Car Camping in Iitaka: 3-Day 2-Night Itinerary with Matsusaka Beef, Hot Springs, and more!

• Table of Contents
• Iitaka Roadside Station’s RV Park: A Car Camping Haven Surrounded by Mountains
• What is Car Camping?
• What Convenient Facilities are Provided at Iitaka Roadside Station?
• Iitaka 3-Day 2-Night Itinerary: Outdoor Activities, Cooking Workshops, and More
• Summary and Visitor Information

Iitaka Roadside Station’s RV Park: A Car Camping
Haven Surrounded by Mountains

Lush mountains surround the tranquil Iitaka region of Matsusaka, Mie Prefecture, where travelers can find the Iitaka Roadside Station right on the crystal clear Kushida River. Like other roadside stations (or michi-no-eki), Iitaka Roadside Station sells an array of fresh, local produce. However, a few key points set this station apart from the others. Along with being one of the few roadside stations in the country with a natural hot spring, Iitaka Roadside Station also provides an RV Park with anything one might need on a road trip, including Wi-Fi, electricity, trash services, and more. With its restaurant serving world-famous Matsusaka beef, this roadside station is a solid all-around destination for those who love outdoor recreation, delicious eats, and a peaceful road trip in the idyllic Japanese countryside!

Today,
we’ll introduce all of the features of the RV Park at Iitaka Roadside Station
in Matsusaka. We’ll also give you a sample itinerary for exploring the Iitaka
region that includes canoeing, hot spring dipping, and walking one of Japan’s
top 100 historic trails. Let’s dive in!

What is Car Camping?

Car
camping is where you travel in a camping car or an RV that’s equipped with a
bed, kitchen, bathroom, and other essential facilities. The main advantage of a
car camping trip is being able to freely adjust your schedule and save on
accommodations. This flexible style of travel is particularly convenient for
those who own pets, have small children, or like outdoor adventures.

Car
camping couldn’t be easier in Japan, where RVs and other camper cars can be
easily rented around the country. Camper cars can be parked in many campsites
and specialized RV parks, like the one Iitaka Roadside Station provides. With
more than 1,000 roadside stations around the country, car campers and travelers
on long trips in Japan can easily access public restrooms, trash facilities,
showers, and any other necessary amenities while on the road.

What Convenient Facilities are Provided at Iitaka
Roadside Station?

The
Iitaka Roadside Station RV Park offers 5 spacious parking spots roughly sized
7.4 meters long and 5.4 meters wide where you can stay in a camper van, small RV,
or even just an ordinary car. You can reserve online beforehand, or if there
are openings, you can even reserve up until 6pm on the day of your intended
stay. If your cell service cuts out, not to worry! You can access free Wi-Fi
inside the station building. A brief summary of the other services provided
here for your stay is written below and available on the website at the end of
this section.

Public
Restrooms

One
public restroom is available 24/7 near the public park with more public
restrooms available inside the Iitaka Roadside Station during open hours. All
restrooms are clean and well-maintained.

Dog
Park

Visitors with pets can use the dog park available
by the station that is separate from the public park. Look out for a gated
section of the lawn.

▲The Iitaka Roadside Station Dog Run is located right
next to the public park.

Electricity
and Charging

Visitors
can use the coin-metered electricity here to power their camper cars and RVs.
At the time of writing, electricity is available at a rate of ￥200 per hour. Visitors can also charge electric vehicles at
designated charging sites in the parking lot.

Trash
Services

Trash
Services are free for visitors staying at the RV Park! Show your online
reservation confirmation at the Iitaka Roadside Station cash register during
opening hours from 9am to 6pm to receive a designated trash bag. Please note
that trash in Matsusaka will only be accepted when contained in the designated
city trash bags.

Food

At the
Iitaka Roadside Station Restaurant, you can try the world-renowned Matsusaka
beef in a variety of noodle or rice-based dishes, as well as a monthly rotating
special and a seasonal special. Everything here is affordable, delicious, and
generously portioned. Stop by during opening hours from 9am to 7pm to try
cuisine unique to Matsusaka!

▲Matsusaka Beef Udon is served with a dashi broth and
tender Matsusaka beef at an affordable price of ￥1,240.

The
Iitaka Roadside Station store also sells local seasonal produce along with
other specialties. It’s a great place to explore regional flavors!

▲Buy local produce from the store to cook into a
nutritious meal in your camper car!

Iitaka
Roadside Station Hot Springs

Iitaka
Roadside Station is one of the few roadside stations in the country with an
attached natural hot spring. Enjoy a dip in the hot springs while breathing in
the calming earthy aroma from the wooden architecture and gazing out over the
translucent Kushida River. Inside you’ll find 11 types of baths, including an
herbal bath that rotates herb types every week and a full lay-down bath. The
men’s and women’s sections are switched every day, so come in at least twice on
an even and an odd day to try every type of bath!

▲The Iitaka Roadside Station Hot Springs has 11 types
of baths to suit your relaxation needs.

You can
view a more detailed summary of the Iitaka Roadside Station RV Park information
at the link below:

https://www.kurumatabi.com/park/rvpark/1170.html
(Japanese)

Iitaka 3-Day 2-Night Itinerary: Outdoor Activities,
Cooking Workshops, and More

There
are plenty of things you can do in and around the Iitaka Roadside Station while
you’re here! Below is a sample itinerary for spending a full day in the area
before continuing your road trip.

Day 1

-       Afternoon:
Arrive at Iitaka Roadside Station and check-in online. Feel free to use the
free Wi-Fi in the building.

-       Evening: Have
dinner nearby, or take a dip in the hot springs inside the station! The
restaurant inside Iitaka Roadside Station closes at 7pm and nearby restaurants
and small stores close early, so make sure to plan accordingly.

Day 2

-       Morning: Have
breakfast nearby at Vtwincafe, or cook something of your own in your camping
car.

-       Late
Morning to Afternoon:
You have a wide range of activities available to you! If you make
a reservation in advance, you can go on a canoeing tour with isierra or a take
a soba-making workshop at the Iitaka Roadside Station. You can walk the
historical Mezurashitoge Pass trail nearby, which is listed as one of country’s
best 100 historical walks, or swim nearby in the Kushida River!

-       Lunch/Dinner:
You can purchase some local produce from Iitaka Roadside Station to cook with,
or choose to eat at the Iitaka Roadside Station or any other restaurants
nearby.

-       Evening:
Relax in the Iitaka Roadside Station hot springs!

Day 3

-       Morning:
Have breakfast and check-out. Onwards to your next destination!

You can read more about what it’s like to make
soba, canoe in the Kushida River, or walk the historical Mezurashitoge Pass at
Iitaka Roadside Station at the links below! A summary of reservation
information is also included below at the end of this article.

▼Learn to
Make Soba Noodles at Iitaka Roadside Station!

▼Refresh
yourself in the great outdoors! " MEZURASHI mountain pass Walking" in
Matsusaka City, Mie Prefecture

▼Summer
Fun in Matsusaka: Swim, Canoe, and Camp in the Kahada Valley!

Summary and Visitor Information

lIf you’re
going on an RV or car camping trip, why not stay at the Iitaka Roadside Station
RV Park? There you can explore the historical nature path, try world-class
Matsusaka beef, learn to make soba from scratch, or relax at the hot springs.
The Iitaka Roadside Station is the perfect stop whether you’re driving through
from Nara or from Matsusaka!

Make
sure to check out the information below about the facilities and offerings at
Iitaka Roadside Station and make necessary reservations in advance. Happy car
camping!

Iitaka Roadside Station

【Address】177 Iitakacho Miyamae, Matsusaka, Mie, Japan, 515-1502

【Hours】The store is open 9am-6pm. Opening hours for other facilities inside
the station may differ, with some listed below. *Closed every Wednesday, and closed
from Dec 31st to Jan 1st.

【Website】(Japanese) https://www.iitakaeki.com/

*Check
the website for updated information on hours, reservations, and more.

Iitaka
Roadside Station Restaurant

【Hours】9am-7pm. Last orders at 6:30pm. *Closed every Wednesday, and closed
from Dec 31st to Jan 1st.

【Website】(Japanese) https://www.iitakaeki.com/facilities/category/restaurant/

RV
Park

【Check-in/out】Check-in and check-out are done online. You can access free Wi-Fi
near the Iitaka Roadside Station front desk. Check-in is from 11am-11:30pm, and
check-out is any time until 10am.

【Website】

Official
website information, including reservation links (Japanese): https://www.iitakaeki.com/facilities/category/rvpark/

RV Park
Details, with pictures of available facilities (Japanese):

https://www.kurumatabi.com/park/rvpark/1170.html

【Reservations】Make reservations online in advance, or reserve same-day until 6pm,
at the following link. https://web.rv-park.jp/spaces/detail/66

【Pricing】￥2,500 per vehicle per night.

Soba
making

【Hours】10am – 3pm. *Closed every Wednesday, and closed between Dec 31st to
Jan 1st.

【Website】(Japanese) https://www.iitakaeki.com/facilities/category/class/

【Reservations】Recommended. Call the Roadside Station front desk.

【Time】About 2 hours (1 hour to make the noodles, 1 hour to cook and eat)

【Number of
people】1 person and up. Max 9 for walk-ins. Call for larger
groups.

【Pricing】Price is by batch of dough and number of people. Max 3 people/1
batch. Per Batch of Dough: 1 person/￥2,500, 2 people/￥3,800, 3 people/￥5,100

Iitaka
Roadside Station Hot Springs

【Hours】10am – 8pm.

【Website】(Japanese) https://www.iitakaeki.com/facilities/category/spa/

【Pricing】￥870 for adults, ￥630 for people with disabilities
and people 65 years or older, ￥490 for children from
ages 4 to 12 years. All children 3 and under can enter free of charge. See the
website for information on discounts for pre-paid cards for 10 visits.

*Please
note that tattoos are not allowed inside the hot springs.

Mezurashitoge Pass Historic Trail

【Website】(Japanese) https://www.iitakaeki.com/sightseeing/category/walking/

【Map】https://www.iitakaeki.com/cwp/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/mezurashimap202210.pdf

Vtwincafe (Nearby café
serving breakfast)

【Address】179-1 Iitaka-cho Miyamae, Matsusaka, Mie, Japan, 515-1502

【Hours】7am-4pm *Closed every Tuesday.

isierra (Canoeing tours)

【Website】(Japanese) https://i-sierra.com/

【Reservations】Required. Reserve through the website.

【Time
and Place】Canoeing is offered Saturdays and Sundays
only. Morning sessions are 9:30am-11:30am. Afternoon sessions are 1pm-3pm. Participants
meet at Iitaka Roadside Station.

【Pricing】￥3,000+ for small children, ￥5,500+ for
elementary-aged children, ￥7,000+

for all
other participants, and ￥3,000 per dog. Cash and PayPay
only. Check the website for updated details.

【Participation】Participation is limited to 2-5 people per group. Participants must
be between ages 3 and 75. Small children must be accompanied by a guardian.

Find
about more destinations for your car camping trip in Matsusaka at the links
below!

▼4
recommended natural spots in Matsusaka City , Mie Prefecture for those who want
to refresh themselves

▼A day
trip plan to visit historical spots in Matsusaka City , Mie Prefecture