Experience Tranquility and History at Ryozen Takeyama Roadside Station in Nakanojo, Gunma
Ryozen Takeyama Roadside Station – A Quiet Moment in History
I made a little stop at “Ryozen Takeyama Roadside Station” in Nakanojo Town, Gunma Prefecture.
There’s a charming soba restaurant called Keyaki with a traditional thatched roof, and I really wanted to try their handmade soba noodles… but alas, I was too early and they weren’t open yet 😭
They serve a super limited dish called Choei Soba, inspired by a famine relief book written by the 19th-century doctor and scholar Choei Takano. It’s made with soba and potatoes – only 20 servings per day!
Their noodles are freshly ground, kneaded, and boiled on-site.
If you’re ever in the area, you have to give it a try! (Okay, I didn’t get to eat it myself... but it looked amazing! 😂)
I did grab some 100% buckwheat soba from the market shop! They were grinding the flour right there in the store — now that’s fresh✨
Right across from the station is Chikato Shrine (pronounced Chi-ka-to).
Surrounded by towering cedar and cypress trees, the shrine exudes a sacred, otherworldly aura. Time seems to slow down here — a truly spiritual experience.🌿
Why Visit Ryozen Takeyama & Try Choei Soba?
Located in Nakanojo, Gunma Prefecture, Ryozen Takeyama Roadside Station is a beloved cultural hub connecting visitors with local history, food, and nature.
Its iconic soba restaurant Keyaki offers freshly made soba noodles using local buckwheat flour. The building itself is a charming thatched-roof cottage, giving off total countryside vibes.
Their signature dish, Choei Soba, is a regional specialty limited to just 20 servings a day. Inspired by the famine-era text “Kyuko Nimotsukou” by scholar Choei Takano, it blends soba and potatoes in a meaningful, delicious tribute to local food culture and history.
The station also has a soba flour grinding demo, a local produce market, and more for food lovers to explore.
And don’t miss Chikato Shrine, located right next door! The majestic trees and serene silence make it a true hidden spiritual power spot.