Part rest stop, part community hub, this roadside station offers a delicious introduction to a town steadily writing its next chapter. First things first, what is a Michi-no-Eki? Michi-no-Eki -- literally "roadside station" -- is one of Japan's most charming travel inventions. Along with a rest area with clean toilets and nursing rooms, these complexes feature a direct-to-consumer market with fresh produce, an information center, restaurants, and a range of souvenirs unique to the region you're in. If you're roadtripping in Japan, you'll want to make a note of the roadside stations along your route, and carve out some time to check them out. Where is Namie? Namie is a coastal town in Fukushima Prefecture. In the wake of the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear accident at Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant in March 2011, the town was forced to evacuate due to radiation concerns. Evacuation orders were gradually lifted starting in 2017, and while the population has dwindled, there's an energetic bunch of locals and newcomers alike working together to rebuild. The town is welcoming visitors. Besides the roadside station, which you can read more about below, there is an art district featuring large murals of residents created by art group Over Alls, and not one, but two acclaimed craft sake breweries as part of the new wave of entrepreneurs. Both breweries, Haccoba and Pukupuku, are known for their creative spin on traditional sake. They can be spotted at various sake festivals, including Craft Sake Week in Tokyo. What to expect at Namie Michi-no-Eki Namie Michi-no-Eki opened its doors in August 2020 with the aim of inviting visitors to come and experience the town's resilience and creativity. The roadside station has a large selection of local vegetables, fruits, jam, honey, condiments, handmade crafts, and more. Got a thing for alliums? Spring-onion farming is a part of local redevelopment, so you'll see a solid range of spring-onion-based flavor-boosters and toppings. It is also a great place for lunch -- people flock here to taste the town's famous thick fried noodles or Namie yakisoba. Another cool feature: there's a sake brewery next door. Suzuki Sake Brewery used to operate in Namie, until the kura was destroyed in the tsunami. The brewery relocated to nearby Yamagata Prefecture, where they stayed for a decade. Finally, in March 2021, they were able to return home. Now, they boast a brewery with a modern tasting and retail area attached to the roadside station. By the way, Fukushima Prefecture is prolific when it comes to sake -- it boasts over 50 breweries and one of the highest production volumes in the country. And it's not all quantity over quality: sake from Fukushima routinely bags awards. At the Suzuki Brewery, as long as you're not driving, you can taste a range of freshly squeezed sake at the coin-operated dispenser. Some bottles in their lineup use 100% locally grown rice. The sake soft-serve ice cream, served in a traditional wooden sake cup, is also recommended for a sweet treat. “We hope Namie Michi-no-Eki will continue to serve as a symbol of the town’s recovery and expand the number of people connected to the area," says representative Yuji Watanabe. “We want it to be a place of relaxation and a space where residents and visitors can interact.” How to get there from Tokyo If you're taking the train, Namie Michi-no-Eki is about a 20-minute walk from Namie Station. From Tokyo Station, take the Tōhoku or Akita Shinkansen until Sendai. Then, switch to the JR Jōban Line or JR Hitachi & Tokiwa and continue until Namie. Some JR Hitachi & Tokiwa trains also go directly from Tokyo to Namie. Depending on the route, the total travel time is around 3.5 hours. By car The roadside station is located around 8 minutes from the Namie I.C. exit off the Joban Expressway. How to slot Namie into your Japan travel itinerary If you're traveling from Tokyo, one way to break up the travel is with a stop in Mito, renowned for its beautiful plum blossoms in early spring. From Kairakuen Station (operates seasonally), it takes around 2 hours to get to coastal Fukushima. Sendai, the largest city in the region, beloved for beef tongue and lots of greenery, is about an hour away. It's a good, accessible base for setting off on adventures in the Tōhoku region, Japan's rugged northeastern zone known for snowy hot springs and stunning scenery. Note: The JR East Pass covers travel in this region (available from March 14, 2026).
The ultimate guide to Japan travel
The ultimate guide to Japan travel
The ultimate guide to Japan travel