Yama no Eki (高江共同組合 山の駅)

Serviceable rest stop in remote Okinawa

Yama no Eki (山の駅), or full name - Takae Kyoudou Kumiai Yamanoeki (高江共同組合 山の駅) is a humble rest stop located in the hill area of Takae just off the coast of northeast Okinawa Island. As rest stops in Okinawa go, this is very much a simple affair but it stands out in a remote area where there is little on offer for the driver to choose from in terms of getting a bit of sustenance and having a toilet break. Yama no Eki consists of a solitary building which is easy to spot by its bright green and white frontage. Out front there are one or two vending machines, a public pay phone and notices about local goings on (in Japanese). To the right of the building is bit of a sheltered seating area, occupied by some some serious looking bikers at the time of visiting. To be fair, Yama no Eki sells quite a bit of product including a lot of booze (strange for a rest stop, if that’s actually what this place is) and local produce. If one can speak Japanese, it could be a good place to pick up information about directions and the local area. The parking out front is small for a rest stop but one imagines that this place doesn’t see much traffic. This is largely an area of tight, winding lanes through some very quiet land. That being said, looking back at the map there is a coffee shop and a natural foods store nearby, not that we spotted them. There is, however, little else here. The area is a pleasant one and isn’t without some intrigue. Just next to Yama no Eki we saw some of the anti-army base posters and banners that you sometimes see dotted about Okinawa. We’re near to one of the bases here. So, should you be driving in Okinawa in this area and in need of the loo or a quick drink, this is a serviceable rest stop. Nothing else.