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[Iwate Prefecture] Enjoy soft serve ice cream in the northern Sanriku coast while feeling the sea breeze! Why is the soft serve ice cream at roadside stations so delicious?
[Iwate Prefecture] Enjoy soft serve ice cream in the northern Sanriku coast while feeling the sea breeze! Why is the soft serve ice cream at roadside stations so delicious?
As part of the earthquake recovery efforts along the Sanriku Coast, the Sanriku Coastal Road was completed as a bypass of National Route 45. While this has made travel easier, it is said that the number of cars passing through the city has also increased
Therefore, coastal cities and towns are making efforts to improve the gourmet food at roadside stations, such as local soft serve ice cream, so that drivers will get off the Sanriku Expressway and stop by
In this article, we've compiled our impressions of visiting roadside stations in the northern coastal area of Iwate Prefecture and tasting the region's signature soft serve ice cream and other gourmet foods
The prices listed in the article are current as of the end of May 2025
[Roadside Station Noda] Our recommendation: Sweet and salty soft serve ice cream delivered by a beko! (Noda Village, Kunohe District: National Route 45, Prefectural Route 29)
Roadside Station Noda before its relocation, with Rikuchu Noda Station behind it (photographed on May 27, 2025)
"Michi-no-Eki Noda" was previously a roadside station located next to Rikuchu-Noda Station on the Sanriku Railway along National Route 45, but on June 20, 2025, it will be relocated to a new building near the Noda Interchange on the Sanriku Coastal Road andMichi-no-Eki Noda Purplewill reopen as
By combining retail sales and direct sales, the retail sales area, which previously felt cramped, will be expanded and the product selection will be more extensive
Noda salt soft serve ice cream: 400 yen
The milk flavor is great and the saltiness is just right
which has been transported to Morioka by cows along the salt road since the Edo periodNoda Salt, andOono Milk Factory"Yume Milk Soft Serve Ice Cream, have come together at this roadside station.
The secret ingredients, "Noda salt" made by boiling down Noda seawater and edible chrysanthemums from Noda Village, bring out the subtle sweetness of the milky cream, creating a flavor you'll never tire of
The shop also offers popular soft serve ice cream made with wild grape juice, a specialty of Noda
It seems that new dishes will be added to the menu at Restaurant Purple after the relocation
In addition, the restaurant and fast food corner will be set up in the food hall as "Shokudo" and "Noda Salt Soft Serve," allowing customers to enjoy both restaurant and fast food menu items together
The mellow "Noda Salt" makes a great souvenir!
A row of Noda Salt-related products are lined up. The new roadside station is expected to have a larger sales area and a wider selection of products
Noda Salt is a natural salt made by boiling seawater for four days. It has a mild, understated saltiness and is a mellow salt that brings out the flavor of the ingredients
"Noda salt," such as "salt karintoSweets that utilize
A long-aged red wine from Suzuminooka Winery, named Shizuku (purple drop)
Another recommended souvenir is "Noda Village Wild Grape Wine," brewed from wild grapes that have been slowly aged in the cool winds known as "Yamase" that blow in from the Pacific Ocean in early summer in this region
You can enjoy the strong acidity of wild grapes and the jam-like fruitiness
【[Roadside Station Aonokuni Fudai]Replenish your minerals with! (Fudai Village, Shimohei District: National Route 45, Prefectural Route 44)
It feels like the waiting room at Fudai Station has been turned into a roadside station
"Michi-no-Eki Aonokuni Fudai " is a roadside station so integrated with the railway station that it would be more accurate to say that the station building itself has been converted into a roadside station, rather than simply being adjacent to Fudai Station on the Sanriku Railway.
Konbu soft serve ice cream: 350 yen
Kombu soft serve ice cream has tiny pieces of kombu kneaded into it
It has a faint, light green color, and the cream is rich and creamy with a hint of the sea.The umami and saltiness of the kneaded kelp powder enhance the sweetness of the cream. The small pieces of kelp in the cream provide a noticeable texture.
Anyway, it's a soft serve ice cream that is surprisingly delicious and completely unexpected, and you'll likely become addicted to it
Immediately to the right of the entrance is a counter selling soft serve ice cream and burgers, and to the left is a shop, with the entrance to the train platform at the back
Additionally, the shop (Antenna Shop Aide) is directly connected to the ticket gate at Fudai Station, so you can find out when a train is arriving while you're inside the shop.
The "Blue Country Burger" is packed with the bounty of the sea!
"Aonokuni Burger" with kelp. On the left is fragrant fried rice cake
in the Fudai Village Abbey Road shopping streetKamikanda Meat Shop"Kombu Menchi Katsualso located in the same shopping streetspecial buns from Shimokawara Shoten,sandwiched between
The minced meat is topped with plenty of chopped Fudai kelp, and the umami of the kelp and the gravy complement each other, all wrapped up in a crispy outside and moist inside bun
When you hear the sound, your "Ao no Kuni Burger" is ready!
The buns are baked in the shop's kitchen after the order is placed, so they are fragrant and hot
[Roadside Station Tanohata] 20% more milk! Even cows would be surprised by this milk soft serve ice cream! (Tanohata Village, Shimohei District: National Route 45)
The spacious and bright store is filled with Tanohata Village specialties and souvenirs
previously located in "Shii Ohashi Community Park," but in April 2021 it relocated to this site andWind of Thoughtreopened under the new name "Shii no Kaze" (
an RV park where you can stay overnight in your vehicle, as well asaccommodation facilitieslike "Shii-so-kan," and is a place where you can find seafood from the Sanriku region, mountain vegetables, and farm produce.
that spreads throughout your mouthTanohata MilkThis popular soft-serve ice cream offers a rich aroma and flavor of
The regular size comes in a typical cone, butthe mini size comes in a black, crunchy waffle cone infused with bamboo charcoal, whose savory aroma enhances the flavor of the soft serve ice cream.
The regular size can be served in a cup, and the sundae, which is soft serve ice cream topped with syrup, is also delicious
This mini soft serve ice cream served in a black cone has a small amount of cream, but the combination of cream and cone is excellent and highly recommended
Three types of frankfurters featuring Tanohata ingredients
Fast food menu, "Kuromoji" is a fragrant wood that is a specialty of Tanohata village and is said to have sedative and antibacterial properties
with a mild flavor resulting from the use of four different pig breeds, a juicy pork-gen-ton (four-way crossbreed pork)ingredients from the Tanohata brandoffers a collaboration betweenWakame Frank" (made with seaweed), "Kamo Cheese Frank" (made with Iwate duck and cheese), and "Shiitake Frank" (made with shiitake mushrooms).
This timeDuck Cheese FrankI tried the
Duck and cheese frankfurter that was delicious even when cold
The crispy skin has a firm texture and is packed with the flavor of pork and duck, with the strong taste and flavor of cheese adding an accent
Thanatata Roadside Station Shiinokaze ＜Information＞
Facility name: Roadside Station Tanohata Shishi no Kaze
Address: 151-6 Sugakubo, Tanohata Village, Shimohei District, Iwate Prefecture
Phone number: 0194-32-3555
Business hours: Merchandise sales and direct sales 9:00-17:00
【Roadside Station Taro: Authentic soft serve ice cream with a comforting taste! (Miyako City: National Route 45)
Direct from the farm, fast food restaurant on the far right
Previously, "Michi-no-Eki Taro" (Roadside Station Taro) was located on a hill north of town and was not damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. However, due to the development of the Sanriku Expressway and other factors, it was relocated to the town center as a symbol of reconstruction.
To the left of the direct sales area is an information center, restaurants, rice cake shops, and convenience stores
Opened in April 2018 in the heart of the Taro district, this roadside stationas a priority "roadside station" in fiscal year 2015is a symbol of the Taro district's recovery, having been selected
Soft serve ice cream: 390 yen (mini 290 yen)
Mini waffle cone
The soft serve ice cream at the fast food counter is very ordinary and could even be called traditional, but it has a nostalgic and comforting taste
They come in regular and mini sizes, and I personally recommend the mini cone as it's a fragrant waffle cone
Fast food tamagoyaki (2 for 290 yen) and direct-from-the-farm Masakiyaki (6 for 300 yen)
The thick omelet is packed with the flavor of the broth!
Two omelets are about the size of a block of tofu, and are sold in the fast food section as a sweet omelet with a rich flavor from the broth
It has a similar color and flavor to datemaki, and is a satisfying delicacy that can be enjoyed as both a side dish and a snack, making it a popular takeout item
Masakiyaki grilled to perfection
Also, the Masaki-yaki from "Sanchoku Toretaro" is similar to Akashi-yaki, with a crispy exterior and a gooey interior, andinstead of octopus, it is filled with plenty of wakame seaweed stems.
Ponzu sauce is selected for the dipping sauce, and chopped green onions add a nice accent
You can buy produce from the farm's kitchen/sales counter in the morning, but in the afternoon you can buy produce displayed in the display case at the farm's cash register
You can choose from ponzu sauce, mayonnaise, sauce, etc. for the dipping sauce, but I personally recommend ponzu sauce. I recommend dipping it in the sauce like Akashiyaki and eating it
Roadside Station Taro <Information>
Facility name: Roadside Station Taro
Address: 2-4-5-1 Taro, Miyako City, Iwate Prefecture
Phone number: 0193-87-3988
Opening hours: Direct from the farm Toretara 9:00-17:00
Opening hours: Fast food: 10:00-16:00
Closed: New Year's holidays (fast food is closed on Mondays)
【Miyako Roadside Station: Replenish your minerals with deep sea water soft serve ice cream! (Miyako City: Rinko-dori, National Route 45)
The building in the foreground is the Unineko Cafe
It opened in 2006 as the easternmost roadside station on Honshu, but was damaged by the tsunami during the Great East Japan Earthquake and closed for a period of time. It reopened on July 6, 2013, after renovations. Its nickname, "Seatopia Naado," is said to originate from the Miyako dialect andHow about it?means a casual greeting such as
which consists of seafood in a jar served over white rice, has recentlybindonbecome popular.
I managed to get the pale green "Blessings of the Sea Soft Cream" at the restaurant
the outdoor stall "Uni Neko CafeThe most popular item atSea Bounty Soft Serve Ice Cream," made with deep-sea water. When you take a sip, you first taste a light saltiness. It doesn't have much of a milky flavor, and is a refreshing soft serve ice cream with a mineral-rich taste and coolness reminiscent of a sports drink.
Once the sweetness fades, a subtle salty taste returns, which is a distinctive feature of the flavor
On the day I visited, Unineko Cafe was closed! I wondered what to do..
Please note that "Uni Neko Cafe" is closed every Tuesday, but on those days,"Sea Bounty Soft Serve Ice Cream" is sold at Restaurant Kaishiosai.
Prince's Luxury Blissful Cod Fry (350 yen each)
Sorry, I only showed you the menu because it was closed. But it's delicious, so please give it a try!
Large fried cod made with cod from Miyako, one of Japan's top cod catches, is available for takeout with tartar sauce from Unineko Cafe. It can also be enjoyed as a fried cod set meal at the restaurant
Miyako Roadside Station Seatopia Naado <Information>
Facility name: Roadside Station Miyako Seatopia Naado
Address: 1-20 Rinko-dori, Miyako City, Iwate Prefecture
Phone number: 0193-71-3100
Business hours: Product sales corner 8:45-17:00
Restaurant hours: [Weekdays] 10:30-15:30 (LO 15:00), [Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays] 10:30-16:30 (LO 16:00)
Due to the opening of the Sanriku Expressway, the towns and villages along National Route 45 between Kuji and Miyako on the Sanriku Coast seem to be particularly deserted
If you have time to spare during your drive, why not stop by one of these roadside stations and try some delicious soft serve ice cream and local delicacies?
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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