Roadside Station Toyo opens

Opened on March 27, 2021!
Touyo Exchange Center Seseragi becomes "Michi no Eki Touyo" (Road Station Touyo).

Roadside Station Toyo opened in Toyo Town, Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture. It has long been known locally as "Toyo Exchange Center Seseragi. With the Kawamata River and neighboring mountains in the background, it consists of the "Saiteikan" product store, the "Yumeakari" hot spring facility, the "Sanfururu" restaurant, and the "Fururu II" bread and confectionery shop. A tourist information center was also newly established at the opening of the roadside station.
The produce hall sells seasonal vegetables, rice, and fruits from nearby farmers, as well as pickles and side dishes handmade by farm housewives. The store also sells organic tea. The most important specialty is ginger. In fact, Kumamoto Prefecture is the second largest producer of ginger after Kochi Prefecture, and the ginger from Toyo-cho is the representative of Kumamoto ginger. It boasts of its superior quality. For this reason, ginger is used in all of the restaurant menus as well as in the product center. In addition, breads also make full use of ginger, such as ginger kinpira bread (150 yen) and ginger anpan (140 yen for two buns).

And speaking of bread, jam is the most popular jam, and of course, it is additive-free ginger jam (650 yen including tax). The unique stimulation of ginger is suppressed, and with just the right amount of sweetness, it goes perfectly with the bread. It is made in the restaurant's kitchen and is an original product of Michi no Eki. It won the Best Selection Award in 2020 in the Higo Mokkoso Umakamon Grand Prix, a popularity contest for food products in the prefecture conducted by the prefectural federation of commerce and industry. Other products include "Ginger Equation" (1,080 yen), a ginger ale base developed in collaboration with Kumamoto Prefectural University and Yatsushiro Higashi High School, using ginger from Toyo Town. Other items include ginger miso (450 yen), which is all about ginger!

Now, let's not forget the hot springs. Local residents enjoy the mildly alkaline hot springs that smooth their skin from morning. All of the hot spring water is free-flowing, except for the main bathtub in the main bathhouse. There is a mist sauna, an open-air bath, and a kettle bath next to the open-air bath. In addition, there are two family bath rooms with indoor and outdoor baths, and each room costs 1,000 yen for 50 minutes. (A separate bathing fee of 520 yen is charged for the large public bath.) The price is 500 yen on weekdays, and the price is the same for out-of-towners. The sound of the Kawamata River, the greenery of the mountains, and the hot spring water will soothe you. If you take advantage of the "Seseragi Set," which includes a meal at the restaurant and a hot spring bath, you will feel warm from the inside and out⁉
After taking a bath, you can tour around the Edo period stone bridges that Toyo Town is proud of, or visit Tategamikyo, a national scenic beauty spot in the neighboring town. Ishibashi Park, located on the station grounds, is a small but relaxing rest spot.