Michi-no-eki "Kumano Itaya Kurobei no Sato" in Kiwacho KumanoCity is now open! Thorough explanation of recommended souvenirs, meals, etc.

Michi-no-eki "Kumano Itaya Kurobee no Sato" is a newly opened Michi-no-eki in KumanoCity Kumano City on April 7, 2018.
From KumanoCity direction, go straight on National Route 311 for about 30 minutes. There is a sign like this right next to KumanoCity Kiwa General Branch, and you should turn right and enter.

Since it has just opened, the facility is very clean.
There are many places to sit and take a break both indoors and outdoors, making it a relaxing place not only for people from far away but also for local Kiwa residents.

Locally grown vegetables are lined up outside the store. On this day, there were lettuce and garlic.
This lettuce packed tightly in a plastic bag costs 120 yen each. It's great to be able to easily buy fresh local vegetables.

There's also something like this in the cart next to the local vegetables.
Do you know anything?
This is a type of moss called "Iwamatsu." It is a fern plant also called "Selaginella". If you purchase it and place it in your home, you will be able to create a wonderful Japanese-style space.

This is the entrance.
The "Doro-kyoGorge Water Jet Boat" written on the sign in the foreground is a sightseeing boat that will take you to the great gorge on the border of Mie, Nara, and Wakayama prefectures. I can.
If you board the boat at Ogawaguchi Terminal, which is about a 5-minute drive from this Michi-no-eki, you can see the beautiful Doro-kyoGorge in about an hour round trip, so if you have time, be sure to take a trip. please.

There was also a signboard for the lunch menu. As you can see, many of the dishes use KumanoJidori(TheLocalBrandChicken)) from the Kumano region, and there is a wide variety of dishes, so you are sure to find your favorite.

Among the many KumanoJidori(TheLocalBrandChicken) menus, one of our favorites is the KumanoJidori(TheLocalBrandChicken) Ramen (700 yen)!
As the name suggests, the rich soup is based on KumanoJidori(TheLocalBrandChicken) and has a rich aroma, and the exquisite texture of KumanoJidori(TheLocalBrandChicken) on top is irresistible.
The staff's recommendation is to ``dissolve a little of the provided yuzu pepper in the soup.'' You can enjoy the change in taste before and after adding yuzu pepper.
In addition, ``Due to limited soup stock, we may close early if there are many orders.''

There is also a wide selection of souvenirs.
This is the Niihime Drink (150 yen), which is made with Niihime, a new type of citrus fruit discovered in KumanoCity. This juice has an addictive subtle bitterness and a refreshing citrus aroma.
If you're tired of driving, you might want to wake up with this Niihime drink instead of coffee. The ones on this shelf are kept at room temperature, but they also sell chilled ones.

Another item I would like to recommend is Niihime Candy (200 yen). The refreshing sour taste helps to wake you up while driving and prevent car sickness.
Also, since the candy is individually wrapped, it would also make a great souvenir to hand out at work.

Niihime is characterized by sourness and bitterness. Therefore, it seems to go very well with seasonings.
·dressing
・Ponzu sauce (salt ponzu sauce)
・Fruit juice stock solution
Various products were on display. Please look for what you like!

KumanoCity is also very popular in the cultivation of citrus fruits other than Niihime.
There were various kinds of juices such as ``Amanatsu'' and ``Seminole'' as well as the common Satsuma mandarin oranges. It's fun to buy a few and compare them and see the difference in taste.

KumanoJidori(TheLocalBrandChicken) used in the ramen can also be purchased as a souvenir (200g for 1,296 yen *frozen). Not only cut meat but also sliced meat is available, so you can use it depending on the purpose and it is convenient.

Speaking of Kiwa, ``Umeboshi'' is also famous. It is a so-called ``old-fashioned pickled plum'' pickled using red shiso, and has a simple and slightly nostalgic taste.
We offer a wide variety of products, from small packs (150g 360 yen) for those who just want to try it, to large bottles (1kg 2,460 yen) for those who like it and want more.

There is a tourist information corner next to the shop.
There are many things to see around this Michi-no-eki, including `` Doro-kyoGorge Gorge'', the magnificent terraced rice fields `` MaruyamaSenmaida'', ``Akagi Castle Ruins'', also known as the castle in the sky, and the ``Mining Museum'', which can be reached on foot.
You'll want to visit not just once, but over and over again.

There is a bench in front of the tourist information corner, and a video showing the charms of KumanoCity is playing on a monitor.
It might be a good idea to take a break on the bench and think about your next sightseeing plan.

There are also Michi-no-eki stamps in the tourist information corner.
When I tried pressing it, a cute picture of Kurobei and his wife Okiku appeared.

*Kurobei was a village headman in this region who was in charge of the roughnecks of the Kiwa mines in the past. There is a legend that says, ``If you touch Kurobei's grave, your wish will come true.''
Kurobei also worked as a gambler, and it is said that ``if he touched his wife, Okiku, when he went out, he would win the game.'' This is the origin of the word ``successful luck'' written above the logo of this Michi-no-eki.

There is a park-like space next to the building, with playground equipment installed. This bouldering play equipment is particularly eye-catching.
In fact, Kiwa is a bouldering spot that is only known to those in the know. There is a bouldering area in KumanoCity cho, Kumano City, and a RED BULL ASURA exhibition was held there in 2017.

In addition to bouldering equipment, there are health play equipment such as back-stretching chairs, small steps for climbing up and down steps, and a low balance beam with handrails.
It's a great way to refresh your tired body after a long drive.

Itaya River flows behind the building, and there is a promenade along it. If you have time, it would be fun to take a walk around the area.
From April to May, you can see a spectacular tunnel of wisteria flowers.

One of the features of this Michi-no-eki is this stunning view. As I stare at the mountains with Niihime Juice in hand, I realize that green is not just one color.

There are many cars that go from KumanoCity to Wakayama and Nara via Kiwa Town, but the bottleneck when taking this route is that there are very limited facilities such as shops and toilets. Especially when traveling with children, there were times when we even deliberately avoided the route through Kiwa because there were no restrooms or rest facilities.
However, with the opening of this Michi-no-eki, there will be one more resting spot on the route. There are also clean restrooms, so changing a diaper will not be a problem. I really appreciate this.

During the interview, we saw many people from the neighborhood walking to Michi-no-eki and interacting with each other in various ways.
I feel that this `` Michi-no-eki Kumano Itaya Kurobei no Sato'' will become an important place not only for tourists and drivers, but also for the local Kiwa people.

[Michi-no-eki Kumano/Itaya Kurobei no Sato Basic Information]

・Address: 82 Itaya, Kiwacho KumanoCity Mie Prefecture, 519-5413

・Telephone number 0597-97-0968

・Parking lot: 43 regular cars, 3 large buses

·business hours
Shop 10:00-17:00
Meals/Snacks 11:00-16:00

・Toilet in the same building as Michi-no-eki (separate entrance). Available 24 hours. The multi-purpose restroom has a diaper changing table and ostomate facilities.

・Is there an EV charging facility? Yes (1 vehicle)