I love roadside stops in Japan. They are their own little city.
This one I’m talking about today is the Ashigara SA (SA stands for service area just as PA stands for parking area.)
We have stopped here a few times on the way back into Tokyo after a trip to Gotemba, Fujimi, Fuji-Kawaguchiko, Kawaguchiko and on the way back into town after exploring Shizuoka Prefecture.
I have a recommendation for a great family-friendly highway side hotel in Shizuoka here and a beautiful beachside playground in Shizuoka Prefecture here. Both are fabulous stops for a road trip that involves driving through Shizuoka.
This is the view from Ashigara Service Area roadside stop! Hello Mt Fuji!!
Tour buses stop here but so do families.
There are change tables in the toilets, a wide range of restaurants and fast food options , places to wriggle and stretch and also convenience stores. There is also the option to try some of the local delicacies and to buy some amazing souvenirs.
I bought these Alfort biscuits with the Mt Fuji on them here.
While on the road again, if you are looking for a drive thru McDonalds (something pretty much unheard of in the major cities in Japan) this is what the drive through sign looks like.
