Facelift for Echigo Yuzawa Station

It's may well have escaped your notice but the far end of Echigo Yuzawa Station has been closed for a month or so while it gets a bit of a refurbishment. The far end contained the sake tasting hall, sake onsen and shopping hall.

It reopened a couple of weeks ago and is all shiny and new. Ponshukan is back but now at the front of the area so easier to find. The onsen is still there and the shopping area has had a bit of a face lift. The big change is down one side where are few new restaurants have appeared: an Italian, a soba shop, a ramen shop and a cake shop. Restaurant owners in the town are a bit worried people won't leave the station now but with some many good options out there I am sure they will survive. Early reports are good for the new restaurants so might be worth checking out if you need to grab a bite before you catch your train.

The new entrance complete with drunk.

More drunks at the entrance to Ponshukan, the sake tasting hall.

The new restaurants down the side.

And the cake shop.

There is also a new entrance to the car park under the station. If you come by car you get a generous amount of time for free parking in the underground station car park which can be handy if you are just passing through for a bite to eat or a bit of shopping in town.