A model course where you can enjoy Taki/Meiwa to your heart's content! A day trip where you can eat, play and interact ♪

Approximately 5 minutes by car from the Geino IC on the Ise Expressway. Arrived at Ano service area (outbound)! This service area has a very stylish brick exterior. Let's look inside for travel information!

At the information center near the central entrance, the ``area concierge'' gave us recommended sightseeing information in Mie.

Rosso Mart, located in front of the information center, is a souvenir shop that sells Mie specialty products and souvenir goods from the Tokai region. The food court is also popular, where you can enjoy a variety of Mie's local gourmet dishes, such as TsuGyoza and Ise-Udon.

[Ano service area (down)]
Address: 138-17 Minamiishibashi, Osato Mutsugomachi, TsuCity
TEL: 059-268-1103
Business hours: Weekdays 8:00-17:00 Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays 8:00-18:00 (passport handling hours)
Access: Approximately 5 minutes from Ise Expressway “Geino” IC
Closed: Open all year round
HP: https://sapa.c-nexco.co.jp/sapa?sapainfoid=138

Once you are ready for your trip, head to your next destination. It's a fun start to the day!

About 3 minutes from the Sewataki IC on the Ise Expressway. First stop was ``Kokekokko Republic Yama-eki Yotte-tei''. This restaurant is known for its highly nutritious fertilized eggs laid by free-range chickens. We will have an early lunch here.

I ordered the popular "Tamago Kake Gohan". This menu includes all-you-can-eat freshly laid fertilized eggs, which is the store's specialty! I got greedy and put two eggs on it first. The taste is... Definitely more mellow and delicious than eggs sold at the supermarket! The special soy sauce adds just the right amount of accent, and it's ready to eat in no time.

After lunch, go shopping at the adjacent shop. The store is stocked with a wide variety of products using fertilized eggs, including eggs. I was surprised by the large number of items!

Mayonnaise, curry, yakitori, etc. Lots of products made with chicken and eggs! In addition to these, there are so many original products that I can't list them all, and I'm having a hard time deciding which one to take as a souvenir.

Among them, the one that really caught my attention was the "luxury egg jam (Nihime flavor)". This jam is a novel idea created by a collaboration between KumanoCity 's specialty product ``Nihime'' and free-range eggs. It has a good balance of egg flavor and citrus sweetness, and the taste is addictive.

My stomach was full, I was able to buy souvenirs, and I felt happy. Let's move on to the next location!
I took a quick look at the store managers who kindly showed me around the store. Thank you for the happy time!

[Kokekokko Republic Mountain Station Yottei]
Address: 4409 Nyukomagaya, Taki TakiTown niu-gun
Phone number: 0598-49-3517
Business hours: 10:00-17:00
Access: Approximately 3 minutes from Ise Expressway “Sewataki” IC
Closed: 2nd Tuesday of the month, year-end and New Year holidays
HP: http://kokekokko.jp

About 15 minutes by car from Kokekokko Republic, you will arrive at GokatsuraLake Furusato Village in TakiTown. It is a popular spot with a variety of facilities, including shops and restaurants where you can buy local specialties, a lodge where you can stay, and a barbecue area that can be used by large groups. I immediately headed to my destination, the "Flower and Animal Contact Plaza."

Although it's called a "plaza," it's actually a proper zoo, housing about 50 species, including bears, ostriches, and rabbits. I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of animals I can meet.

The concept is ``a zoo where you can interact with animals up close'' and has a handmade feel to it. It is a spot that is widely loved, especially by locals.

Purchase cabbage feed (100 yen) at the entrance. When I fed the rabbits nearby, everyone gathered around at once. It's cute, but I was a little surprised (sweat)!

Next, I headed towards the ostrich, and it slowly approached me. He has a friendly personality.

Use your long neck to grab the food! This is the first time I've seen your face so close! I'm happy if you eat it deliciously.

Next, go to the "Fluffy Room" where you can interact with small animals such as chicks and hamsters. I also became friends with the very popular capybara. Too cute! !

The last thing that greeted us were sheep and goats. At urban zoos, there are restrictions on the number of people and time, but here you can freely interact with a variety of animals. I learned about the true charm of animals!

There are many farmers growing fruits around GokatsuraLake, so seasonal harvest experiences are also popular. On Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from late June to late August, you can enjoy an all-you-can-eat blueberry picking experience.

In addition, GokatsuraLake Pond Furusato Village is also home to the high school student restaurant `` MagonomiseRestaurant'' which was the subject of a TV drama. On Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays when the restaurant is open, many locals and even people from outside the prefecture visit to enjoy the home-cooked food prepared by high school students.

Click here for the high school student restaurant coverage report! !

I was very satisfied with the opportunity to interact with so many animals in a location rich in nature!

[GokatsuraLake Pond Hometown Village]
Business hours: Varies depending on each facility
("Flower and Animal Contact Plaza" is open from 10:00 to 16:30 *Until 16:00 from November to March)
Closed: 2nd Tuesday of the month, New Year's Day ("Flower and Animal Contact Plaza" is open every Tuesday)
Access: Approximately 6 minutes from Kisei Expressway “Sewataki” IC
Address: 956 Gokatsura, Taki-cho TakiTown
Phone: 0598-39-3860
HP: http://www.furusatomura.taki.mie.jp

It takes about 20 minutes to leave GokatsuraLake Furusato Village and head towards Matsusaka. I was getting a little hungry after interacting with the animals and driving around. Then, I found a building that caught my attention. This is Chikki Doan, a bamboo gallery workshop and coffee shop. I was drawn to the impressive store name and decided to go inside.

The interior of the store has a gentle atmosphere with furniture made of bamboo. Not only the desk and chair, but even the lighting is made of bamboo!

Here you can try the popular baked confectionery "Matsugyu-yaki"! You can't help but smile at the chewy texture of the dough and the red bean paste that goes all the way to the edges. It's also great that there are limited flavors that change monthly, such as Matcha Anya and Apple Anya! No wonder there are so many repeat customers.

This is another signature product, "Matsugyu Yaki Cookies." You can enjoy two types of Matsusaka beef-shaped cookies: one with Matsusaka beef and one with Matsusaka tea mixed in. The difference in each flavor is interesting!

When you go up to the second floor of the store, there is a gallery displaying bamboo works and crafts by local people. A relaxing moment illuminated by the gentle light of bamboo lights. There is also a meeting room next door that can be used freely if reserved, and is a popular place for local interaction.

[Takekidoan]
Address: 1056-5 Ekibeta-cho MatsusakaCity
Phone number: 0598-23-2340
Business hours: 8:30-18:00 *Matsugyuyaki is available from 10:00-18:00, and if sold out, the sale will end before the end of sales time.
Access: Approximately 20 minutes from Ise Expressway “Matsuzaka” IC
Closed: Mondays, New Year holidays
HP: http://www.matsugyuyaki.jp

Next is dinner. Approximately 25 minutes by car from “Takekidoan” to “Matsuyuki Nosan Karakuru Village”. We headed to ``Tori Misoya'' which is popular for its delicious combination of grilled chicken with miso sauce and ``Matsuyuki rice'', our own rice produced in-house. Get excited by the delicious aroma wafting from the storefront!

The interior of the store is spacious and offers a relaxing space. Stretch your legs and relax in the tatami room♪

This is the restaurant's popular menu item, ``Tori Miso Nabe.'' You'll be overwhelmed by the amount of vegetables that almost fall out of the pot! Their signature dish, ``chicken grilled chicken,'' is also juicy, and the flavor of the chicken fills your mouth as soon as you eat it. I feel happy with a full stomach♪

At the confectionery shop ``Shiawaseya'' located across from ``Tori Misoya'', you can purchase cream puffs and chiffon cakes made with eggs from Mie Prefecture. One of the most recommended is this ``Meihime's Juni-Hitoe Baum''. These colorful sweets are inspired by the attire of Saio, the symbol of MeiwaTown. Baumkuchen with four matching flavors - strawberry, makomo, black rice, and plain - is perfect as a souvenir!

[Matsuyuki Nosan Co., Ltd. (Machi-no-Eki Karakura Village)]
Address: 1320 Maeno, Meiwa-cho MeiwaTown
Phone number: 0596-55-3202 (Tori Misoya)
0596-55-3742 (Shiawaseya)
Business hours: 11:00-18:30 *LO 18:00 (Tori Misoya)
10:00-17:00 (Shiawase House)
Access: Approximately 20 minutes from Ise Expressway “Tamaki” IC
Closed: Tuesdays (the next day if it is a public holiday), year-end and New Year holidays
HP: http://matsukounousan.com

Now that we have more delicious souvenirs, this trip is over! I was able to spend a happy day with both my stomach and my heart satisfied.

[Ano service area (inbound)]
Address: 2807-2 anocho TsuCity
TEL: 059-268-1227
Business hours: Weekdays 9:00-18:00, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays 9:00-19:00 (passport handling hours)
Access: Approximately 40 minutes from Ise Expressway “Ise” IC
Closed: Open all year round
HP: https://sapa.c-nexco.co.jp/sapa?sapainfoid=137


*Information as of July 2017. Dates, prices, etc. may have changed, so please check with your contact information before going out.