⛩ Kyoto / Nara / Osaka · 2–3 days
Kyoto–Nara Golden Route: Ancient Capitals & Uji Tea Country by Car
Drive Japan’s golden route beyond the cities: the giant burial mounds south of Osaka, the first imperial capital at Asuka, the cherry mountain of Yoshino and Kyoto’s Uji tea country — 7 michi-no-eki linking Osaka, Nara and Kyoto.
Everyone rides the train between Osaka, Nara and Kyoto and sees the three famous cities. Rent a car and the same golden triangle opens into something older and emptier: the giant keyhole tombs of Japan’s first emperors south of Osaka, the thatched shrine country of Asuka where the nation was first governed, and the tea hills of southern Kyoto that supply Uji. None of it is easy by rail.
This route sweeps out of Osaka through the Chikatsu-Asuka tomb country, crosses the Yamato basin past Katsuragi and the ancient capital of Asuka, detours south to the cherry-blossom mountain of Yoshino, then climbs north to Minamiyamashiro — the only michi-no-eki in Kyoto Prefecture and the heart of its tea region. Every stop is a farm market as well as a monument, so you eat local the whole way.
The stops, in driving order
- 1 Michi-no-Eki Kin Tsu Asuka No Sato Taishi 道の駅 近つ飛鳥の里太子 · Osaka
Michi-no-Eki Kin Tsu Asuka No Sato Taishi (道の駅 近つ飛鳥の里太子) is a government-designated roadside station in 南河内郡太子町, Osaka, Japan, registered in 1996 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a local-products shop, a tourist-information desk, a baby room and an accessible restroom. There is free parking for about 29 cars and 2 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–17:00. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kansai road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Futakami Paaku Touma, Katsuragi and Kanan.
Nearby: 🏛太子町立竹内街道歴史資料館 (0.1 km) · ⛰Mt. Medake (1.7 km)
- 2 Michi-no-Eki Kanan 道の駅 かなん · Osaka
Michi-no-Eki Kanan (道の駅 かなん) is a government-designated roadside station in 南河内郡河南町, Osaka, Japan, registered in 2003 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find hands-on experiences, a baby room and an accessible restroom. There is free parking for about 20 cars and 3 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–17:00. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kansai road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Chihayaakasaka, Kin Tsu Asuka No Sato Taishi and Shiratorino Sato ・ Habikino.
Nearby: 🏛千早赤阪村郷土資料館 (1.8 km) · 🏯下赤阪城跡 (2.1 km)
- 3 Michi-no-Eki Katsuragi 道の駅 かつらぎ · Nara
Michi-no-Eki Katsuragi (道の駅 かつらぎ) is a government-designated roadside station in 葛城市, Nara, Japan, registered in 2017 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a cafe, a local-products shop, EV charging, free Wi-Fi and a tourist-information desk. There is free parking for about 74 cars and 25 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–19:00(冬期は9:00–18:00). Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kansai road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Futakami Paaku Touma, Kin Tsu Asuka No Sato Taishi and Chihayaakasaka.
Nearby: 🌄芝塚古墳 (0.9 km) · 🌄鍋塚古墳 (1.4 km)
- 4 Michi-no-Eki Asuka 道の駅 飛鳥 · Nara
Michi-no-Eki Asuka (道の駅 飛鳥) is a government-designated roadside station in 高市郡明日香村, Nara, Japan, 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, free Wi-Fi and a tourist-information desk. There is free parking for about 52 cars. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kansai road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Yoshino Michi Ooyodo I Sentaa, Katsuragi and Futakami Paaku Touma.
Nearby: 🏛Takamatsuzuka Mural Museum (0.7 km) · 📸Oni-no Manaita (Demon's Cutting Board) (0.8 km)
- 5 Michi-no-Eki Yoshino Michi Ooyodo I Sentaa 道の駅 吉野路 大淀ｉセンター · Nara
Michi-no-Eki Yoshino Michi Ooyodo I Sentaa (道の駅 吉野路 大淀ｉセンター) is a government-designated roadside station in 吉野郡大淀町, Nara, Japan, 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 free Wi-Fi. There is free parking for about 80 cars and 10 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 8:30–17:00(火曜 定休 / 季節･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 Kansai road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Asuka, Yoshino Michi Kurotaki and Katsuragi.
Nearby: 📸稲渕の棚田 (5.4 km) · 🏛Takamatsuzuka Mural Museum (5.6 km)
- 6 Michi-no-Eki Resutei Karako ・ Kagi 道の駅 レスティ 唐古・鍵 · Nara
Michi-no-Eki Resutei Karako ・ Kagi (道の駅 レスティ 唐古・鍵) is a government-designated roadside station in 磯城郡田原本町, Nara, Japan, one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. There is free parking for about 75 cars and 8 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–18:00. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kansai road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Yamato Michi Heguri, Futakami Paaku Touma and Asuka.
Nearby: 🏛黒塚古墳資料館 (4.5 km) · 🏛天理大学附属天理参考館 (5 km)
- 7 Michi-no-Eki O Cha No Kyouto Minamiyamashiro Mura 道の駅 お茶の京都 みなみやましろ村 · Kyoto
Michi-no-Eki O Cha No Kyouto Minamiyamashiro Mura (道の駅 お茶の京都 みなみやましろ村) is a government-designated roadside station in 相楽郡南山城村, Kyoto, Japan, registered in 2016 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. There is free parking for about 126 cars and 15 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–18:00〔部門により異なる〕. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kansai road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Ayama, Hari T ・ R ・ S and Uda Michi Murou.
Nearby: 🌄湖畔の里つきがせ (6.6 km) · 🏛伊賀越資料館 (8.8 km)
Make this route yours — load all 7 stops into the planner, reorder or remove stops, then open the finished trip in Google Maps.
Customize this route →Route tips
- Yoshino in early-to-mid April is Japan’s most famous cherry-blossom mountain — 30,000 trees up the slope. Go on a weekday; the single mountain road jams badly on spring weekends.
- Asuka is best explored by rental bike or on foot from the michi-no-eki — the burial mounds and carved stones are scattered across the rice fields.
- Minamiyamashiro sells matcha soft-serve and Uji tea straight from the growers — the last stop before you rejoin the Kyoto or Nara expressway.
- Base in Osaka or Kyoto and rent the car for the countryside legs; central Kyoto and Nara are better on foot, so plan car days around the outer sights.
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 — Kyoto–Nara golden route
How many days do you need for the Kyoto–Nara golden route route?
2–3 days is a comfortable pace: roughly 100 km of driving with 7 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 Osaka and ends at Kyoto (Uji tea country). Load all 7 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; Yoshino cherry blossom early–mid April, autumn colour 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 →