【Drive】Tokyo's only roadside station "Hachioji Takiyama" offers Hachioji ramen and freshly squeezed soft serve ice cream

The roadside station "Roadside Station Hachioji Takiyama," which has recently become a popular spot. When I think of roadside stations, I imagine a place to buy fresh vegetables and souvenirs, but here, the gourmet food was exceptionally delicious.

"Road Station Hachioji Takiyama" located in Takiyama-cho, Hachioji City, Tokyo

On the western side of Tokyo, I stopped by "Road Station Hachioji Takiyama" while driving to Mount Takao. It is the only road station in Tokyo that has become a topic of conversation. It seems that there are attractive local specialties, including a direct sales store from Hachioji and a restaurant where you can enjoy freshly harvested ingredients.

Road Station Hachioji Takiyama
Location: 1-592-2 Takiyama-cho, Hachioji City, Tokyo
Business Hours: 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM, open year-round (excluding some shops inside the facility)

This day was a weekday afternoon, but surprisingly, the parking lot was full. After waiting for about 5 minutes, I was finally able to enter. According to the staff, it often gets even busier during lunch hours, so I think I'll consider using the nearby second parking lot next time.

Once inside the road station, I found fresh vegetables lined up in the store, and I even saw people with baskets full of items grown in Hachioji. A little further in, I discovered a dining space resembling a food court. There were stores such as the café "Takiyama Chaya," the main ramen and soba restaurant "Saishoku-an," and an ice cream shop "Milk Ice MO-MO" that uses Hachioji milk, all bustling with many customers.

I tried the famous "Hachioji Ramen" characterized by chopped onions.

Among the many delicious-looking dishes, the ramen-loving author quickly decided on the "Hachioji Ramen" from Saishoku-an. It is said that the special sauce contains homemade lard. I'm also looking forward to the chopped onions, a characteristic feature of Hachioji Ramen.

When I placed my order and sat down waiting, my number was called immediately. From the moment I went to pick it up, a mouthwatering aroma wafted through the air! On top of the "Hachioji Ramen," there are plenty of onions, char siu, and menma as toppings. Since I tend to be the type who adds a lot of onions when they're available at ramen shops, the amount of onions here is simply irresistible.

As soon as I took a bite, the light flavor of soy sauce spread pleasantly. I see... this is delicious. It has a nostalgic taste, but the homemade lard adds richness. The crispy onions also serve as a nice textural accent! The noodles, delivered directly from Hachioji Seimenjo, are smooth and pair well with the soup.

The freshly squeezed milk soft serve is also popular.

After eating ramen, don't you suddenly crave something sweet? Normally, I stop by a convenience store to buy ice cream, but on this day, I discovered people enjoying soft serve that looked delicious.

Being drawn in, I purchased the "Kaneko Milk Special Soft Serve" (330 yen). It is said to use freshly squeezed milk from Kaneko Milk Farm in Hachioji. Just when I thought the rich flavor of the milk spread widely, the aftertaste surprisingly turned out to be light. This is a delicious treat that many people would agree with.

If it's sunny, it might be nice to eat on the terrace

After finishing my meal and continuing my stroll, I noticed that there is a terrace area. Unfortunately, it was closed that day due to rain, but on a nice day, dining here seems like it would feel great.

In the vicinity of "Roadside Station Hachioji Takiyama," there are many popular spots, including the ruins of Hachioji Castle, which was the residence of Hojo Ujiteru. After enjoying gourmet food at the roadside station, why not take a little detour and indulge in the charm of Hachioji?