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[Iwate Prefecture] Soft serve ice cream at a roadside station in the northern part of the prefecture! Why is the soft serve ice cream at roadside stations so delicious?
[Iwate Prefecture] Soft serve ice cream at a roadside station in the northern part of the prefecture! Why is the soft serve ice cream at roadside stations so delicious?
Soft serve ice cream at roadside rest areas (Michi-no-Eki) is a popular treat that's a must-try during a road trip, as it showcases the flavors and aromas of local ingredients. Last time, I introduced soft serve ice cream and takeout gourmet food from roadside rest areas near Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture, recommended by the author. This time, we'll focus on northern Iwate Prefecture. I'll introduce the local soft serve ice cream that each rest area boasts, based on my actual visits and tastes at roadside rest areas in northern Iwate Prefecture.
The prices listed in the article are current as of the end of May 2025
[Ishigami-no-Oka Roadside Station]Cabbage soft serve ice cream!? What does that taste like? (Iwate-gun, Iwate-machi: National Route 4)
Roadside Station Ishigami no Oka
is located next to the Ishigami-no-Oka Art Museum on National Route 4 in Iwate Town andLover's Sanctuaryhas also been designated a
"Gⅲ (Grandpa) Coffee," made by three eccentric old men from Iwate Town, makes a great souvenir!
There are play equipment for children on the grounds, and in addition to the art museum, there are also lavender and blueberry gardens, so the whole family can have fun all day long
Spring Green Soft Serve Ice Cream: 390 yen
It's made with plenty of spring green puree
spring cabbage grown in Iwate Town known for its delicious tasteHarumidoriThis soft-serve ice cream has a beautiful pale green color, made with puree from
In front of Chayakko, the shop selling Spring Green Soft Serve Ice Cream, is a rare green soft serve ice cream-shaped lantern
As it melts in your mouth, the flavor and sweetness of the cabbage emerges, but it's refreshing and without any grassy smell. The small grains kneaded into the dough give it a firm cabbage texture, and the cabbage flavor lingers lightly in the aftertaste
The popular original soft serve ice cream at Restaurant Ishigami no Oka!
The restaurant is highly acclaimed for its menu, which makes generous use of locally produced ingredients, and has been certified as an "Iwate Locally Produced Two-Star Restaurant."
The restaurant menu is full of local delicacies and sweets!
The restaurant sells sweet and sour soft serve ice cream made with blueberries harvested from the blueberry farm, which is also a popular ice cream at the station (390 yen).You can also enjoy local delicacies made with plenty of Iwate Town's specialty vegetables, such as curry, yakisoba noodles, ramen, hamburger steaks, and steaks, which you won't find anywhere else
[Roadside Station Yamabikokan] The gentle sweetness of black bean soft serve ice cream will melt your heart! (Miyako City, National Route 106)
Roadside Station Yamabikokan In the back left of the photo is "Moumoutei"
The area where the roadside station is located is said to be almost in the center of Iwate Prefecture, at the midpoint of National Route 106, which connects Morioka and Miyako. It was formerly called Kawai Village, Shimohei District
The spacious Dragon Square and grassy area are equipped with play equipment for families to play in
The Hei River flows nearby and the park is surrounded by abundant nature, and the adjacent Dragon Square and Lawn Square have play equipment so children can play freely
Black bean soft serve ice cream: 350 yen
The cream is made with a paste of black soybeans, a specialty of the former Kawai village, and the small pieces floating in the pale grey colour are black soybeans
When you take the first bite, the aroma and sweetness of the sweetly simmered black beans fills your mouth, making you feel as if you are eating creamy mitsumame
Black bean soft serve is sold at the counter in the Yahoo!Kan building in the background, as well as in the shop
The fragrant black bean flavor lingers in the aftertaste, making this a local soft serve ice cream recommended for black bean lovers
"Restaurant Moumotei" is popular for its "Dragon Noodles"
If you can handle spicy food, be sure to try the "Super Spicy" version!
which features thin noodles topped with plenty of vegetables and a spicy miso soup with egg, available in five levels of spiciness. ItsDragon Noodlesintense spiciness and rich flavor are addictive.
"Moumotei" is full at lunchtime even on weekdays
This ramen, named after its fiery spiciness, has been featured on television and is crowded even on weekdays with customers who visit just for the Dragon Noodles
Roadside Station Yamabikokan <Information>
Facility name: Roadside Station Yamabikokan (Heinosato Kawai)
Location: 2, Kawauchi 8th District, Miyako City, Iwate Prefecture
Phone number: 0193-85-5011
Business hours: Yahoo! Hall 9:30-16:30
Business hours: Shop (fast food in the building) 9:30-16:30
[Roadside Station Ohno] Straightforward! Rich, freshly squeezed milk soft serve ice cream! (Hirono Town, Kunohe District: National Route 395)
Behind the roadside station Ohno lies the vast Ohno Campus
where the roadside station is located,Oono Campusis a complex facility built as a social experiment for regional revitalization in the former Ono Village, with the cooperation of the University of Tokyo, and includes accommodation facilities, a woodworking experience facility, a park, and more.
by the Ministry of the Environment as "the best place to see the starsDesignated
Yume Milk Soft Serve Ice Cream (380 yen)
Yume Milk Soft Serve Ice Cream
The soft serve ice cream, made with "Oono Yume Milk" from "Oono Milk Factory," allows you to enjoy the rich taste of freshly squeezed milk. It has a rich milk flavor but a refreshing aftertaste, and its clean, subtle sweetness makes it a soft serve ice cream that you'll want to have as many times as you want
There are three types of soft serve ice cream sold at the shop
a soft-serve ice cream made with wild grape juice, a specialty of northern Iwate Prefecture,Yamabudo Softallowing you to enjoy the refreshing tartness of wild grapes.
We recommend the "Okara Donuts" for takeout and the "Akadori Ramen" at Shokunoyakata!
Okara donuts come in packs of 2 and 5
in Hirono TownMamefurinand "Oono Yume MilkThe fluffy and chewy "Okara Donuts," made with
The menu at Shokuno-yakata is full of homemade flavors
isaavailable at "Shoku no Yakata"Akadori Ramenlocal Japanese chicken "Akadori" and fresh local vegetables. The thick noodles are well coated in the broth, and the toppings of Akadori char siu and minced meat are delicious, along with local cabbage, daikon radish, spinach, and carrots.
[Roadside Station Iwate Kitasanriku] A new spot! Enjoy the nostalgic "kinako" flavored soft serve ice cream. (Kuji City: National Route 45, National Route 395)
The Pokémon illustrations are on the food court windows
This roadside station, which opened in April 2023 at the intersection of two national highways, is a convenient spot for driving, with a convenience store and gas station nearby. The food court has three stores with a wide selection of dishes, making it a popular place for locals to relax
Black bean kinako soft serve ice cream: 420 yen
The raw material for "Kuromame Kinako" is black soybeans with black skin, and there are many black grains in the cream
a donut and parfait shop located in the food courtstandonuts,"It's sold at
This soft-serve ice cream is made with "black soybean kinako" from northern Sanriku, giving it a rich flavor and"kohaku" (amber), a specialty product of Kujia color reminiscent of
The flavor of the black soybean flour grains is Japanese, but also similar to chocolate or mocha ice cream.It starts off with a light fragrant aroma, but the strong soybean flour flavor lingers in the aftertaste
The soft serve ice cream is made from Oonoyume milk
from the roadside station Oono, which I mentioned earlier. ItOono Yume Milkis made from
A satisfying "Tankaku beef curry donut"」
Donut Menu
Stand Donuts offers many different types of donuts, but their curry donuts made with shorthorn beef are particularly popular and are a popular takeout item
The shop's most recommended special curry donut
The slightly spicy curry with a hint of spice pairs perfectly with the slightly sweet, chewy doughnut dough, creating a flavor unlike any other curry bread
Roadside Station Iwate Kitasanriku <Information>
Facility name: Roadside Station Iwate Kitasanriku
Address: 3-2, Toritani 7th District, Natsui-cho, Kuji City, Iwate Prefecture
Phone number: 0194-66-8830
Opening hours: Food court 10:30-18:30 (opening hours vary for each of the three stores)
Business hours: Merchandise sales and direct sales 9:00-19:00
Opening hours: Gas station 8:00 - 19:00
Closed: January 1st (and other irregular holidays)
The mountain grape soft serve ice cream at Roadside Station Oritsume has a sour taste like a lactic acid bacteria drink!
The Ododekan building has become brighter and cleaner after renovation work
This roadside station has the nickname "Odode-kana mythical bird that can speak human language, and is passed down in the folklore of Kunohe as the village's guardian deityOdode-sama.
The newly opened Gelateria Nakaichi
Renovations were carried out in 2022, and new establishments such as the fried chicken shop "Obuchiki-ya" and "Gelateria Nakaichi," run by a local baked sweet potato vendor, opened.
Wild grape soft serve ice cream: 350 yen, mini 300 yen
Wild grape soft serve ice cream (mini size in a fragrant waffle cone)
The aroma and flavor of wild grape juice from Kunohe Village can be clearly felt from the first sip, and this soft serve ice cream has a vivid reddish-purple color of grapes
The rich cream and refreshing acidity give it a taste similar to a lactic acid bacteria drink, and the aftertaste leaves a lingering aroma of wild grapes
You can choose between regular and mini sizes for the three types of soft serve ice cream
We recommend the mini version served in a waffle cone, which brings out the flavor of the wild grape soft serve even more
In addition, the ramen shop "Denden-tei" also sells various kinds of soft serve ice cream, although they are not their original recipe.
Our recommended takeout item is this! "Obuchiki Karaage" (6 pieces for 550 yen)
Take-out Obuchiki fried chicken is 550 yen for 6 pieces
within Iwate Prefecture, which boasts the largest number of broiler chickens in Japan,Kunohe Village, known as the "Chicken Kingdom"has finally released a soy sauce-flavored fried chicken with a strong garlic kick.
Crisply fried Obuchiki chicken remains juicy even when cold!
The chicken is well seasoned to bring out its flavor, and in addition to fried chicken alone, they also offer yakitori made with various cuts of chicken and fried chicken bento boxes for takeout
At the restaurant, you can enjoy the "Obuchiki Fried Chicken Set Meal" or "Obuchiki Fried Chicken Curry"
Those who want to eat it with rice or want to try it freshly fried can enjoy it on the restaurant's set meal menu
Oritsume Roadside Station <Information>
Facility name: Roadside Station Oritsume "Ododekan"
Northern Iwate Prefecture is known for its wild grapes, and you can also enjoy wild grape soft serve at Kuzumaki Kogen and Kuji, both near Roadside Station Oritsume, with each offering a slightly different flavor
There are also many dairy farms, and in addition to the Oono Roadside Station introduced in this article, there are many shops selling soft serve ice cream and gelato made from rich milk
I'm a former Edoite (Tokyoite) who loves Morioka and the six prefectures of Tohoku, and I'm a big fan of history, gourmet food, travel, sports, alcohol, and choral singing.
I'll introduce you to interesting things, delicious food, and great places in Tohoku!
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