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| Above, travelers entering the expressway stop's main building. Photos from a video by Armand Vaquer. |
A recent story by RocketNews24 on a unique expressway roadside stop reminded me of one I saw in 2004 while headed up to Koriyama from Tokyo. More on that later.
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| Above, one needn't have to go inside the expressway stop for food. This one had a convenient food vendor outside. |
Unlike the rest areas found along U.S. interstates, the one we visited was more like a mini-mall with several restaurants and souvenir shops to choose from. The rest stops in the U.S. are a "hit & miss" kind of thing when it comes to restroom cleanliness. The Japanese ones, called "parking areas" by Japanese motorists, are quite clean. The one I visited also had a big dining area inside so diners won't be bothered by insect pests while dining.
As mentioned earlier, RocketNews24 posted an article about a new expressway stop that will take the traveler "back in time" to Japan's Edo Period. A previous expressway stop was recently renovated with a recreated an Edo Period townscape. It is certainly a good diversion (especially if one is traveling with small children) for the weary traveler. This rest stop is located in Hanyu City in Saitama Prefecture, which neighbors Tokyo to the north.
To view the article, go here.
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