Japanese Tourism / Roadside rest stop in the Okutama area of ​​Tokyo, full of fun things to do all day; enjoy hot springs and Muscat ice cream

I drove from Ome, on the outskirts of Tokyo, to Kosuge, a village in eastern Yamanashi Prefecture. Then I drove uphill on a winding road, overlooking the abundant waters of Lake Okutama, and enjoyed the picturesque scenery for a while.

Forests make up about 95% of Kosuge’s area, and the Tama and Sagami rivers begin in the village. Kosuge benefits from its clean water and is one of the largest wasabi production areas in the prefecture. The village is also a place where advanced aquaculture has been practiced, and the country’s first successful yamame trout farming took place in Kosuge.

Michi no Eki Kosuge is a roadside rest area where visitors can experience attractions unique to the “above-water village”. The rest area has a center with local products, restaurants, a hot spring day trip, Forest Adventure Kosuge and other things.

“Because our permanent parking lot is full on weekends, we have to direct drivers to temporary parking spaces,” said a rest area manager.

The local produce centre building was renovated in April, making it easier for visitors to do their shopping.

The center is full of local specialties from Kosuge and neighboring communities. In particular, there are many processed iwana char trout and yamame trout products, such as overnight-dried iwana char trout, salt-grilled yamame trout, and rice cooked with yamame trout. Other products also stimulate the appetite, such as pickled wasabi and homemade konnyaku. Among these local specialties, the Himalayan oyster mushroom is particularly rare. Because the cap of the mushroom falls off easily, the mushroom is rarely distributed outside the village.

“The mushroom goes well with oil and is very tasty when stir-fried,” said the restaurant manager.

If you’re in the mood for a snack, try the “Charchan manju” Japanese steamed cake, a specialty of Kosuge. There are many different fillings for the manju, such as anko sweet bean paste, yomogi-an (Japanese mugwort bean paste) and gyoza dumplings. If you want a real meal, head to Genryu Restaurant, where you can enjoy a variety of dishes made with locally sourced ingredients, including pizza and pasta, while overlooking the rich natural surroundings.

A local day trip hot spring facility, called Kosuge no Yu, has excellent water quality. The abundant hot spring water, which is colorless and clear, has a high alkaline pH of 9.98, and after a bath, visitors will notice that their skin is smoother. The facility is spacious and has a rest area equipped with various amenities.

“There are no time limits, so you can relax and enjoy the facility,” said a staff member.

The parking lot manager said, “A lot of people would rather go to the parking lot along the road itself than drive somewhere else.”

His explanation was quite convincing. After a bath, I bought some shiny muscat soft serve ice cream to take away from a restaurant. I liked the pleasant sour taste. I was completely refreshed as I drove down the Okutama mountains on my way home.

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Japan Tourism is presented in cooperation with Ryoko Yomiuri Publication, which publishes Ryoko Yomiuri, a monthly travel magazine. If you are interested in the original Japanese version of this story, Click here.