Roadside Station Kitago opens!

Open October 1, 2023
The 19th roadside station in Miyazaki Prefecture

Michi no Eki Kitago" (Road Station Kitago) opened on October 1 in Kitago Town, located in the northern part of Nichinan City, Miyazaki Prefecture. It is the 19th station in Miyazaki Prefecture, following "Michi no Eki Kushima" and "Michi no Eki Sakeya" and "Michi no Eki Nango" in the same city of Nichinan. It is only five minutes away from the Nichinan Hokugo Interchange on the Higashi-Kyushu Expressway. Surrounded by rice paddies and mountains. The station is a one-story wooden structure, and the warmth of the wood inside the building can be felt from the use of Obi cedar, a local specialty.

Everyone can play together Inclusive playground equipment

First, let's focus on the outdoor playground facilities. A spacious playground zone is located on the right side facing the front of the station. This zone is equipped with "inclusive playground equipment" designed to allow children with and without disabilities to play together in peace. Inclusive" means "all together," and includes wheelchair-accessible playground equipment and a wheelchair-accessible sandbox. It is one of the largest in Kyushu, where parents and their children can relax and spend time with their children. The grassy area between the station and the playground is a multipurpose square that will likely be used for events in the future.

Easy-to-use information center A direct sales shop full of local specialties

The station itself is a rectangular structure with the direct sales counter in the center, the information center on the left, and the restaurant space on the right. The main entrance to the station is the Information Center, a rest and information space. Obi cedar is used in abundance to create a relaxing atmosphere. Pamphlets on local information are available, and visitors can sit at tables or on bench seats with a beverage from the vending machine in hand. It is also an ideal meeting place. The Information Center also has a 24-hour restroom and nursing room, which can be used at any time.
The direct sales counter located in the center of the museum is filled with specialty products of Hokugo Town and Nichinan City. The products range from agricultural, marine, and livestock products to side dishes, boxed lunches, shochu from local breweries, craft beer, and other items, some of which are exclusive to the roadside station or limited to the region. One of the charms of a roadside station is the enjoyment of finding something that can only be bought here.

A bowl of rice topped with a hearty bowl of bonito Rice flour noodle dishes and pizza

There are two restaurants, "Katsuo Specialty Restaurant" and "Muteki" which serves rice-flour noodle dishes. In fact, there is also "Lady Goland", a take-out store for oven-baked pizza in the product center. This time, I ordered the "Katsuo Senmon-don" (1,500 yen including tax) at the "Katsuo Senmon-tei" (Katsuo specialty restaurant), using locally caught bonito. In fact, Nichinan City's "single-head bonito fishing" is a traditional fishing method that has been practiced since the Edo period and is recognized as a "Japan Agricultural Heritage". The "katsuo boat donburi" is a bold dish! The bowl is filled to overflowing with three kinds of bonito: sashimi, tataki, and grilled. The freshness of the fish is evident in the absence of the fishy smell characteristic of bonito. While also looking forward to the spicy noodles made by a long-established rice flour noodle maker with a firm texture and the Neapolitan pizza, I was full from the katsuo boat bowl. These are things you should definitely try at the restaurant.

And finally, let's touch on the charm of the station that is not visible from the front. In fact, behind the direct sales counter is a cooking lab, which can be used for cooking classes and food development. Roadside stations nowadays also play the role of disaster prevention centers, and Michi no Eki Kitago has a stockpile warehouse. In addition to blankets and simple manhole toilets, there is a three-day supply of water and food for 300 people. A safe and secure place, that is the status of Michi no Eki Kitago.