Dining

Each rest area boasts a host of dining choices: sit-down restaurants, local food stalls, and food courts. There are plenty of delicious things to eat and buy. With local specialties and Japanese classics, getting a meal on the road has never been tastier.

Melonpan

Melonpan is a Japanese sweet bread that looks kind of like a melon, which gives it its name. The Ebina SA (Aichi-bound) Porutagaru (Portugal in Japanese) bakery was put in the Guiness Book of World Records for selling the most sweet bread in 48 hours.

Available:
Tomei Expressways Ebina SA (Aichi-bound)／Hokuriku Expressways Nanjo SA (Niigata and Gifu-bound)
Sakura Shrimp and Shirasu Bowl

Sakura Shrimp and Shirasu (whitebait) are piled high on this local Shizuoka dish. In fact, this seafood bowl is famous thoughout Japan as a Shizuoka specialty.

Available:
Inside Shizuoka prefecture on the Shintomei and the Tomei Expressways
Unadon

The areas around Hamamatsu and Lake Hamana are famous for unadon, grilled unagi (Japanese eel) served on top of a bowl of rice. The unagi is grilled and served covered with a delicious sauce.

Available:
Tomei Expressways Hamanako SA／Shintomei Expressways　Hamamatsu SA (Aichi-bound)
Hida Beef Curry Bread

Hida beef is a famous type of wagyu from the Hida area in Gifu prefecture. It is known for its intense marbling and rich flavor. It is delicous in a wide range of foods, from grilled skewers to curry bread.

Available:
Inside Gifu prefecture on the Meishin, Chuo and Tokai Hokuriku Expressways
Kishimen

Kishimen is a wide thin noodle made in Aichi. Similar to udon, it can be served hot or cold, and is a delicious local specialty that can be found in the Aichi prefecture rest area.

Available:
Inside Aichi prefecture on the Tomei and Meishin Expressways
Gohei Mochi

Gohei mochi is a regional specialty from the central region of Japan. It is grilled mashed rice covered in a rich sauce made with sesame, perilla, soy sauce, and walnuts.

Available:
Inside Gifu prefecture on the Meishin, Chuo and Tokaihokuriku Expressways
Ise Udon

A well-known speciality of Ise city in Mie prefecture, Ise Udon is a special type of udon with extra soft noodles. It is served with a rich sauce mixture of dashi, and tamari soy sauce with green onion on top.

Available:
Inside Mie prefecture on the Higashimeihan and the Ise Expressways
Hoto

Hoto is a noodle soup made with thick-cut noodles stewed with vegetables in miso soup. It is a regional specialty of Yamanashi Prefecture.

Available:
Inside Yamanashi prefecture on the Chuo Expressway
Sanzoku-yaki

Sanzoku-yaki is the local twist on the Japanese fried chicken favorite, Kara-age. Found in the area around Nagano, the chicken is flavored with soy sauce and garlic and then cut and fried into large pieces.

Available:
Inside Nagano prefecture on the Chuo and Nagano Expressways
Sauce Katsudon

Particularly famous in Fukui, this special katsudon is covered with a rich sauce, a special version of Worcestershire sauce that is more concentrated than those commonly found abroad.

Available:
Inside Fukui prefecture on the Hokuriku Expressway
Kanazawa Curry

First made in the city of Kanazawa in Ishikawa prefecture, Kanazawa Curry is a special type of curry that is thicker and richer than regular Japanese curry. It is so thick that it can be eaten with a fork and is usually topped with a fried pork cutlet.

Available:
Inside Ishikawa prefecture on the Hokuriku Expressway
Toyama Black Ramen

In Toyama prefecture you can try black ramen, a unique type of ramen that is made with a special dark soy sauce that turns the broth an inky black.

Available:
Inside Toyama prefecture on the Hokuriku Expressway

Food Court

At most rest areas there is a food court with several vendors from which to choose. It’s a good place to sit down, relax, and eat a meal before heading back onto the road.

1．Save your seat

There is no assigned seating in the food court, so before you order make sure to save enough seats for you and your party.
2．Choose your restaurant

Above each restaurant there are usually pictures showing the types of dishes offered there.
3．Order

At the food court there are two ways to order your food: with a ticket machine or at the counter. Please keep in mind that there are still restaurants that are unable to process credit cards and almost all ticket machines are cash only.
If you purchased your meal ticket from a machine, don't forget to hand it over at the counter.

POINT

If there is more than one person who wants to use the ticket machine please remember to line up in single file. Don't cut in front of people and be careful not to get in other customers’ way while you are waiting in line.
4．Pick up your order

You will be given a pager or a slip of paper with a number on it after you order. Wait for the pager to go off or your number to be called and then go pick up your food.
5．Using the tea dispenser

Most rest areas have a water cooler and/or tea dispenser and paper cups for you to use while you are eating your meal in the food court. Don't forget to throw away the cups!

POINT

Staff would like to remind people not to fill up their personal water bottles at the water cooler and/or tea dispenser.
6．Cleaning up and returning your dishes

Once you have finished eating, put all of your dishes on your tray and take them back to the return counter before you leave.
Use your Japanese! Helpful words and phrases

~~ oh kudasai.

Please give me ~~.

ikura desuka?

How much?

Fast Food

Most rest areas have stalls and outward-facing shops that sell pre-prepared food for people on the go. These fast food establishments often sell things like hot dogs, croquettes, skewers, and ice cream.

1.Choosing your food

Because most of the food is visible from the register, you can always just point at what you want to order.
2.Payment

Unlike the restaurants and food court inside the building, some food stalls only accept cash.
Use your Japanese! Helpful words and phrases

Kore oh kudasai.

Please give me this

Arigato gozaimasu.

Thank you very much

Restaurant

Not all rest areas have space for a sit-down restaurant, but at the ones that do, the restaurants are family-friendly and showcase regional dishes.

1.Seating

The server will guide you to your seats and hand you the menu.
2.Ordering

Choose what you would like from the menu and relax as you wait for your food to be prepared.

For those with dietary restrictions

Allergies
- Shrimp
- Crab
- Egg
- Wheat
- Milk
- Buckwheat
- Peanut
- almond
- Abalone
- Squid
- Salmon roe
- Orange
- Cashew
- Kiwi
- Beef
- Walnut
- Sesame
- Salmon
- Mackerel
- Soybean
- Chicken
- Banana
- Pork
- Matsutake mushroom
- Peach
- Yam
- Apple
- Gelatin
These helpful pictograms have been designed for people with allergies to quickly confirm what is in each menu item. Please refer to this list if you have any allergy or dietary limitations.