Kiyama Interchange (both ways) is famous for its duck udon (soba) and meat udon (soba). I have tried them many times and heard that they have a great history and sales. Of course, I will continue to enjoy them. If I were to offer some criticism about Kiyama, it would be that I am not a big fan of the soba noodles themselves. They seem to be made with tapioca flour, giving them an unnaturally chewy texture and the broth is not to my liking. However, the sweet duck soboro with udon is a good combination. Going back to the topic, I also love udon, but I prefer soba even more. I like high-quality 100% soba as well as mixed wheat soba. I prefer soba with a dark soy sauce-based broth. The B-grade gourmet "Ten-Tama Soba" at Kameya Kanda Higashiguchi store in Tokyo is also one of my favorites. Now, I have digressed quite a bit, but the meat soba (please note that there is also a soba specialty shop) at the food court in Hirokawa Downhill is quite good. Despite the slightly high price of around 700 yen for a food court, the thinly sliced beef belly meat used in the meat soba is delicious. The beef flavor is well-balanced, the soba noodles have a natural texture, and the broth, while leaning towards the taste of western Japan, is satisfactory. It may not be a menu item that gets a lot of attention at service areas, but it is definitely tasty, so give it a try when you're feeling a bit hungry.

On the way back from Fukuoka to Kumamoto, we took a break at the "Hirokawa SA." It is a large service area with plenty of parking space, and a wide variety of souvenirs and food options. I quickly bought a coffee float, but the coffee was weak and the soft serve ice cream was nothing special. Overall, the SA is great in terms of size and selection of souvenirs.

At Hirokawa SA, I tried the Hakata-style okonomiyaki from Ichibanboshi. I ordered the salted takoyaki (6 pieces for 460 yen) and was surprised to see that they were already pre-shaped and fried using tongs next to the fryer. It seemed like they were frozen. I also noticed pre-shaped okonomiyaki next to the fryer. The takoyaki was on the smaller side and had a gooey, semi-raw texture. I prefer my flour-based dishes fully cooked. The flavor was just salt and mayonnaise. Overall, the cost performance was not great. This was my first time trying Hakata-style okonomiyaki.

The food court and restaurants offer a wide variety of options. Unlike service areas near Tokyo, the food court here is not too crowded, so finding a seat is not a problem. The stores also offer local specialties from the surrounding area, all of which look delicious.

Hirokawa SA also had a lot of delicious food for sale. I was particularly interested in the "Hakata Okonomiyaki Ichibansei" takeout shop that had a sign even before entering the SA. It seems to have opened in April 2019. I lived in Fukuoka until I got married, but I had never heard of it before. I would love to try it someday! Also, they were selling the famous Fukuoka strawberries, "Amaou", which looked very fresh and delicious. The freshly baked "Happiness Cheese Tart" inside the store also looked delicious, and they were selling Yame tea in a bulk pack (more than 250g for 1300 yen) and my favorite Kusamaki Manju. It was definitely an SA that I would like to visit for shopping purposes.

End of 2018 Kagoshima Tour! Breakfast on the first day! Departing early from Sasebo! Taking a short break here for breakfast... I really want to sit down and enjoy my meal, but considering the schedule ahead, I can't relax... Delicious chicken rice ball... I also bought a chicken nanban onigiri which is rare! While munching on each, I continued to steer towards Ibusuki...

Kagoshima to Lego Go Go Curry(￣▽￣)❣️

The coffee had a nice sweetness to it and was delicious! The corn in the waffle was also tasty, but be careful on hot days as the ice cream inside the waffle may start to melt out from between the layers (lol).

On the first day of my Kyushu trip, I drove to Hirokawa SA for lunch. What should I get at the snack corner? Oh, they have my favorite dish, champon, and it's Nagasaki champon! I didn't hesitate and bought it from the vending machine. I also got some inari sushi. It seemed like a typical Nagasaki dish with chicken broth base and slightly stretchy thick noodles. The amount of vegetables was normal. I don't know how to pronounce the name of the restaurant, but I wonder if they have other dishes too? Overall, the champon was relatively delicious.

Kyushu Expressway's Hirokawa SA (south). W-NEXCO Free Wi-Fi available. Ample parking space. The shop and snack corner are open 24 hours, but not all dining options are available. The bright lights may not be suitable for car camping. Snack corner includes Kurume ramen, Men-dokoro Hirokawa, Nagasaki champon, Gourmet Fuzuki, and Somaria Curry. Used during trips to Kagoshima and Miyazaki. Fukuoka SA is under construction and service is limited, so I didn't stop on my way to Miyazaki. I always stop at Kiyama and Hirokawa as rest stops. They mainly sell local Yame tea, so tea lovers may be tempted. I wandered around the shop late at night and was torn between the great deals on Yame tea and Yame green tea only available at this SA. I recently bought Gyokuro from Oyame in Fukuoka and the delicate aroma was wonderful. Although I haven't reviewed it on Tabelog yet, I couldn't resist the urge to buy more tea. However, I came across the JA brand bottled Yame tea, which was terrible! It was like green tinted water with no tea-like aroma (;´д｀) It was so bad that I wanted someone to share the disappointment with me, so I woke up my sleeping friend and made him try it. It seems like it's better to buy proper tea after all (laughs)

I visited the expressway service areas in Koga, Motoyama, and Hirokawa during the three-day weekend. In the past, I used to enjoy stamp rallies and other activities at the service areas, but recently I find myself not going there as often. There are limited edition items that can only be purchased there, but I discovered that some of them are actually available elsewhere. However, I still end up browsing the merchandise corner when I take a break at the restroom or indulge in junk food. So, I ended up buying some snacks as souvenirs or for a little treat, even though my partner pointed out that you can buy them at train stations as well (laughs).

I stopped here while traveling on the highway at night to take a break. My child said they were feeling a bit hungry while looking at souvenirs, so we decided to buy some Chantilly cream puffs. They come in a pack of 4 for 540 yen. The scent of rum raisins, butter flavor, and cream are perfectly matched. They are delicious. We also bought some black coffee to go with them.

In December 2015, after attending a fan club exclusive live concert by Ayumi Hamasaki at Zepp Fukuoka, I wanted to grab a meal around the area. However, I didn't want to drive at night in an unfamiliar place, so I decided to get on the urban highway and then onto the Kyushu Expressway. I stopped at the largest service area on the way to Miyakonojo that I knew of. It seemed less crowded this time, with only one couple there. I arrived around 11 pm on a weekday, so maybe that's why it was less busy. The only food options available were ramen and udon, as the champon shop was closed. I opted for Kyushu ramen and a mini bowl. I also ordered an additional boiled egg as a topping. The ramen was delicious with tender chashu pork. The food court at the service area never disappoints. The only downside was that the fried rice was sold out, which was a bit disappointing. Overall, the experience was good, and I would definitely stop by again when driving to Fukuoka. Next time, I'll try the udon!

On the way from Hakata to Kumamoto, I took a break at the Hirogawa Service Area. There is a restaurant inside the facility, but there are also food stalls lined up outside. Smoking is prohibited both inside and outside the facility, except in designated smoking areas. I checked out the food stalls for something that would go well with beer on the bus. When in Kyushu, you have to try local chicken dishes. The "charcoal-grilled local chicken" and "fried chicken" caught my eye. The charcoal-grilled local chicken is crispy and has a delicious smoky flavor. The aroma of the charcoal grilling fills your mouth. The fried chicken is like a Nanban-style chicken with a soy sauce base and a hint of garlic. The crispy texture and juicy flavor surprisingly make it light and tasty. It's a perfect snack to go with beer. I wonder if I can still eat lunch after eating and drinking so much since the morning (^^; April 5, 2014.

On my way back from a business trip to Sasebo, I stopped by Hirokawa Service Area. This place has a food court and sells various snacks, so it's quite fun just to look around. Among them, I caught a glimpse of a sign that said "Kakuni Man" (simmered pork bun). Kakuni Man is a specialty of Nagasaki Chinatown... not the original, but I wanted to try it. It was a bit pricey at 390 yen per piece. Probably because it's a service area, so it's a tourist price. I ordered one and it was brought to me quickly. It seems like they have them ready-made. I ate the hot Kakuni Man at a table outside. The pork belly was tender and went well with the dough. The taste wasn't bad. I might have had too high expectations due to the price. It was good for a quick bite though.

Soft serve ice cream was featured in a travel magazine for this service area, so I decided to try it out. Inside the service area, there is a bakery, taiyaki shop, castella cake shop, souvenirs, food corner, restaurant, and many tempting items. There are a wide variety of snack souvenirs available for sampling, so if you get greedy and eat too much, you might not make it to the soft serve ice cream you came for. Dangerous, dangerous! The soft serve ice cream is served in a homemade waffle cone, with a mix of matcha and vanilla cream made from Yame tea, a famous tea-producing region, and topped with red beans. The bottom of the waffle cone even has cornflakes, which I love. A delightful surprise until the end. The tea aroma is very nice, and the red beans complement it well, making it delicious. Phew, I'm glad I made it to the soft serve in the end.

At the Hikawa SA on the Kyushu Expressway, I thought about having breakfast, but unfortunately, the snack corner didn't offer breakfast sets, only udon and ramen. So, I decided to buy something and eat it in the car instead. After making my purchase, I realized there was a restaurant separate from the snack corner (lol). What we bought: - Daughter: Yoshino chicken rice (280 yen) - Me: Mix sandwich (450 yen) - Husband: French custard (140 yen) and cheese fondue (160 yen) My daughter's chicken rice was apparently featured in the manga "Oishinbo," and the unique shape of the dish was intriguing. The mix sandwich for me and the French pastries for my husband were from Bantelun. As we left the service area and looked back at the building, we noticed illustrations of Ado-chan covering the windows. There is also a dog run available. This SA has a welcome gate, making it accessible from the regular roads too.

I would like to introduce a service area that I occasionally stop by for a late-night snack or breakfast when traveling back and forth between Kyushu for performances. On a day when I stopped by during my commute to a performance, I had a beef curry full of energy from the morning. I remembered that Ichiro Suzuki was famous for eating curry in the morning, so I searched for "Ichiro Curry" and found out that he hasn't been eating curry every morning for the past three years. The curry at this service area is average, but it's okay. The eating area has been renovated and looks very clean. There is also a "Mendokoro Hirokawa" that serves "Kurume Salt Chan-Don" in the same space, which looks delicious. I definitely want to try it next time. This service area is a great place to relax and unwind from the fatigue of traveling. I recommend it to families as well. Please check it out!