Roadside Station Lullaby Village Itsuki

In a legendary Heike village deep in the mountains
Take a break from shopping and hot springs.

Itsuki Village is surrounded by 1,000-meter-high mountains in the Kyushu Mountains and was once a "hidden valley" where the Heike Rakunin (a group of samurai who had fallen from the Heike clan) lived in hiding. The village is surrounded by mountains 1,000 meters high in the Kyushu Mountains, and was once a "secluded area" where the Heike warriors lived in hiding. The local produce center also boasts the taste and aroma of a mountain village, including shiitake mushrooms, tsukudani (food boiled in soy sauce and sugar) made from parsley, and Kunebu, a native citrus fruit, and its original processed products. Across the street is a hot spring spa, which features simple, mildly alkaline hot spring water. Currently, the Onsenkan restaurant is closed due to the coronavirus.

Map of Michi no Eki Lullaby no Sato Itsuki

Gourmet Information of Michi no Eki Lullaby no Sato Itsuki

The best place to buy Kunebu products

When I heard the word "Kunebu," I wondered what it was. I tilted my head and wondered. It is a native citrus grown in Itsuki Village, deep in the Kyushu mountains and known for the legend of the fallen Heike warriors. It is rarely distributed in the market, but it has well-balanced acidity, sweetness, and a refreshing aroma. In the village, the production of processed products that take advantage of these characteristics is thriving. At the station, "Kunebu Ponzu", "Kunebu Liqueur", and "Kunebu Roll Cake" made from the fruit juice are sold.

Buy this one too! Mountain sea urchin tofu

The name "mountain" and "sea urchin" seem to be a combination of completely unrelated words, but one bite of the dish will convince you of the name. It is said to be a further development of "tofu marinated in miso," a preserved food said to have been invented by a Heike warrior.
It is said that the fallen warriors who lived in hiding in mountain villages marinated tofu in miso to obtain protein, fearing that the smoke from their cooking would be discovered. Normally, tofu is marinated for about a week, but this mountain sea urchin tofu is a long-aged product that has been slowly marinated for as long as six months. The sticky smoothness and richness of miso goes well with both rice and sake. 648 yen (tax included)

Around Michi no Eki Lullaby no Sato Itsuki

Itsuki Onsen "Yumeuta

I'm proud of this one too.

Hot spring bathhouse at a roadside station. From the open-air bath, the Kawabe River can be seen below, and in front of it are the overlapping mountains. The scene is like a fairyland, surrounded by tranquility and a mysterious atmosphere. Fireflies dance wildly in early summer, and the autumn leaves can be enjoyed in fall. The hot spring water is heated to maintain the proper temperature, and a wood-fired boiler that utilizes waste wood and thinned lumber is used to heat the water. This is an environmentally friendly system that can only be found in this area where forestry is thriving. Adults 400 yen. Simple hot spring.