Tohoku Expressway Mt. Iwate Service Area (Southbound)

This service area is located between the Matsuo-Hachimantai IC and the Nishine IC. You can get a great view of Mt. Iwate, also known as Nanbu Kata Fuji, here. From this angle, Mt. Iwate resembles the shape of Mt. Fuji, which is how it got that nickname, Nanbu Kata Fuji. (Nanbu is the feudal name of this area.)

There is a well-stocked food court and a wide variety of menus using ingredients from Hachimantai.

You’ll definitely want to try the Iwate shorthorn wagyu beef bowl at the Mt. Iwate Restaurant that you’ll find here. The sweet and spicy seasoning is just heavenly, and it goes really well with rice. There’s also a salad and side of friend vegetables included! There are also many other delicacies from Iwate such as the Mt. Iwate grilled offal set and miso-fried pork bowl.

When you get tired of driving, you can take a break at the Mt. Iwate SA (southbound). There’s also a bakery there and specialty shop. Fill up on great local food and relax!