Rest Areas Japan

974 SA & PA · 1,218 Michi-no-Eki

Rest areas on Japan’s expressways

Every service area (SA) and parking area (PA) by expressway and direction of travel, with the Michi-no-Eki roadside stations near each exit. See toilets, food, fuel and EV chargers, and how far it is to the next stop on your side of the road.

Browse expressways

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SA / PA 道の駅 Michi-no-Eki Rest stop

  • SAService area

    An expressway rest area with toilets, restaurants and shops, and usually fuel. Most have one for each direction.

  • PAParking area

    A smaller expressway rest area with toilets and parking, often vending machines or a small shop. Fuel is rare.

  • 道の駅Michi-no-Eki

    Roadside station on an ordinary road, registered by the government: free 24-hour parking and toilets, road information, and usually local food and produce.

  • Inbound上り Outbound下り

    上り (nobori, inbound) heads towards the route’s start, usually Tokyo; 下り (kudari, outbound) heads away from it.

Main expressways

Each expressway page lists its service and parking areas in order for each direction, with the gaps between them.

All expressways and national routes →

Rest areas by prefecture

All 47 prefectures, grouped by region.

Hokkaido北海道

Tohoku東北

Kanto関東

Chubu中部

Kansai近畿

Chugoku中国

Shikoku四国

Kyushu & Okinawa九州・沖縄

SA, PA and Michi-no-Eki: what the signs mean

IC インターチェンジ
Interchange: an exit and entrance of the expressway. A スマートIC (smart IC) is for ETC cars only.
JCT ジャンクション
Junction where two expressways meet. You cannot leave the expressway there.
ETC
Electronic toll collection. Rental cars can be fitted with an ETC card; the purple ETC lanes do not stop.
ハイウェイオアシス
Highway Oasis: a park or shopping area next to an SA or PA that you can walk into from the expressway.

Can I sleep there?

A nap in your car to fight fatigue is welcome at SA, PA and Michi-no-Eki. They are not campsites: no tents, no cooking, and no overnight stays as accommodation. For a night in your car, book an RV Park.

Rules and official sources

Plan your stops like a local

  • By route and direction

    Choose your expressway and direction, 上り (inbound) or 下り (outbound), and see only the service and parking areas on your side of the road, in the order you reach them.

  • Never the wrong side

    Most SA and PA exist twice, one for each direction, often with different shops. Each page says which side it serves and links to the other one.

  • EV chargers

    Quick chargers at SA, PA and Michi-no-Eki on e-Mobility Power’s network, with their power and hours, and the distance to the next one.

  • Michi-no-Eki near each exit

    All the registered roadside stations, with the nearest expressway exit, for a meal, local produce or a break off the expressway.

  • The rules, from the source

    Napping is fine; camping is not. The official rules on overnight stays, with links to the ministry and the expressway companies.

  • Open data, updated weekly

    Built every week from OpenStreetMap, the ministry’s official Michi-no-Eki list, Wikidata and e-Mobility Power.

Tips for driving in Japan

  • Check the side of the road

    An SA or PA serves one direction. If you miss one, you cannot turn back: the next one on your side may be 20 to 50 km away.

  • Watch the advance signs

    Signs before each SA and PA show the distance and pictograms for fuel, food and EV charging, and often the distance to the next fuel station.

  • Fuel before long gaps

    Some expressways have 50 km or more between fuel stations. Check the route page for the next fuel in your direction.

  • Ask for an ETC card

    More and more tollgates are ETC-only. Rental companies can fit an ETC card; regional expressway passes for visitors also come with one.

  • EV charging needs a Japanese card

    Pay-as-you-go quick charging needs a credit card issued in Japan, and sessions last at most 30 minutes. Ask your rental company for a charging card.

  • Take a break every two hours

    Long drives on unfamiliar roads are tiring. Stop, nap or stretch, and swap drivers.

  • Leave truck spaces for trucks

    Large-vehicle spaces fill up at night, when truck drivers must rest. Park in the car area.

  • Use the Japanese name

    Sat-navs and staff know stops by their Japanese name. Each page shows it with the direction, ready to copy.

  • If you break down

    Hazard lights on, warning triangle out, everyone behind the guardrail. Police 110, fire and ambulance 119, road emergencies #9910.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between an SA, a PA and a Michi-no-Eki?

SA and PA are on the expressway: an SA is larger, with restaurants, shops and usually fuel; a PA is smaller. A Michi-no-Eki is on an ordinary road, so from an expressway you must exit. All three have 24-hour toilets and parking.

How do I know which side of the expressway an SA is on?

Its name includes the direction: 上り (inbound, towards the route’s start, usually Tokyo) or 下り (outbound). Each stop page shows the direction and links to the SA or PA on the other side.

Can I sleep at a service area or Michi-no-Eki?

A nap in your car to rest from driving is fine. Camping, tents, cooking and staying overnight as accommodation are not: the expressway companies forbid long stays, and the ministry asks drivers not to stay overnight at Michi-no-Eki. For a night in your car, book an RV Park.

Are the toilets open 24 hours?

Yes. SA, PA and registered Michi-no-Eki have toilets and parking open 24 hours. Restaurants and shops have their own hours.

Where can I charge an electric car?

Most SA, many PA and several hundred Michi-no-Eki have quick chargers. Each stop page lists the chargers on e-Mobility Power’s network, and route pages show the next charger in your direction. Pay-as-you-go needs a credit card issued in Japan.

Can I drive in Japan with my licence?

You need an International Driving Permit under the 1949 Geneva Convention, or, for licences from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco and Taiwan, an official Japanese translation of your licence. Licences from mainland China are not valid. See the rules page.

Can I get off the expressway to visit a Michi-no-Eki?

Yes, but leaving usually ends your toll journey. At 29 designated stations, cars with ETC 2.0 can exit and come back within two hours at no extra toll.

Where does the information come from?

Locations and facilities come from OpenStreetMap; registered Michi-no-Eki from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism; English names partly from Wikidata; EV chargers from e-Mobility Power. The site is rebuilt every week.

Is this an official website?

No. Rest Areas Japan is independent and is not run by or affiliated with NEXCO, the ministry or any operator. Check signs on site and the operators’ own websites for opening hours and closures.

2,648 stops · 66 routes