⛰ Saitama · 1–2 days
Chichibu Valley Drive: Tokyo’s Nearest Mountains
Escape Tokyo into the Chichibu mountains of Saitama: washi paper villages, pink moss fields, gorge onsen and the Arakawa’s headwaters — 8 michi-no-eki barely an hour from the city.
Chichibu is the closest real mountain country to Tokyo — a basin ringed by peaks in western Saitama, reachable in an hour yet a world apart from the city. It’s a place of old paper-making villages, night festivals, gorge hot springs and the source of the Arakawa river that runs through Tokyo.
This drive loops in from the Ogawamachi washi-paper towns, through the Chichibu basin with its shrine and morning market, out to the fruit farms of Ashigakubo, and up the Arakawa toward the Otaki hot springs at the foot of Mt Kobushi. In April the Hitsujiyama shibazakura (pink moss) turns the hillside every shade of rose.
The stops, in driving order
- 1 Michi-no-Eki Ogawamachi 道の駅 おがわまち · Saitama
Michi-no-Eki Ogawamachi (道の駅 おがわまち) is a government-designated roadside station in 比企郡小川町, Saitama, Japan, registered in 1993 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a restaurant, a cafe, a local-products shop, EV charging and a tourist-information desk. There is free parking for about 204 cars and 9 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–17:00〔施設により異なる〕. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kanto road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Washi No Sato Higashichichibu, Hanazono and Kawamoto.
Nearby: 🏛小川和紙資料館 (1.1 km) · 🏯杉山城 (3 km)
- 2 Michi-no-Eki Washi No Sato Higashichichibu 道の駅 和紙の里ひがしちちぶ · Saitama
Michi-no-Eki Washi No Sato Higashichichibu (道の駅 和紙の里ひがしちちぶ) is a government-designated roadside station in 秩父郡東秩父村, Saitama, Japan, registered in 2016 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a restaurant, a local-products shop, EV charging, a tourist-information desk and hands-on experiences. There is free parking for about 132 cars and 7 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00 –17:30〔施設により異なる〕. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kanto road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Ogawamachi, Hanazono and Minano.
Nearby: 📸ふれあい動物広場 (4 km) · 🌄展望広場 (4.1 km)
- 3 Michi-no-Eki Minano 道の駅 みなの · Saitama
Michi-no-Eki Minano (道の駅 みなの) is a government-designated roadside station in 秩父郡皆野町, Saitama, Japan, registered in 2012 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a restaurant, a local-products shop, EV charging, a tourist-information desk and an accessible restroom. There is free parking for about 64 cars and 5 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 8:30–17:00〔施設により異なる〕 ＜休 12/31–1/2（年末年始）＞. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kanto road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Ryuusei Kaikan, Washi No Sato Higashichichibu and Chichibu.
Nearby: ♨皆野役場入口 (1.1 km) · 🏛Saitama Museum of Natural History (1.3 km)
- 4 Michi-no-Eki Chichibu 道の駅 ちちぶ · Saitama
Michi-no-Eki Chichibu (道の駅 ちちぶ) is a government-designated roadside station in 秩父市, Saitama, Japan, registered in 2001 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a restaurant, a cafe, a local-products shop, a tourist-information desk and an accessible restroom. There is free parking for about 81 cars and 12 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:30–17:30〔施設により異なる〕. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kanto road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Kaju Kouen Ashigakubo, Ryuusei Kaikan and Arakawa.
Nearby: 🏛Chichibu Festival Hall (0.4 km) · ♨Ohanabatake (0.7 km)
- 5 Michi-no-Eki Kaju Kouen Ashigakubo 道の駅 果樹公園あしがくぼ · Saitama
Michi-no-Eki Kaju Kouen Ashigakubo (道の駅 果樹公園あしがくぼ) is a government-designated roadside station in 秩父郡横瀬町, Saitama, Japan, registered in 2003 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a restaurant, a cafe, a local-products shop, EV charging and showers. There is free parking for about 83 cars and 5 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–17:00（季節、イベントにより変更あり）〔施設により異なる〕. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kanto road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Chichibu, Washi No Sato Higashichichibu and Minano.
Nearby: ⛰Mount Futago (1.7 km) · ⛰Maruyama (2.5 km)
- 6 Michi-no-Eki Arakawa 道の駅 あらかわ · Saitama
Michi-no-Eki Arakawa (道の駅 あらかわ) is a government-designated roadside station in 秩父市, Saitama, Japan, registered in 1993 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a restaurant, a cafe, a local-products shop, EV charging and a tourist-information desk. There is free parking for about 50 cars and 5 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–17:00（3月–11月）、9:00–16:00（12月–2月）〔施設により異なる〕. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kanto road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Ryoukami Onsen Kusurishi No Yu, Ootaki Onsen and Chichibu.
Nearby: 🏛秩父市立荒川歴史民俗資料館 (1 km) · ⛰Mt. Kumakura (3.8 km)
- 7 Michi-no-Eki Ryoukami Onsen Kusurishi No Yu 道の駅 両神温泉薬師の湯 · Saitama
Michi-no-Eki Ryoukami Onsen Kusurishi No Yu (道の駅 両神温泉薬師の湯) is a government-designated roadside station in 秩父郡小鹿野町, Saitama, Japan, registered in 1999 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a hot-spring (onsen) bath, a restaurant, a local-products shop, EV charging and a tourist-information desk. There is free parking for about 130 cars and 3 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–20:00〔施設により異なる〕 ＜休 火曜日（祝祭日の場合は翌日休館）＞. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kanto road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Ootaki Onsen, Arakawa and Ryuusei Kaikan.
Nearby: ⛰Mt. Azumaya (1.9 km) · 📸ひさつき氷柱 (3.8 km)
- 8 Michi-no-Eki Ootaki Onsen 道の駅 大滝温泉 · Saitama
Michi-no-Eki Ootaki Onsen (道の駅 大滝温泉) is a government-designated roadside station in 秩父市, Saitama, Japan, registered in 1995 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a hot-spring (onsen) bath, a restaurant, a local-products shop, EV charging and a museum or gallery. There is free parking for about 77 cars. Typical opening hours are 10：00–20:00（4/1–11/30） 10：00–19：00（12/1–3/31）. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kanto road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Ryoukami Onsen Kusurishi No Yu, Arakawa and Ryuusei Kaikan.
Nearby: 📸三十槌の氷柱 (1.3 km) · ⛰Chichibu Ontakesan (1.8 km)
Make this route yours — load all 8 stops into the planner, reorder or remove stops, then open the finished trip in Google Maps.
Customize this route →Route tips
- Ogawamachi and Higashi-Chichibu are UNESCO-listed washi paper towns — you can try paper-making at the Washi-no-Sato station.
- The Hitsujiyama shibazakura (pink moss phlox) peaks in mid-to-late April — a short detour from the Chichibu station.
- Ashigakubo is fruit country — strawberry picking in spring, and winter ice columns lit up at night.
- Follow the Arakawa up to Otaki Onsen for a gorge hot spring at the mountain end of the drive.
Before you drive
- Can you drive in Japan? License rules by country
- Renting a car in Japan: the complete guide
- Can you sleep overnight at a michi-no-eki?
FAQ — Chichibu valley drive
How many days do you need for the Chichibu valley drive route?
1–2 days is a comfortable pace: roughly 70 km of driving with 8 michi-no-eki stops along the way. You can compress it, but the stops are the point.
Where does the route start and end?
It starts at Ogawamachi and ends at Chichibu / Otaki. Load all 8 stops into the free MichiStops route planner to reorder, add or remove stops, then open the finished trip in Google Maps.
When is the best season to drive this route?
Year-round; shibazakura pink moss April, foliage November.
Do I need to rent a car?
Yes — michi-no-eki are roadside stations, realistically reachable only by rental car or campervan. Most visitors can drive in Japan with a 1949-convention International Driving Permit; check the license rules for your country before booking. License rules by country →
Can I sleep overnight at the michi-no-eki on this route?
Resting overnight in your vehicle is tolerated at most michi-no-eki, but tents, awnings and open-air cooking are not allowed. Read the overnight-stay guide for the etiquette. Overnight-stay guide →