We have stopped by Roadside Station Kasama in Ibaraki Prefecture on several occasions. The roadside station is conveniently located along one of the main roads leading to and from the city of Kasama. We later learned that there were five parking lots with a total capacity of 403 cars. The design and layout of the roadside station keep traffic flow in mind. A dedicated entrance allowed cars to enter unimpeded.

Kasama City is famous throughout Japan for its local pottery “Kasama Yaki”. While the roadside station is not a retail location for the pottery, they did have a number of pieces on display. Kasama City is also one of the top chestnut producing areas in Japan. Chestnuts are a prominent feature throughout the roadside station.

Roadside Station Kasama Food Court

The food court of the roadside station was absolutely beautiful. Light colored wood flooring, white walls, and good lighting made the space very bright and inviting. The attention to detail was impressive. Even the chairs were in the shape of chestnuts. Unfortunately, we came a little later in the day and all of the chestnut goods from La Kuri were already sold out. We’ll make a point in the future to try them.

There were about half a dozen shops selling a variety of foods and desserts. They have these nice display boards to highlight each of the shops specialties. All orders are put through two vending machines in the center of the eating area. The machines are quite sophisticated and can handle orders from multiple shops.

We ended up going with an order of the yuzu salt ramen with a side of gyoza from Katsuryu and a beef plate from Kasama Farms. For dessert we went with a gelato trio from Gelateria Cowcow. After placing our order we were given small number tickets. The orders had already been sent to the respective shops. We didn’t need to hand anything to the shops. A little while later, our numbers came up and we went to the shop counters to pick up our food.

Roadside Station Kasama Food Review

The food was absolutely delicious. The locally produced beef was tender and had good flavor. The vegetables in the salad were crisp and the tangy vinaigrette had a nice kick to it. The yuzu ramen was wonderful. The yuzu shavings really enhanced the flavor profile of the broth. It was salty with a hint of tangy citrus which was a wonderful combination. The gyoza were crispy on the outside, and nice and juicy on the inside. We would happily order everything again.

For the gelato we tried their mango, chestnut, and strawberry flavors. One nice thing about Japanese gelato is that the flavors are all really lite and subtle. Our favorite was the strawberry.

After finishing up our food, we returned our trays to there respective counters and headed out. In between the food court and local products store there was this nice open area. The covering provided protection from the elements, but was still outside.

Roadside Station Kasama Local Products Store Midori no Kaze

The Local Products Store at Roadside Station Kasama is Midori no Kaze which translates to “Green Wind”. The inside of the store was very modern. Near the entrance way they had a small section for fish and a separate section for potted and cut flowers.

The rest of the store had an extensive supply of fresh produce and other locally produced goods.

Final Thoughts

We’ve enjoyed our time at Roadside Station Kasama in Ibaraki. It’s the perfect example of a modern, well designed rest stop, with many convenient amenities located in one place. Unfortunately, since our home in Mito is so close, we are unlikely to ever spend a night here. If your passing through Kasama, then we highly recommend a stop at Roadside Station Kasama for their delicious food, fresh products, and modern amenities.

More to Come…

Here is the link to their Website.