🌅 Iwate (Aomori–Miyagi) · 2–3 days
Sanriku Coast: Tohoku’s Cliff Road from Hachinohe to Rikuzentakata
Drive Tohoku’s Sanriku coast: Kitayamazaki cliffs, Jodogahama beach, amber and sea-urchin at Kuji, and the 2011 memorial parks — 9 michi-no-eki along Japan’s recovery road.
The Sanriku coast is 200 km of the highest sea cliffs in Japan, fishing ports in every cove, and the region that rebuilt itself after the 2011 tsunami. The new Sanriku expressway (toll-free for most of its length) makes the drive easy, but the point is to keep dropping down to the old coast road.
Stops range from Kuji’s amber and sea-urchin bowls, to the 200-meter Kitayamazaki cliffs near Tanohata, Jodogahama’s white-rock beach at Miyako, and the Takata-Matsubara memorial park with its miracle lone pine at Rikuzentakata. The michi-no-eki here were rebuilt as community anchors — eating and shopping at them is quiet, direct support for the coast.
The stops, in driving order
- 1 Michi-no-Eki Oono 道の駅 おおの · Iwate
Michi-no-Eki Oono (道の駅 おおの) is a government-designated roadside station in 九戸郡洋野町, Iwate, Japan, registered in 1994 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, lodging, a tourist-information desk and hands-on experiences. There is free parking for about 48 cars and 8 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 Tohoku road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Kuji, Shirakaba No Sato Yamagata and Hashikami.
- 2 Michi-no-Eki Kuji 道の駅 くじ · Iwate
Michi-no-Eki Kuji (道の駅 くじ) is a government-designated roadside station in 久慈市, Iwate, Japan, registered in 2008 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 a baby room. There is free parking for about 48 cars and 8 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–19:00 ≪冬期・営業時間短縮あり≫ ＜休 1/1＞. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Tohoku road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Noda, Oono and Shirakaba No Sato Yamagata.
- 3 Michi-no-Eki Noda 道の駅 のだ · Iwate
Michi-no-Eki Noda (道の駅 のだ) is a government-designated roadside station in 九戸郡野田村, Iwate, Japan, registered in 1994 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 a baby room. There is free parking for about 50 cars and 5 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–18:00 ＜休 1/1、3/31、9/30＞. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Tohoku road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Kuji, Shirakaba No Sato Yamagata and Oono.
- 4 Michi-no-Eki Tanohata 道の駅 たのはた · Iwate
Michi-no-Eki Tanohata (道の駅 たのはた) is a government-designated roadside station in 下閉伊郡田野畑村, Iwate, 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 cafe, a local-products shop, a park, a baby room and an accessible restroom. There is free parking for about 46 cars and 25 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–17:00〔施設により異なる〕 ＜休 12/31~1/1＞. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Tohoku road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Iwaizumi, Tarou and Noda.
- 5 Michi-no-Eki Tarou 道の駅 たろう · Iwate
Michi-no-Eki Tarou (道の駅 たろう) is a government-designated roadside station in 宮古市, Iwate, 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 local-products shop, a tourist-information desk and an accessible restroom. There is free parking for about 62 cars and 12 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–17:00（産直とれたろう）. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Tohoku road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Iwaizumi, Miyako and Tanohata.
- 6 Michi-no-Eki Miyako 道の駅 みやこ · Iwate
Michi-no-Eki Miyako (道の駅 みやこ) is a government-designated roadside station in 宮古市, Iwate, 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 free Wi-Fi. There is free parking for about 188 cars and 21 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 8:45–17:00〔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 Tohoku road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Tarou, Yamada and Iwaizumi.
- 7 Michi-no-Eki Yamada 道の駅 やまだ · Iwate
Michi-no-Eki Yamada (道の駅 やまだ) is a government-designated roadside station in 下閉伊郡山田町, Iwate, Japan, 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, free Wi-Fi, a tourist-information desk and a baby room. There is free parking for about 130 cars and 39 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 Tohoku road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Miyako, Kamaishi Sennin Touge and Tarou.
- 8 Michi-no-Eki Sanriku 道の駅 さんりく · Iwate
Michi-no-Eki Sanriku (道の駅 さんりく) is a government-designated roadside station in 大船渡市, Iwate, Japan, registered in 2000 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 a park. There is free parking for about 81 cars and 7 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 Tohoku road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Kamaishi Sennin Touge, Takada Matsubara and Toono Kaze No Oka.
- 9 Michi-no-Eki Takada Matsubara 道の駅 高田松原 · Iwate
Michi-no-Eki Takada Matsubara (道の駅 高田松原) is a government-designated roadside station in 陸前高田市, Iwate, Japan, registered in 1993 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. There is free parking for about 136 cars and 33 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 4月〜9月・9:00〜18:00 10月〜3月・9:00〜17:00 年中無休(施設内一部店舗を除く）. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Tohoku road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Murone, Sanriku and Ootani Kaigan.
Make this route yours — load all 9 stops into the planner, reorder or remove stops, then open the finished trip in Google Maps.
Customize this route →Route tips
- The Sanriku Expressway is largely toll-free — use it to skip stretches, but take the coastal Route 45 for the views.
- Sea urchin (uni) season is June–August; Kuji and Miyako serve it straight from the morning boats.
- Kitayamazaki’s viewpoint (near Michi-no-Eki Tanohata) is the single best coastal panorama in Tohoku.
- Allow time at the Rikuzentakata memorial — it’s the most moving stop on the route.
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?