Michinoeki - MINAKAMI Mizukiko-kan

We visited "Michinoeki - MINAKAMI Mizu-kiko-kan" and put the flyer of Japan CROPs ("Michinoeki" is Japanese road station which is placed not only to support drivers on the road, but also to provide the community place for local people). "Michinoeki - MINAKAMI Mizukiko-kan" is one of Michinoeki that is located in Minakami city of Gunma prefecture.

Minakami city is located at the northenmost part of Gunma prefecture which is also northan edge of Kanto area (Tokyo area), and it is facing Nigata prefecture. When Minakami is written in Japanese Kanji, the Kanji means "upstream of water". In fact, Minakami is located at the origin of Tone River (which is one of biggest/largest reviers in Japan), and also, it has a lot of hot spring spots. Minakami is sometimes called as "Kanto (Tokyo) area's water jar" and it precisely describes the city of Minakami which has a lot of water and nature resources. If you want to visit Minakami from Tokyo, it takes 1 hour by Shinkan-sen (express train) up to neast station (Jyomo-kogen station) or it takes 2 hours by car by using express way. Minakami is also famous about sking spot in winter season. This city has a lot of sightseeing resource to attract tourists, though it is not very far from Tokyo..

"Michinoeki - MINAKAMI Mizukiko-kan" is located along national road 291 and we visited there by car. When we entered the promises from the national road, we were surprised with the scale of Michinoeki. It has large premises of course, and there are mountains filled with fresh green in the backward, and there is the park having fresh stream river in the next of the building, and the events of grabbing trouts with hands takes place inside the premises, and footbath (hot spring) facility (in which people enjoy it with good river view） is provided free. Every Michinoeki in Gunma prefecture gives higher priority in order to make the place unique and attractive. We thought that "Michinoeki - MINAKAMI Mizukiko-kan" realizes it by utilizing the great deal of water and nature resources.

When we entered into the building having the sign "local direct sale place", there were a lot of local crops such as rices, vegetables and processed food and a lot of people are buying those crops. Also, outside building, there were food stalls and local delicious crops and foods were sold there. We remembered that a lot of children were enjoying in grabbing trouts event.

When we visited, it was lunch time. And we ate Soba (buckwheat noodles which is typical common food in Japan) in food court of the Michinoeki. It was really delicious because the taste of Soba is usually decided by the water. In fact, the quality of Minakami's water is highest without doubts. Also, it seems that Michinoeki also gives higher priority in order to serve delicious Soba.

Though we visited it in busy season (summer vacation season) and busy lunch time, stuff of the "Michinoeki - MINAKAMI Mizukiko-kan" accepted our visit kindly.