Today, I’ll introduce the Nagashino Shitaragahara Parking Area outbound (toward Nagoya) located in Shinshiro City, Aichi Prefecture, on the Shin-Tomei Expressway.
In Japan, there are two types of rest facilities on highways: Parking Areas (PAs) and Service Areas (SAs). Service Areas are generally larger in scale compared to Parking Areas. Parking Areas are relatively small rest facilities found approximately every 15 kilometers on expressways and toll roads (about every 25 kilometers in Hokkaido).
Central Nippon Expressway Company (NEXCO), which manages the Parking Areas and Service Areas within the Central Nippon Expressway region, has installed entrances called “Platt Park” to allow some of these facilities to be accessed from general roads. This means you can use the facilities without getting on the expressway.
Battle of Nagashino
The Battle of Nagashino, fought in 1575 at Nagashino Castle and Shitaragahara in Mikawa Province (present-day Aichi Prefecture), was where the Oda-Tokugawa forces defeated the Takeda army and incorporated firearms into their tactics for the first time in Japan. The victory at Nagashino helped Nobunaga Oda rise to power as a leading figure in Japan, and Tokugawa Ieyasu fully secured control over Mikawa Province.
During this battle, the Oda-Tokugawa allied forces constructed barricades known as “Babōsaku” to defend against cavalry attacks and lined up their rifle units to wait for the Takeda cavalry. This Parking Area features a recreation of these horse barriers. Additionally, at the mid-point of the mountain, you can visit the site of Oda Nobunaga’s battlefield headquarters.
In the Parking Area’s shop, there is an exhibit of armor that you can take photos with, and there are many products related to the Battle of Nagashino available for purchase. It’s quite enjoyable to see these items.
See you next time!