Michi-no-eki (Roadside Stations) and Car Camping in Shikoku: Rules, Etiquette and the Best Stops

Quick answer: Michi-no-eki are Japan’s roadside stations: free 24-hour parking and toilets, plus shops selling local food. There are about 1,230 nationwide, 91 in Shikoku. Resting or napping in your car is fine; using them as a campsite isn’t — no tables and chairs, cooking, generators or multi-night stays. If you want to sleep in your car properly, use an RV Park (about ¥2,000–5,000 a night).

If you’re driving around Setouchi, you’ll stop at roadside stations again and again. They’re where I like to take a break on long drives — and where I’d send any visitor who wants to taste local produce without hunting for shops. I’ve also rested overnight in my car at a roadside station on a road trip, so I’ll explain how to do that the right way.

What is a michi-no-eki?

Michi-no-eki (道の駅, “road station”) are rest stops on ordinary roads — Japan’s answer to motorway service areas, but run by local towns. The first 103 opened in 1993; today there are 1,234 (September 2026), including 91 in Shikoku.

Every station must offer:

• Free parking and clean toilets, 24 hours a day
• Local information — roads, sights, sometimes emergency medical info
• A shop and/or restaurant with local food and produce (usually around 9:00–17:00)

Many also have EV chargers, playgrounds, observation decks or even hot springs.

Can you sleep in your car at a michi-no-eki?

This is the question every road-tripper asks, and the honest answer is: you can rest, but it isn’t a campsite.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), which registers the stations, says they are rest facilities: taking a nap in your car to recover from tiredness is fine — they exist partly to prevent accidents — but it asks people not to use the car parks “for the purpose of staying overnight”. There’s no national time limit; each station sets its own rules, so always follow the signs.

In practice, a tired driver sleeping in their car is accepted. What causes problems — and has led some stations to ban long stays — is camping behaviour:

• Setting up tables, chairs or awnings
• Cooking, barbecues or open flames
• Running generators or idling the engine for hours
• Washing hair, dishes or clothes in the toilets
• Leaving household rubbish
• Staying several nights in the same spot

A simple rule of thumb: arrive late, keep everything inside the car, leave early, buy something from the shop, and take your rubbish with you.

RV Parks: the proper place to sleep in your car

If you want to spend the night in your car (or a campervan), use an RV Park — car-camping sites certified by the Japan RV Association. There are over 700 nationwide and the number is growing fast. Many are at roadside stations, hot springs or temples.

An RV Park must have:

• A 24-hour toilet
• Electricity (100V) at the pitch
• A bath within about 15 minutes’ drive
• Rubbish disposal

Typical cost: ¥2,000–5,000 per car per night. Some need a reservation.

Examples on a Setouchi road trip:

Staying safe in the car

• Never run the engine for heating or air conditioning while you sleep. Carbon monoxide is colourless and odourless, and snow can block the exhaust.
• Stretch your legs and sleep as flat as you can to avoid blood clots.
• In winter, bring blankets and warmers. In summer, a parked car gets dangerously hot — choose cooler months or a site with power for a fan.

Roadside stations worth stopping at

These are the ones I’d recommend on a Setouchi road trip.

Kurukuru Naruto (Naruto, Tokushima)

A big, modern station about three minutes from Naruto IC — the perfect first or last stop in Tokushima. It’s built around Naruto kintoki sweet potatoes and Naruto sea bream: sweet-potato soft-serve, desserts, a bakery and seafood restaurants, plus a zipline. Open 9:00–17:00. See What to Eat in Tokushima.

Uzushio (Awaji Island)

At the southern tip of Awaji, right beside the Onaruto Bridge. Rebuilt and reopened in October 2025, with a rooftop deck looking out over the bridge and the Naruto Strait, the famous Awaji Island burger and local milk soft-serve. Open 9:00–17:00, closed Thursdays; toilets are open 24 hours. The car park is small and fills up on weekends.

Shimanami Kaido stations

• Tatara Shimanami Park (Omishima): at the foot of the Tatara Bridge, with a huge shop of island products, grouper dishes and citrus soft-serve.
• Yoshiumi Ikiiki-kan (Oshima): a view of the Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge and a fun grill-your-own seafood barbecue (last entry 15:00).
• Hakata S·C Park (Hakata Island): a beach park with free showers and Hakata salt soft-serve.

In winter (mid-January to mid-March), these have shorter hours and a weekly closing day — check before you go. See Shimanami Kaido: Bicycle or Car?.

Oboke (Iya Valley, Tokushima)

On Route 32 above the Oboke Gorge, with a viewpoint over the Yoshino River and the quirky Yokai House and Stone Museum, about the local monster legends and the gorge’s rocks. Open 9:00–17:00 (closed Tuesdays December–February). The car park is small, so it’s a stop, not an overnight spot. See Iya Valley and Oboke.

Collect the stamps

Every roadside station has a stamp. The Shikoku Michi-no-eki Stamp Rally book costs ¥300 at any Shikoku station and runs until 31 May 2027. Stamps are only available during opening hours. There’s also a GPS-based digital stamp in the MOBILA app (Japanese).

Campervans

Campervan rentals with English support are mainly in Kansai. For example, Japan Campers has a depot near Kansai Airport, with English contracts and navigation. From there it’s a short drive over the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge to Shikoku. I couldn’t find an English-friendly campervan rental based in Shikoku itself. For a normal rental car, see Renting a Car in Shikoku.

FAQ

Are michi-no-eki free?
Yes — parking and toilets are free, 24 hours a day.

Can I stay for two or three nights?
No. Move on after a rest, or use an RV Park.

Can I charge my phone or car there?
Many stations have EV chargers. Don’t plug into the station’s other outlets without asking.

Kaz

Tokushima local with family roots in Hiroshima

I live in Tokushima and my family is from Hiroshima, where I also used to live. I still go back several times a year. The guides here come from places I have actually been. Where I haven't tried something myself, I say so.