We stopped by Roadside Station Sun Pearl in Kumamoto after our long trip to Kuratake Shrine. It was around lunch time, so we decided to stop at Roadside Station Sun Pearl. Like many of the roadside stations in the area, it was located on the coast and right off of National Route 266.

There was a good amount of car parking and a separate area for buses and trucks. The flow of traffic was smooth since the main entrance and exit did not have a traffic light.

Roadside Station Sun Pearl Restaurant

The restaurant was located inside the main building next to the local products store. The restaurant was pretty busy, so we wrote our name down on the waiting list and took a seat on some benches. We looked at the menu, while we waited for our number to be called.

The menu consisted primarily of sashimi seafood dishes with a couple of tempura, katsu, curry, and udon dishes. Their special was called the Sun Pearl Bowl, and only 20 of them would be served per day. A short time later, our number was called. We were led into the restaurant and asked to order from a vending machine. The Sun Pearl Bowl was still listed on the vending machine, so we asked the receptionist and were excited to learn that it was still available. We ordered one Sun Pearl Bowl and a tempura set.

Our food came out a little later. The Sun Pearl Bowl did not disappoint. The variety and quality of the fish was impressive. Our favorite was the red snapper. The tempura was good as well. It was crispy on the outside and the vegetables were tender on the inside. We appreciated the variety of pickled vegetables that were included. They added some nice texture and contrasting flavors. We would come back again.

One unique feature of the roadside station was its robust floral selection. Due to the areas temperate climate, flowers were produced year round. There was a vendor outside selling a variety of greenery and flowers.

Roadside Station Sun Pearl Local Products Store

The local products section of the roadside station had an impressive selection of citrus. We really liked how each of the blue crates was labeled with the name of the farmer who produced them. The local products store was a great way for tourists to support local farmers. It was nice being able to see exactly who we were supporting. Best of all, the citrus was very affordable. We picked up a couple of bags before heading out.

The roadside station and area was known for “Mihaya”, their local citrus hybrid. It was registered as a variety in 2014 and was known for being slightly sour and juicy.

We learned later that the roadside station was known for their plum pork meat. Plum pork meat was produced by feeding plum extract to the pigs. The characteristics of the extract insured that antibiotics and fungicides were not needed. This results in good marbling and a higher concentration of linoleic acid which helps reduce cholesterol. We’ll be sure to try some of it the next time we come.

Final Thoughts

We enjoyed out time at Roadside Station Sun Pearl in Kumamoto. The roadside station had a nice cool ocean breeze and the air was crisp. The seafood was fresh and the citrus was very affordable. We could see ourselves spending a night here in the car if we had to. Our biggest concern would have been privacy as the roadside station was located right on the well travelled National Route 266.

More to Come…

Here is the link to their website.