The Motorhome Diaries
  • Welcome to our Diaries
  • About us
  • Where have we been?
  • Uzbekistan
  • Iran
  • Snapshots from our travels
  • Argentina
  • Bulgaria
  • Czech Republic
    • Adršpach Teplice Rocks
    • Český Ràj
    • Prague
    • Český Krumlov
    • Telč
    • Olomouc
    • Štramberk
    • Motorhoming tips
  • Belgium & Holland
  • Croatia
  • Denmark and the Baltic States
    • Denmark
  • Estonia
    • Tallinn
    • Soomaa National Park
    • Laheema National Park
    • Narva
    • Puhtitsa Convent
    • Lake Peipsi
    • Saaremaa Island
  • Hungary
    • Introduction to Hungary
    • Saraspotok
    • Tokaj
    • Hortogbagy
    • Budapest
    • Tiszafured
    • Eger
    • Motorhoming tips
  • Italy
  • Japan - the cheaper way
  • Japan 2014
    • Food
    • Izu Penninsula
    • Temples & Shrines
    • Our vehicle
    • Tokyo
    • Western Honshū
    • Michi no Eki
    • Central Honshū
    • Matsumoto
    • Kyoto
  • Japan 2016
    • Tokyo 2016
    • Nikko
    • Waterfalls & Lakes
    • Snow Monkeys
    • Matsushima Bay & Ishimomaki
    • Mount Myogi
    • Gorges
    • The Japan Alps
    • Dewa Sanzan
    • Oga Peninsula
    • Zenkō-ji >
      • Japan 2016 blog
      • Tips for Japan
      • France >
        • Aires de service
        • Mont St Michel
        • La Venise Verte
        • WW1 sites
        • Burgundy
        • Cycling the Burgundy Voie Verte
        • Chateaux
        • Cycling around Lac de Liez
        • Mirepoix
        • The Camargue
        • Minerve
        • Carcassonne
        • Blois
        • Millau
    • Obuse
  • Lithuania
    • Klaipeda
    • Haapsalu
    • Vilnius
    • Hill of Crosses
  • Latvia
    • Riga
    • Jurmela
  • Morocco Introduction
    • Morocco
    • Morocco slide show
  • New Zealand 2012
    • New Zealand - Highlights
    • More New Zealand pix
    • Practical Tips for NZ Motorhoming
  • Poland
    • Krakov
    • Zakopane
    • Salt Mine
  • Portugal - an introduction
    • Wintering in Portugal >
      • Terra da Maio Azinhal 2015
      • Pulo do Lobo
      • International Zip wiring
      • Vaqueiros Hot Bread and Fresh Cheese Fair
      • Querença Sausage Festival
      • Algarve Markets
      • Loulé Carnaval
      • Armaceo de Pera
      • Aveiro
      • Bragança
      • Camping on the Douro River
      • Citania de Briteiros -Celtic settlement
      • Elvas
      • Evora
      • Lisbon
      • Monsaraz
      • Obidos
      • Porto
    • Tavira
  • Romania
  • Slovenia
    • Introduction
    • Bled
    • Bohinj
    • Vintgar Gorge
  • Slovakia
    • Introduction to Slovakia
    • Spiss Castle
    • Dreveny artikularny kostol
    • Wooden Churches
    • Vlkolinec
    • Motorhoming tips
  • Spain
    • Cadiz
    • Salamanca
    • Burgos
    • Segovia
    • Santillana del Mar
    • Santiago de Compostella
    • Cordoba
    • Torcal de Antequera
    • Barcelona
    • Guadix
    • Italica
    • Monfrague
    • Trujillo
    • The Alhambra
    • Ebro Delta
    • Seville
  • Turkey
    • Istanbul
    • Hattusas & Yazilikaya
    • Cappadocia
    • Mount Nemrut
    • Sanliurfa
    • Harran's beehive houses
    • Eastern Mediterranean
    • Aspendos
    • Olimpos
    • Myra
    • Saklikent Gorge
    • Pamukkale & Hieropolis
    • Ephesus
    • Bergama
    • Trip Home & Conclusion
  • Birdwatching
  • Contact Us
  • Comments
Picture
PictureMarine Town Ito
Once in Japan we discovered that michi no eki or roadside stations  are plentiful, free and very safe. There is plenty of parking, clean toilets, often there is a restaurant and usually there is a shop selling fresh fruit and veg and local handicrafts, rather like a farmers market. There is no electric hook up though. They differ from european service stations in that they do not sell petrol. 

Some were near tourist attractions, others relatively quiet spots. Our iPad that came with the van had an app that showed the location of these rest stations and would direct us there.

We never came across a campsite other than signs to the odd field where  tents could pitch in the summer. We saw a few local motorhomes and they were always on these road stations too which gave us the impression that the serviced campsites so familiar in europe either don't exist or are rare in Japan, there certainly were not many motorhomes.

Picture
Michi no eki at Ito Marine Town
Picture
Michi no Eki at Spa complex at Namerikawa
Picture
Michi no eki sites in a small area of Honshū
Picture
An indication of just how many rest stations there are in Japan
Picture
We hired our campervan for a month and most of the time we parked on these road stations  and had no problems whatsoever. 
We established that many Japanese use these parking spots to overnight in their cars and it was not unusual to find a family in the toilet block in the morning cleaning their teeth. What impressed us was how enterprising people were when overnighting in saloon cars never mind estates or people carriers.


Picture
Fishermans Wharf
Click on one of these links to go to another page:
Japan Introduction
Our vehicle
Tokyo
Izu Peninsula
Central Honshū
Western Honshū
Kyoto
Shrines & Temples

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