Delicious Seasonal Foods! A Visit to Road Station Nankoku Café Resto Furari

Entrance to Café Resto Furari.

  

   Near the Nankoku Interchange can be found the Road Station Nankoku Café Resto Furari, home of a popular Morning Buffet where you can eat tons of fresh vegetables. Furari is registered in “Yasai de Genki-ten PLUS,” a list of shops that provide menu options that prioritize using Kochi local produce.

How to Get Involved with Eat Local

   We introduced a restaurant from Yasai de Genki-ten PLUS in the article above, but here are four more ways to get involved with Eat Local!

 

● Locally Grown Sections—check out the locally grown section of your supermarket, and read food labels.

   There is a section at most supermarkets called the “直販コーナー”(chokuhan kōnā) where locally grown produce is sold. You can read the where the produce was grown and the farmer’s name by looking at the sticker on the bag.

 

● Outdoor Markets—Did you know that there is an outdoor market like Sunday Market every day?
   There are outdoor markets in Kochi City every day of the week except for Monday. The details for the markets other than the famous Sunday Market (loc. Otesuji) are written below.
   Tuesday Market (Kamimachi 4 cho-me & 5 cho-me), Wednesday Market (Hyakkokucho 3 cho-me), Thursday Market (Honmachi 5 cho-me), Friday Market (Atagomachi 1 cho-me), Saturday Market (Ike Park)

 

● Local Marketplaces—find and use local markets at “Road Stations”
   There are “Road Stations” (michi no eki) along highways with large parking lots, restrooms, restaurants, and local goods shops. They also sell local produce, so visit them when out on a drive!

 

● Creating Culture—speak face to face with farmers and spread the word!
   When you talk face to face with the people who grow your food, you learn new things and gain a deeper understanding of food and your region. And by talking to your friends about your experiences,
you can contribute to the spread of Eat Local culture!

Roadside Station Tosa Washi Kogei Mura “QRAUD”

An old preserved storehouse
stands nearby. Inside is a gallery.

   When driving long-distance in Japan, most people make stops at “roadside stations.” That goes to show that there are many roadside stations in this country where you can take a break, shop, eat and gain traffic and tourist information.

Roadside Station Shimanto Towa

This large billboard with the logo attached
 acts as a landmark for the station

   Another roadside station we went to conduct an interview at was “Shimanto Towa,” located in Towa, Shimanto Town. “Shimanto Towa” opened in July of 2007, and currently has about 150,000 visitors annually, which is almost 50 times the population of the town it is located in. With some of the foremost tourist facilities in the area, the appeal of “Shimanto Towa” lies in its proximity to the nationally renowned Shimanto River, as well as in the love and care that has been put into the various local foods from the mountain (chestnuts, tea, etc.) and river (sweetfish, eel, etc.) served by the passionate staff that work there.

Roadside Station Otsuki

   Otsuki Town, located at the most western edge of Shikoku Island, is a treasure trove of nature. The town is famous for its sublime and beautiful scenery of granite and coral, and is considered a mecca of marine sports. Popular experiences are sea cruising, snorkeling and sea kayaking.

Roadside Station Konoka

   Roadside Station Konoka stands along National Road No.194 leading to Saijo City, Ehime Prefecture. It is an excellent station for drivers traveling to Ehime and is also a good starting point for climbers because it is surrounded by the Shikoku mountain range.

Roadside Station Bios Ogata

   Bios Ogata is located in Ukibuchi, Kuroshio Town, and it takes about two and a half hours by car from Kochi City. “Hinataya Market” and “Restaurant Hinataya” are two must-see locations in the roadside station.

Kochi’s other 16 roadside stations

1. Osugi   see map

TEL: 0887-72-1417

Location: Otoyo Town, 15 minutes from Otoyo Interchange.

Characteristics: Near Osugi, one of the oldest trees in Kochi. The udon here is delicious!