足湯（道の駅 川根温泉）

Kawane Onsen Michi-no-eki offers a free (and quite hot) footbath. Next to the footbath, a roadside rest stop, is a farm produce shop selling fresh vegetables, handmade steamed buns, and Kawane tea from the local area. The Oi River, flowing through central Shizuoka Prefecture, is a pristine river of great pride to the locals. Along this river lies the Kawane Onsen Fureai no Izumi, a hot spring facility boasting open-air baths with views of steam locomotives. This is Kawane Onsen Fureai no Izumi. This hot spring boasts 14 times the recommended level of dissolved solids, and all baths are sourced from the original spring. At this Michi-no-eki in Shizuoka, the tea capital and renowned tea-producing region of Kawane, you can enjoy Kawane tea-themed desserts and tea yokan. Japan, with its distinct four seasons, offers cherry blossoms in spring, new tea in early summer, summer vegetables in summer, shiitake mushrooms in autumn, and sun-dried persimmons in winter. This shop stocks a wide variety of local specialties that change with the seasons. Kawane tea is a tea carefully cultivated by the producers. It may have some unique flavors, but it presents a rich rural style. The environment of Kawane is known as a famous tea because of its characteristics that are suitable for the growth of tea. Shiitake mushrooms have a harvest period in spring and autumn. The logs of shiitake mushrooms harvested during this period are grown on rotten wood in the mountains. Therefore, they present a rich aroma and high-quality shiitake mushrooms that absorb the air of the Kawane mountains. Of course, the quality of the shiitake mushrooms in the cultivation bed has also improved, showing excellent taste and aroma. But I only bought a bottle of soy sauce~ satisfied

Bathing on October 18, 2025 I visited the footbath at Kawane Onsen Roadside Station (Kawane Onsen Roadside Station). The footbath's opening hours were listed as 9:00 AM, but an elderly local was already there before 9:00 AM. I guess they cater to locals' needs. The water was a little hot, but still slippery, giving it a hot spring feel. The footbath itself was quite satisfying, but since it's a locals' relaxation spot, the conversation was all about locals, which made me feel a bit out of place and a bit uncomfortable. That being said, it felt great, so if you're visiting the roadside station, I highly recommend giving it a try. 3 stars.

I heard that a locomotive would be passing by, so I stopped in for a break after lunch. They have souvenirs and you can even take a hot spring bath, so it's a great place to relax. You can see the Oigawa Railway bridge from the second floor of the building, making it a great spot to take photos of the locomotive. However, it seems to get very crowded on weekends and holidays, so I recommend going on a weekday if possible.

It's hot (probably too hot for children). It falls into the fairly high temperature category for foot baths, but just soaking your feet in it warms you to the core. The roadside station also sells local agricultural products at low prices, but you need to go early as the good stuff sells out quickly, so the key to getting your hands on the featured items is to go first thing in the morning.

It's quite small for a roadside station. They have vegetables, but not much to eat or drink on the spot. I wanted to have lunch, but there weren't many options. They have a foot bath that you can use freely, and a day-use hot spring that requires a fee. However, I could see the Oigawa Railway bridge from the riverbank behind it, and a train was just coming.