If you're planning a road trip in Japan, make the most of the service areas (SAs) and parking areas (PAs) along the highways. Each service area has its own unique charm, offering local specialties for sale and restaurants serving regional delicacies. This means you can enjoy local specialties without having to leave the expressway.

This article introduces recommended dishes at service areas in Central Japan.

Top 10 Food Selections

Hatcho Miso Vegetable Ramen (¥1,100) – Okazaki SA (Tokyo and Nagoya-bound), Aichi

Miso flavors vary by region in Japan, and Aichi’s signature red miso is known for its rich taste and deep brown color. One of the most famous red miso brands is Hatcho Miso from Okazaki City, Aichi.

At Okazaki SA (Tokyo and Nagoya-bound), the popular menu item is Hatcho Miso Vegetable Ramen, featuring Hatcho miso and a generous portion of locally grown Okazaki vegetables. The rich miso soup creates an exquisite harmony with smooth noodles and crisp vegetables.

Located on the Shin-Tomei Expressway, Okazaki SA is a convenient stop when traveling between Nagoya, Shizuoka, and Tokyo. Be sure to take a break here and enjoy an authentic taste of Aichi.

Miso Katsu Rice Bowl with Mini Kishimen Set (¥1,150) / Toyota Kamigo SA (Nagoya-bound) / Aichi Prefecture

When it comes to Nagoya cuisine, miso katsu pork cutlet and kishimen noodles are classics. This set allows you to enjoy both at once. The combination of crispy fried pork cutlet topped with rich miso sauce and refreshing kishimen noodles remains delicious until the last bite.

Toyota Kamigo SA (Nagoya-bound) on the Tomei Expressway is a service area you'll pass when heading to Nagoya from Tokyo or Shizuoka. Here, you can get an early taste of Nagoya cuisine. From here, it's about a 30-minute drive to the popular tourist destination "Ghibli Park." It's recommended to have a good meal here before entering the park.

Takayama Ramen (¥850) / Nagaragawa SA (Kanazawa/Takayama-bound) / Gifu Prefecture

Takayama Ramen is a specialty of the Hida-Takayama area. It features thin, firm noodles in a clear soy sauce-based broth, topped with flavor-infused chashu pork—a light yet flavorful dish. This Takayama Ramen is the most popular dish at Nagaragawa SA, with homemade chashu pork being the key to its delicious taste.

Nagaragawa SA (Kanazawa/Takayama-bound) on the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway is located on the way from Nagoya to Takayama. Nearby are Seki City, famous for cutlery, and Mino City, known for Mino washi paper. Consider taking a break here to enjoy the local cuisine and sightseeing before heading to Takayama or Shirakawa-go.

Seared Hida Beef Rice Bowl (¥2,480)– Seki SA (Nagoya/Osaka-bound), Gifu

Hida Beef, raised in the Hida region, is one of Japan’s top-tier wagyu varieties, prized for its exceptional marbling and flavor. At Seki SA(Nagoya/Osaka-bound), you can enjoy a luxurious bowl of seared Hida Beef, where the meat is lightly grilled to enhance its umami.

Seki SA is conveniently located halfway between Nagoya and the historic villages of Takayama and Shirakawa-go. It's the perfect place to indulge in premium Hida Beef one more time before heading home. The area is also famous for its high-quality cutlery, with local knives and nail clippers available as souvenirs.

Gohei Mochi Set Meal (¥1,400) – Enakyo SA (Tokyo/Nagano-bound), Gifu

Gohei mochi is a local dish loved in the mountainous areas of Central Japan. It features mashed rice formed around skewers, coated with miso or soy sauce-based glaze, and grilled until the outside is crispy while the inside remains fluffy. The Gohei Mochi Set Meal at Enakyo SA includes fragrant gohei mochi, mini soba noodles, pickles, and dessert, allowing you to enjoy various Japanese flavors at once.

Enakyo SA (Tokyo/Nagano-bound) is located on the Chuo Expressway connecting Nagoya and Nagano Prefecture. About 30 minutes further, you can access the historic post towns of Magome-juku and Tsumago-juku, popular with international visitors, as well as Achi Village, known for Japan's most beautiful starry skies.

Sauce Katsu Rice Bowl (¥930) – Komagatake SA (Tokyo/Nagano-bound), Nagano

Komagane Sauce Katsu Rice Bowl, a local specialty of Komagane City in Nagano Prefecture, consists of rice topped with fresh shredded cabbage, thick fried pork cutlet, and special sauce. The version sold at Komagatake SA uses branded pork that is tender and juicy, pairing perfectly with the original sauce. This hearty and reasonably priced dish has become a signature menu item at the service area.

From Komagatake SA (Tokyo/Nagano-bound) on the Chuo Expressway, it's about another hour's drive to the famous tourist destination, Matsumoto City. Matsumoto is home to Matsumoto Castle, one of Japan's five national treasure castles. Take a break at Komagatake SA before continuing your journey!

Komagatake Shinano-ji Yuzen (¥1,570) / Komagatake SA (Nagoya/Osaka-bound) / Nagano Prefecture

If you want to enjoy multiple Nagano local specialties at once, the Komagatake Shinano-ji Yuzen at Komagatake SA (Nagoya/Osaka-bound) is recommended. This set includes claypot rice with Alps salmon, Sanzoku Yaki (Nagano-style fried chicken) made with Nagano's branded Fukumi chicken, zaru soba noodles, Nozawana pickles (a vegetable mainly produced in Nagano Prefecture), and fruit kanten jelly. It's a menu that lets you fully experience Nagano's cuisine.

Komagatake SA (Nagoya/Osaka-bound) is on the expressway heading from Nagano Prefecture toward Nagoya. Not only can you enjoy local cuisine one last time before leaving Nagano, but you can also purchase various souvenirs made with Nagano's famous apples, such as apple pie.

Tonteki Set Meal (¥1,450) / Gozaisho SA (Nagoya-bound) / Mie Prefecture

At Gozaisho SA (Nagoya-bound) on the Higashi-Meihan Expressway, the recommended dish is the signature Tonteki Set Meal. Tonteki is a dish of thick slices of pork cooked until juicy, topped with a rich sauce and garlic, and served with fresh cabbage. Its rich aroma and flavor are sure to stimulate your appetite.

Gozaisho SA (Nagoya-bound) also offers a wide selection of souvenirs from Mie Prefecture, including Ise's famous sweet, Akafuku. It's a good place to purchase souvenirs before returning to Nagoya. Near Gozaisho SA, there are many attractive tourist spots, including Gozaisho Ropeway, famous for autumn foliage, and the factory night view of Yokkaichi.

Noto Pork Steak Kanazawa Curry (¥1,400) / Amagozen SA (Niigata/Takayama-bound) / Ishikawa Prefecture

Kanazawa Curry is a specialty of Ishikawa Prefecture, featuring a hot pork cutlet served on dark, rich curry, topped with cutlet sauce and shredded fresh cabbage. The Noto Pork Steak Kanazawa Curry at Amagozen SA (Niigata/Takayama-bound) uses premium pork from Ishikawa Prefecture and offers a choice of five different curry flavors, from medium-spicy to mild. It's the most popular menu item in the service area's food court.

Amagozen SA (Niigata/Takayama-bound) is on the way from Nagoya to Toyama or Kanazawa. This service area is known for its scenic views, as it faces the Sea of Japan, allowing you to enjoy beautiful ocean scenery while dining. Additionally, you can purchase Toyama specialties like trout sushi here, which you can take away to enjoy in your car when you get hungry.

Kanazawa Oden Set Meal (¥850) / Tokumitsu PA (Maibara/Obama-bound) / Ishikawa Prefecture

Kanazawa Oden is one of Ishikawa Prefecture's local dishes, simmered in a clear broth with plenty of local ingredients. As the ingredients absorb the broth, their flavor intensifies. The Kanazawa Oden Set Meal at Tokumitsu PA (Maibara/Obama-bound) includes various ingredients such as daikon radish, chikuwa fish cake, Kanazawa's specialty car-fu (wheat gluten), and akamaki (red fish cake), served with white rice and miso soup. It's a light and healthy dish.

Tokumitsu PA (Maibara/Obama-bound) is close to the Sea of Japan, with stairs providing access to enjoy the sea and beach. It's also famous for its beautiful sunsets.

3 Dessert Selections

Shachihoko Soft Serve (¥650) – Toyota Kamigo SA (Tokyo-bound), Aichi

The kinshachi (golden shachihoko) is a mythical creature with a tiger's head and fish's body that adorns the roof of Nagoya Castle and serves as its symbol. At Toyota Kamigo SA (Tokyo-bound), they sell a cute dessert called Shachihoko Soft Serve, which consists of a kinshachi-shaped pastry filled with sweet bean paste and topped with ice cream. It's visually appealing and perfect for social media photos!

Mont Blanc Soft Serve with Japanese Chestnuts (¥700) / Enakyo SA (Nagoya/Osaka-bound) / Gifu Prefecture

Mont Blanc Soft Serve with Japanese Chestnuts is a popular sweet at Enakyo SA (Nagoya/Osaka-bound), featuring Hida milk ice cream from Gifu Prefecture topped with one and a half kuri-kinton (sweet chestnut paste) piped fresh on the spot. Kuri-kinton is a traditional Japanese sweet from Gifu Prefecture, and this dessert beautifully combines traditional Japanese ingredients with Western-style desserts. It has a soft, smooth texture that showcases the quality of the ingredients.

Ise Tea Soft Serve (¥450) / Gozaisho SA (Osaka/Ise-bound) / Gifu Prefecture

Ise tea from Mie Prefecture is known as one of Japan's finest teas, with a rich aroma and consistent flavor and fragrance even after multiple extractions. The Ise Tea Soft Serve popular at Gozaisho SA (Osaka/Ise-bound) generously uses this Ise tea. With a slight bitterness and not too sweet, it offers a rich, deep flavor that appeals to adults.

Wrap-up

A road trip in Japan can be enjoyable not just for the tourist destinations but for the drive itself. Service areas on expressways sell regional specialties and delicious food, adding another level of enjoyment to your drive. Since many dishes can only be experienced at these service areas, next time you take a road trip in Japan, be sure to stop at several service areas to enjoy the delicious local cuisine.