Donburi Kaikan (Donburi Hall) is a roadside station in Toki City, Gifu Prefecture, its official name is "Michi-no Eki Toki Mino-yaki Kaido" (the Roadside Station Toki Mino-ware Highroad). "Donburi Kaikan" is its nickname but widely known so that it's added to the guide display on the road.
I will write a little about "Mino-yaki" and "Donburi" that are included in its name.
"Mino-yaki" is one of the Japanese ceramics and porcelains manufactured in Gifu Prefecture Tono region (Eastern part of Mino region). The feature is that it is relatively cheap and there are many types. For example, almost types of tableware used in general households, almost types of Japanese tableware and Western tableware used in each specialty restaurants, miscellaneous goods such as zodiac figures, and ceramic parts of various local souvenirs, etc., really many types are. In addition, there are also Mino-yaki burned in the Middle Ages and the artistic Mino-yaki that is copied or developed it. They are called also "Oribe", "Shino", and "Ki-Seto", each has its own unique Japanese taste.
Gifu Prefectural Road 66 where Donburi Kaikan located along is the road leading Ena City by connecting the Mino-yaki production areas Tajimi City, Toki City and Mizunami City. Because of that, the roadside station's official name is "Toki Mino-yaki Kaido".
Well, "Donburi" is one of Japanese tablewares focused on production by Mino-yaki producers in the Modern times. It is a Japanese bowl used for various dishes like as a multi-bowl in the Western countries: for the dish using rice such as Katsu-don or Oyako-don, or for warm noodles such as Udon or Soba, or for boiled food, etc. Ones with a lid are also included. It is a very familiar tableware used frequently at both general households and restaurants in Japan.
Because Toki City produces a lot of Donburi, also with the wish "Let's make a roadside station familiar to many people like as Donburi", the hall was designed with Donburi motif, I heard. That wish came true, now many people usually and widely call it with the nickname "Donburi Kaikan".
Donburi Kaikan is a roadside station, so of course has ample parking lot and public toilets, is also focusing on sales of local specialty products and introduction of local industry.
The biggest focus is the introduction and sale of Mino-yaki, a local industry. In the special product section in the hall, many and various Mino-yaki items are lined up and sail. There are items that feel the tradition such as matcha bowls or Sake bottles and sake cups of Oribe or Shino or Ki-Seto, and also there are items made also with innovative method or items with a hand-painted design that has a taste, therefore just watching we will be fun.
In addition, if we book in advance, we can also enjoy pottery making experience with potter's wheel, or hand-made pottery experience or experience painting on pottery. My son, when he was a junior high school student, visited here at school event and made a mug for me in the hand-made pottery experience. He formed a cup from clay that has been kneaded in advance, attached a handle of the same clay, I heard. After his making, letting it dry well for some days, staffs who taught him applied color glaze on it and burned up. The only one mug in the world that was made by my son is still my favorite item.
Other, locally harvested fresh vegetables and potted flowers are also sold there, and we can take meals at the restaurant on the 2nd floor of the hall.
The most popular menu of the restaurant is Donburi Soft Cream (soft serve ice cream in a mini Donburi bowl). It's a dessert with soft serve ice cream in a Kobachi(small bowl)-sized mini Donburi, also has topping arrangements such as Kuro-mitsu (black honey) and Kinako. In addition, after eating it, we can take away the mini Donburi as a souvenir. The mini Donburi is a convinient size.
About meal menu, if you want to eat tightly, I recommend "Kama-kure Teishoku" that is a set meal centered on Aji-gohan (cooked rice). But, if you want to try a menu unique to Tono region, "Natsukashino Teppan-Neapolitan" (spaghetti fried with ketchup sauce on an oval iron plate) may be also good for you. It's a dish with simple and rustic spaghetti fried with ketchup sauce on a hot oval iron plate. This style in which spaghetti is lightly heated on an iron plate, and finally beaten eggs are poured around and served, and then served as is, might be born in Tono region, I heard that there is a theory that. Anyway, it is a menu with a nostalgic and happy memories especially for Tono people born in Showa.
Donburi Kaikan is on the mountain in Toki City, actually the view from the observatory is also good. In the nearest pond, a fountain will operate at just every hour during the day. Beyond that, there is Chigo-iwa Ohashi featuring a white arch like a mountain, and looking further away, there are mountains of Kiso area. Also, we can look Japanese Central Alps and Mount Ontake in the distance depending on the weather and other conditions.
Events and things we can enjoy in Donburi Kaikan may be less flashy than roadside stations in other areas. Instead, we can experience the industry and life cultures of Tono region. Also, for example that most of the visitors can spend time leisurely at each pace, Donburi Kaikan is the good spot well-known to people in the know.
Click here for the official site.
＊＊＊ in Japanese ＊＊＊
どんぶり会館
どんぶり会館は岐阜県土岐市にある道の駅で、正式名称を「道の駅 土岐美濃焼街道」と言います。「どんぶり会館」は愛称ですが、案内表示にも併記されるほど、広く知られています。
それら名称にある「美濃焼」「どんぶり」について少し説明します。
「美濃焼」は日本製陶磁器の中でも岐阜県東濃地方（美濃地方東部）で生産されるもののことで、比較的安価で、種類が多いことが特徴です。一般家庭で使われる生活食器全般、料亭で使われる和食器、レストランで使われる洋食器、干支の置物などの雑貨、各地の土産物の陶磁器パーツなど、本当にさまざまです。おまけに、中世に焼かれた美濃焼や、それに倣った芸術的な美濃焼もあります。それらは「織部」「志野」「黄瀬戸」とも称され、それぞれ個性的な和の趣があります。
どんぶり会館のある岐阜県県道66号線は、この美濃焼の産地である多治見市、土岐市、瑞浪市を繋ぎ、恵那市に至る道路です。そのことに因み、正式名称が「土岐美濃焼街道」なのです。
「どんぶり」は、近現代の美濃焼が注力した日本の生活食器の１つです。カツ丼や親子丼といったご飯を使った料理や、温かいうどんやお蕎麦の盛り付け、煮物の盛り付けなど、マルチボウルのようにさまざまに使われる和食器です。蓋があるものもあります。日本の一般家庭や繁華街の飲食店では使用頻度も高めな、とても馴染みのある食器です。
土岐市はこのどんぶりの生産が多いことに因み、「どんぶりのように多くの人々に親しまれる道の駅にしよう」という思いもこめて、蓋つきどんぶりをモチーフにした建物にしたものだとか。その思いは叶い、今では多くの人が「どんぶり会館」と愛称で呼んでいます。
どんぶり会館は道の駅ですから駐車場や公衆トイレが充実しているのはもちろん、地域の特産品の販売、地場産業の紹介に力を入れています。
最も力を入れているのは、地場産業である美濃焼の紹介と販売です。館内の特産品売り場には、多くの美濃焼製品が並んでいます。織部や志野、黄瀬戸の抹茶碗や酒器といった伝統を感じる品もあれば、斬新な手法を取り入れた品や味のある手描きの絵を描いた品もあり、眺めるだけでも楽しくなります。
また、事前に予約しておけば、ろくろによる製陶体験や、手びねり製陶体験、絵付け体験もできます。私の息子も中学生の時に学校行事でここを訪れ、手びねり体験で私にマグカップを作ってくれました。あらかじめ捏ねられた粘土を使ってカップの形を作り、持ち手をつけるまでを体験したそうです。その後数日かけてしっかり乾燥させてから、教えてくれたスタッフ（地元の製陶関係者）が色釉薬をかけ、焼成してくださいました。息子が作った世界で１つだけのマグカップは、現在も私の愛用品です。
その他、地元で取れる新鮮野菜や鉢植えの花などの販売もありますし、２階の食事処で食事も可能です。
食事処のメニューで人気なのは、どんぶりソフトクリームです。小鉢サイズのミニどんぶりにソフトクリームが盛り付けられたデザートで、黒蜜やきな粉などのトッピングアレンジもあります。また、食後にはミニどんぶりをお土産として持ち帰れます。使い勝手のいいサイズですよ。
食事メニューでは、しっかり食べたいのなら、味ごはん（炊き込みご飯）を中心とした「窯暮れ定食」がお勧めです。しかし、もしも東濃地方ならではのものを試してみたいのなら、「なつかしの鉄板ナポリタン」もいいかもしれません。シンプルで素朴なナポリタンスパゲティが、熱々の楕円形の鉄板プレートに盛り付けられているメニューです。この鉄板プレートで軽く熱し、最後に溶き卵を周囲に流して盛り付けるスタイルは、じつは東濃地方発祥だったとか。特に昭和生まれの東濃人には、懐かしく嬉しい思い出メニューです。
どんぶり会館は土岐市内の山の上にあり、じつは展望台（展望テラス）からの眺めもいいです。最寄りの池では、毎時ちょうどのタイミングで噴水が稼働します。その向こうには山のような形の白いアーチが特徴の稚児岩大橋があり、さらに奥へと目を移せば、木曽地方の山々が連なっています。また、天候などの条件次第で、中央アルプスや御嶽山も遠望できます。
どんぶり会館で楽しめる物事は、他の地域の道の駅に比べると派手さに欠けるかもしれません。その代わり、東濃地方の産業や生活文化に触れることができます。また、利用者の多くはそれぞれのペースでゆったりと時間を過ごせるなど、じつは知る人ぞ知る穴場スポットです。
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