, has a high alkaline pH of 9.98, and after a bath visitors will notice that their skin is smoother. The facility is spacious and has a resting space equipped with various amenities.

“There are no time limits, so you can relax and enjoy the facility,” a staff member said.

The rest area manager said: “Many people’s aim is to visit the roadside rest area itself rather than stopping by on the way to other destinations.”

His explanation was quite convincing. After taking a bath, I bought some shine muscat soft-serve ice cream for takeout from a restaurant. I liked the pleasant sour flavor. I was totally refreshed as I drove down the mountains of Okutama on my way home.

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Japan Tourism is presented in collaboration with Ryoko Yomiuri Publication, which publishes Ryoko Yomiuri, a monthly travel magazine. If you are interested in the original Japanese version of this story, click here.