A Memorable Stop for Travelers
Shops, a handmade bakery, traditional restaurants, and other dining facilities are arranged around a central courtyard. Visitors can also enjoy a free footbath, along with freshly made ice cream and yogurt from the station’s dedicated workshop.
Next to the station, the Gujo Shunsaikan Yamato Morning Market sells fresh vegetables and other seasonal produce supplied by local farmers.
The nearby Yamato Onsen Yasuragikan offers natural hot springs and a variety of bathing experiences, including jet baths, salt saunas, and buoyant baths. Travelers can also stay at the adjacent Fairfield by Marriott Gifu Gujo, making the area a convenient base for exploring the region.
Preserving the Spirit of Japanese Poetry
The name Kokin Denju no Sato Yamato reflects its mission to preserve and share the history and culture of waka poetry. The name evokes the tradition of transmitting knowledge about the Kokin Wakashu, a celebrated imperial anthology of Japanese poetry compiled in the early Heian period.
Alongside its tourist information services and shops selling regional specialties, the station features a free footbath, restaurants serving local cuisine, and workshops producing ice cream and yogurt. These facilities make it a place where visitors can enjoy both cultural discovery and relaxation.
Sample Gujo’s Local Flavors
At Kohirudokoro Kaniha Sakura, visitors can enjoy dishes made with ayu sweetfish from the Gujo area. One of the highlights is salt-grilled ayu, slowly cooked over charcoal at a distance from the flames to bring out its natural flavor.
The fish is sourced from fresh catches made by anglers along the Nagara River. During the Obon holiday season in mid-August, as many as 600 fish may be grilled each day, reflecting the dish’s popularity. Salt-grilled ayu is available throughout the year, allowing visitors to enjoy this regional specialty beyond the summer season.
Freshly Baked Bread and Traditional Home-Style Cooking
Kahana Grass Handmade Bakery is known for its crusty breads and loaves of shokupan, a soft Japanese-style bread. The bread is made from scratch, starting with flour, and has attracted many loyal customers, including visitors from outside Gifu Prefecture.
For traditional Gujo home-style cooking, visit Aguri. Its menu includes barley rice topped with grated yam, hoba miso—a regional dish of miso grilled on a magnolia leaf—and gohei mochi, grilled rice cakes coated with a savory-sweet sauce.
Seasonal Scenery and Cultural Exhibitions
The central courtyard provides a pleasant setting in which to appreciate the changing seasons. Flowers and greenery bring color to the grounds, while a gallery displays photographs and paintings of plants and flowers.
Shops and restaurants featuring local products from Gujo and the wider Gifu region allow visitors to discover the area’s food culture while enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of Yamato.
Michishiru: Discover Unique Local Products
Michishiru is a regional specialty shop featuring distinctive products that reflect the character of the local community. Its selection includes honey made by a local resident, game-meat products, and sweets from nearby pastry shops.
One notable brand is Smile Tail, which makes pet food and dog chews from locally harvested deer. By making use of locally sourced game, these products also attract interest for their approach to reducing waste and making better use of regional resources.
Gujo Shunsaikan: A Large Morning Market
Gujo Shunsaikan is a substantial farmers’ market that gathers agricultural products from approximately 200 farms across the Gujo area. Visitors can shop for fresh seasonal vegetables and fruit, as well as locally grown rice.
The selection varies throughout the year and may include grapes, pears, and daikon radishes from the Hiru-ga-no Highlands. The market offers an excellent opportunity to discover the agricultural abundance of the region and purchase produce directly connected to local farming communities.
A Free Footbath for Relaxation
A free footbath supplied with natural hot-spring water is available within the roadside station. Its distinctive mosaic wall mural gives the space a colorful appearance, while the warm water provides a pleasant way to relax after a long drive or a day of sightseeing.
Visitors can soak their feet and take a break in a peaceful setting before continuing their journey through Gifu Prefecture.
Regional Specialties and Popular Souvenirs
Roadside Station Kokin Denju no Sato Yamato offers a wide range of local products. Popular choices include Motai iburi tofu, a traditional smoked tofu known for its concentrated flavor, as well as handmade Kototoi yogurt and locally produced ice cream.
These distinctive products make excellent souvenirs and offer visitors a taste of the region’s food traditions to enjoy after their trip.
Shops and Restaurants Around the Relaxation Plaza
Yutaka no Ichi: Local Products and Souvenirs
Yutaka no Ichi sells regional specialties and souvenirs from across Gifu Prefecture. One of its popular products is the station’s original keichan, a local chicken dish seasoned with a savory sauce. Special discounts are offered on the 20th of each month, designated as Keichan Day.
Kohirudokoro Kaniha Sakura
This casual dining spot specializes in dishes featuring Gujo ayu. Visitors can enjoy salt-grilled sweetfish prepared over a traditional charcoal hearth, along with carefully selected ramen and other light meals.
Michishiru
Michishiru aims to help visitors create memorable experiences of Gujo through products that reflect the area’s character. Its selection includes regional specialties and locally made goods that are not always easy to find elsewhere.
Free Footbath
The station’s free footbath uses natural hot-spring water and features a distinctive mosaic mural. It offers a relaxing break for travelers wishing to unwind before continuing their journey.
Shikisai Restaurant Ogatama
Shikisai Restaurant Ogatama offers a comfortable dining environment with a wood-burning stove in winter and open-air terrace seating when the weather is pleasant. Guests can enjoy a monthly changing healthy lunch menu, as well as Japanese-style and Western-style morning meals.
Natsutsubaki Noodle Restaurant
Natsutsubaki serves casual dishes centered on udon and soba noodles. One of its signature dishes is soy milk and Gujo miso udon, made with locally produced miso. This hearty combination of flavors is particularly recommended by the staff.
Kahana Grass Handmade Bakery
The bakery fills the air with the aroma of freshly baked bread. Popular items include walnut and raisin bread and shokupan, a soft Japanese-style loaf. Its handmade products have earned a loyal following, attracting customers from both within and outside Gifu Prefecture.
Aguri: Traditional Home-Style Cuisine
Aguri serves traditional dishes inspired by the home cooking of Gujo. Popular choices include barley rice with grated yam, hoba miso, and gohei mochi, offering a taste of the area’s familiar and comforting regional flavors.
Gallery Medoni Kezuri-bana
This multipurpose gallery hosts group exhibitions, solo exhibitions, workshops, study sessions, and other educational activities. Visitors can enjoy displays of flower photography and botanical paintings while exploring the cultural side of the roadside station.
Yamato Onsen Yasuragikan
Yamato Onsen Yasuragikan is a hot-spring facility designed around the concept of playful and varied bathing experiences. Visitors can enjoy a selection of baths and relaxation facilities, including jet baths, salt saunas, and buoyant baths.
A Distinctive Japanese-Style Hot-Spring Experience
Yasuragikan, also associated with the name Kototoi no Yu, combines modern comfort with architectural inspiration from traditional Japanese palace-style buildings. Its name draws on the beauty of classical Japanese poetry, giving the facility a cultural atmosphere alongside its bathing facilities.
The bathing areas have two themes: Kinuginu no Koi, evoking the poignant moment when lovers part at dawn, and Ayamegusa, offering another distinctive bathing atmosphere. The two themed areas alternate between men’s and women’s use each week, giving visitors a different experience depending on when they visit.
Shops and Dining at Yamato Onsen
Kokon Tozaiya Gift Shop
Kokon Tozaiya offers a wide selection of Gujo specialties and regional products. It is a convenient place to browse local souvenirs and discover items that reflect the area’s distinctive character.
Restaurant Yamaboshi
Restaurant Yamaboshi serves a variety of dishes, including udon, soba, and ramen, as well as meals prepared with seasonal ingredients. It is a convenient option for visitors looking for a satisfying meal during their visit to the hot-spring facility.
Themed Bathing Areas: Ayamegusa and Kinuginu no Koi
The bathing areas at Yasuragikan feature two distinct themes. Kinuginu no Koi includes an outdoor bath with a slippery-slide feature, while Ayamegusa features a waterfall element. The men’s and women’s bathing areas switch weekly, allowing guests to enjoy different facilities on different visits.
Location and Access
Yamato Onsen Yasuragikan is located within Roadside Station Kokin Denju no Sato Yamato, along Prefectural Route 317, approximately 300 meters from National Route 156. The site also has a free footbath supplied with natural hot-spring water, making it easy to combine a relaxing soak with a stop for food, shopping, and sightseeing.