NEXCO EAST Group and TOUCH TO GO to resolve the shortage of future workers - Part 4

"Watatsu GO" is the first unmanned sales store at a service area/parking area in Hokkaido.
Do-o Expressway Watatsu PA (Out-bound) opens on March 24th

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The first unmanned car sales store in Hokkaido, "Watatsu GO," opens on March 24th at Watatsu PA (Out-bound) on the Hokkaido Expressway.

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March 10, 2020
East Nippon Expressway Co., Ltd.
NEXCO East Japan Area Tract Co., Ltd.
TOUCH TO GO Co., Ltd.

NEXCO EAST (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo), in collaboration with NEXCO East Japan Area Tract Co., Ltd. (Minato-ku, Tokyo, hereafter referred to as Area Tract) and TOUCH TO GO Co., Ltd. (Minato-ku, Tokyo, hereafter referred to as TTG), will open an unmanned sales store, "Watatsu GO," in a detached store at the Watatsu Parking Area (Out-bound lane, Sapporo direction) on the E5 Do-O Expressway (hereafter referred to as Do-o Expressway) at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 24, 2026.
"Watatsu GO" is the first unmanned sales store at an SA or PA in Hokkaido, and is part of an initiative by Area Tract and TTG to partner together to reduce the number of staff required at service areas (SA) and parking areas (PA) through innovation.
We stock light meals such as rice balls and sandwiches, as well as souvenirs unique to Hokkaido, sweets, drinks, etc. Enjoy smooth shopping with our unmanned payment system.
In order to solve the future issue of a shortage of workers and maintain and improve customer service, we will continue to conduct testing at each store where the system is installed, including Watatsu PA (Out-bound), and will consider expanding it to other SAs and PAs.

Image of Watatsu GO — Images are for illustrative purposes only and are subject to change

Overview of the unmanned store "Watatsu GO"

Installation purpose:

1) Verification of practicality at Watatsu PA, a key tourism and logistics hub.

②Verifying labor-saving model stores as a response to the growing concern of a shortage of workers in the future.

Store area:

Approximately 20㎡

business hours:

9:00-19:00 (December-March)
8:00-20:00 (April-November)

tenant:

NEXCO-East Retail Co., Ltd.

Product lineup:

Rice balls, sandwiches, souvenirs, sweets, drinks, ice cream, etc.

payment method:

We are cashless and accept barcode payments, various electronic money, and credit cards.

Other:

There is also a soft serve ice cream sales area inside the building.

Watatsu PA (Out-bound) map

Image of the map for Watatsu PA (Out-bound)

Usage flow (examples from other companies)

Image 1 of the usage flow (example from another company)

Image 2 of the usage flow (example from another company)

Once you pick up an item from the shelf, you can check the display and pay for it without having to scan the item at the register, allowing you to complete your shopping quickly and easily.

Unmanned sales outlets at SAs and PAs

November 21 2024: Utilizing the TTG-SENSE MICRO W, Tobu Yunomaru GO, the first unmanned sales outlet at a service area or parking area in Japan, was opened at Tobu Yunomaru SA (Out-bound) on the Joshinetsu Expressway.
March 27, 2025: Utilizing the "TTG-SENSE SHELF," a space-saving unmanned store "Hasuda GO" was opened on Tohoku Expressway Pasar Hasuda (In-bound lane).
April 11, 2025: FamilyMart at Hitachi Chuo PA (In-bound) Joban Expressway has introduced "TTG-SENSE" and reopened as a hybrid store with an unmanned payment area.
March 24, 2020: Utilizing "TTG-SENSE," the first unmanned sales store in a service area or parking area in Hokkaido, "Watatsu GO," was opened in the annex store at Watatsu PA (Out-bound) on the Do-o Expressway.

Click here for the first, second and third press releases.

Company Profile

Company name	TOUCH TO GO Co., Ltd.	NEXCO East Japan Area Tract Co., Ltd.
Establishment	July 1, 2019	December 8, 2005
Capital amount	100 million yen	1.5 billion yen
location	2-21-42 Takanawa, Minato-ku, Tokyo	2-3-17 Higashi-Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Business description	Provision of unmanned payment system	Management and operation of SA/PA commercial facilities

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