🚂 Shizuoka · 2 days
Up the Oi River: Steam Trains, Kawane Tea & the Sumatakyo Gorge
A 2-day drive up the Oi River valley in central Shizuoka: the steam trains of the Oigawa Railway, an open-air hot spring that looks straight at the railway bridge, the tea country of Kawanehon, and the turquoise Dream Suspension Bridge at Sumatakyo — linked by 4 michi-no-eki.
Most drivers meet the Oi River once, at 70km/h, on the expressway bridge near the coast. The valley it comes out of is the better half: a single road running north for 70 kilometres between tea-covered ridges, with a steam railway beside it for most of the way. The Oigawa Railway still runs its old locomotives from Shin-Kanaya up to Senzu daily in season, and because the road and the track share the valley floor, you keep meeting the train — at crossings, at bridges, and from the bath at Kawane Onsen.
The drive starts at Kakegawa, where the expressway lets you off next to a castle town, then follows Route 473 and the river road north. Kawane Onsen is the natural overnight: it is the only stop on this route with its own hot spring and rooms, and its open-air bath faces the railway bridge, so the afternoon steam service passes while you are in the water. Further up, Kawanehon is tea country — the Chameikan at Nakakawane exists to sit you down with a cup of Kawane sencha and explain the difference. The road ends, for most people, at Senzu: the terminus of the steam line, the transfer point for the narrow-gauge Ikawa Line that climbs to the lake station at Okuoi, and the turn-off for the bus up to Sumatakyo, where the Dream Suspension Bridge hangs over water the colour of old glass.
The stops, in driving order
- 1 Michi-no-Eki Kakegawa 道の駅 掛川 · Shizuoka
Michi-no-Eki Kakegawa (道の駅 掛川) is a government-designated roadside station in 掛川市, Shizuoka, Japan, registered in 2004 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 baby room and an accessible restroom. There is free parking for about 226 cars and 75 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 直売所9:00–17:00、食堂8:00–19:00、コンビニ24時間. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Chubu road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Kaze No Marushie Omaezaki, Kawane Onsen and Ippuku Tokoro Yokokawa.
Nearby: 🌄栗ヶ岳 (5.3 km) · 🏛Ninomaru Museum of Art (6 km)
- 2 Michi-no-Eki Kawane Onsen 道の駅 川根温泉 · Shizuoka
Michi-no-Eki Kawane Onsen (道の駅 川根温泉) is a government-designated roadside station in 島田市, Shizuoka, 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 cafe, a local-products shop and lodging. There is free parking for about 78 cars and 4 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–19:00(最終受付18:30) 定休日:第１,第３火曜日(祝日の場合は翌平日). Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Chubu road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Foore Nakakawane Cha Mei Kan, Gyokuro No Sato and Oku Ooi Oto Gi No Sato.
Nearby: ⛰Mt. Hakko (6.6 km) · 🌄ビンカ峠 (10.6 km)
- 3 Michi-no-Eki Foore Nakakawane Cha Mei Kan 道の駅 フォーレなかかわね茶茗舘 · Shizuoka
Michi-no-Eki Foore Nakakawane Cha Mei Kan (道の駅 フォーレなかかわね茶茗舘) is a government-designated roadside station in 榛原郡川根本町, Shizuoka, Japan, registered in 1998 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 and a park. There is free parking for about 36 cars and 3 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 10:00–16:30（16:00受付終了）. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Chubu road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Oku Ooi Oto Gi No Sato, Kawane Onsen and Gyokuro No Sato.
Nearby: 🌄ビンカ峠 (6 km) · ⛰Mt. Sobatsubu (9 km)
- 4 Michi-no-Eki Oku Ooi Oto Gi No Sato 道の駅 奥大井音戯の郷 · Shizuoka
Michi-no-Eki Oku Ooi Oto Gi No Sato (道の駅 奥大井音戯の郷) is a government-designated roadside station in 榛原郡川根本町, Shizuoka, Japan, registered in 1998 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 85 cars and 3 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 10:00–16:30. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Chubu road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Foore Nakakawane Cha Mei Kan, Kawane Onsen and Gyokuro No Sato.
Nearby: 🏛Fore Nakakawane Chameikan (5 km) · 🏛川根本町資料館やまびこ (9 km)
Make this route yours — load all 4 stops into the planner, reorder or remove stops, then open the finished trip in Google Maps.
Customize this route →Onsen baths and beds along this route (Shizuoka · 4 with onsen / 1 with rooms)
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Kawane Onsen 道の駅 川根温泉 · Shimada, Shizuoka · on the route -
Kurura Toda 道の駅 くるら戸田 · Numazu, Shizuoka · ~61 km off the route -
Hana No San Hijiri En Izu Matsuzaki 道の駅 花の三聖苑伊豆松崎 · Matsuzaki, Shizuoka · ~69 km off the route -
Itou Marintaun 道の駅 伊東マリンタウン · Ito, Shizuoka · ~88 km off the route
♨ All 143 michi-no-eki with an onsen bath🛏 All 81 michi-no-eki with rooms on site♨🛏 All 46 michi-no-eki with both onsen and rooms📍 Every michi-no-eki in Shizuoka
Route tips
- The steam service does not run every day outside the main season — check the Oigawa Railway timetable before you plan the day around it, and ask at Kawane Onsen reception for the afternoon crossing time.
- Kawane Onsen is the only stop here with a hot spring and lodging; book it rather than hoping for a room, since the valley has few alternatives.
- The Chameikan at Nakakawane and the Otogi-no-Sato at Senzu both close at 16:30, earlier than the drive suggests — do the upper valley in the morning and the river road in the afternoon.
- Sumatakyo's Dream Suspension Bridge is a 30-40 minute drive or bus ride beyond Senzu on a narrow mountain road, and the bridge itself is one-way with a queue in autumn; arrive before 10:00 in the foliage weeks.
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 — Oi River steam & Sumatakyo
How many days do you need for the Oi River steam & Sumatakyo route?
2 days is a comfortable pace: roughly 40 km of driving with 4 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 Kakegawa (Tomei Expressway, Kakegawa IC — about 2h from Tokyo) and ends at Senzu, Kawanehon (turn back down the valley, or continue on the Ikawa Line). Load all 4 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; the gorge colours peak from late November, and the tea fields are brightest from late April to June.
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 →