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Miyagi Prefecture has the fewest number of roadside stations among the six Tohoku prefectures, but it is not inferior to the other prefectures in terms of the uniqueness of its soft serve ice cream
Another attraction is that roadside stations where you can enjoy delicious soft-serve ice cream are concentrated in the northern part of the prefecture, so you can enjoy eating soft-serve ice cream as you walk around
Please note that the prices (tax included) listed in the article are current as of early July 2025
[Ara Datena Roadside Station] Two popular soft serve ice cream flavors: Chocolate or Strawberry? Which do you prefer? (Iwadeyama, Osaki City: National Route 47)
A la Datena Roadside Station has three entrances: Central, East, and West
Located in Iwadeyama on National Route 47 heading from Sendai to Naruko Onsen, this roadside station is one of the most popular in the six Tohoku prefectures, with over 3 million visitors per year and having won first place in the 2024 Jalan National Roadside Station Grand Prix
There are long lines at Royce's outdoor store even on weekdays
a chocolate maker from HokkaidoROYCE', rarely has a permanent store outside of Hokkaido, and this is the only one in the six Tohoku prefectures. They offer chocolates, various sweets, and soft serve ice cream.
At Spiral Hall, beautiful melodies are always played from the street corner piano (there is a photo of former yokozuna Hakuho on the stage)
The observation deck overlooking the town of Iwadeyama features a spiral staircase leading to the "Spiral Hall," an open-air space with excellent acoustics where beautiful melodies can be heard from a street piano that anyone can play.
Royce soft serve ice cream (mix): 450 yen
Chocolate and rich milk mixed soft serve
"Chocolate Soft Serve Ice Cream" has the rich, high-quality taste of Royce's raw chocolate, allowing you to enjoy the flavor of cocoa and a hint of bitterness, making it a soft serve ice cream with a sophisticated taste for adults.
The "Rich Milk Soft Serve Ice Cream" has a rich milk flavor, yet a refreshing aftertaste, and you can enjoy various flavor variations by mixing it with chocolate.
Strawberry soft serve ice cream: 400 yen
Strawberry soft serve ice cream served with a special machine. It's a little tilted, but the pattern is beautiful
While Royce's tends to get all the attention, "Date-chan Kitchen's" "Strawberry Soft Serve Ice Cream" is a popular original soft serve ice cream with its beautiful pink color and cute presentation.
The facility's "Date-chan Kitchen" offers a wide variety of menu items, including noodles
has just the right amount of sweetness, with a subtle hint of strawberry flavor and tartness,a rich, creamy taste reminiscent of strawberry milk, yet it leaves a refreshing aftertaste.
Juicy beef tongue meatballs
Large and satisfying beef tongue meatballs
"Outdoor ROYCE' Soft Serve Ice Creamsold atBeef Tongue Meatballsstall are made with ground beef tongue, allowing you to enjoy its delicious flavor, aroma, and texture.
These reasonably priced meatballs are delicious both freshly grilled and when cold
Ah, Datena Roadside Station <Information>
Facility name: A-ra-Datena Roadside Station
Address: 4-1 Iwadeyamaiketsukikamiyanaedairome, Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture
Phone number: 0229-73-2236
Business hours: Date-chan Kitchen 11:00-18:00 (March-November), 11:00-17:00 (December-February)
Business hours: ROYCE' 9:00-18:00 (March-November), 9:00-17:00 (December-February)
[Roadside Station Otani Kaigan] This luxurious ingredient is now available as soft serve ice cream! Enjoy the luxurious Shark Fin Soft Serve Ice Cream! (Motoyoshi-cho, Kesennuma City: National Route 45)
You can enjoy your meal while enjoying the view of Otani Coast from the cafeteria
the 2022 hit movie "Suzume no Tojimariis also considered a "sacred site" among fans because it appeared in
The door that appeared in "The Sparrow's Door Lock" can be opened, so why not give it a try?
In the movie, there is a memorable scene where Serizawa, who is driving the heroine Suzume to Miyako City, Iwate Prefecture, takes a break there and drops off a soft-serve ice cream at the station
Kesennuma is rich in fish species, and in addition to ocean sunfish, it also has a large catch of sharks, and their meat and the luxury ingredient shark fin are local specialties
Shark fin soft serve: 450 yen
A large amount of honey-marinated shark fin
HamaCafe's "Shark Fin Soft Serve" is a soft serve ice cream with a rich, creamy vanilla base topped with a sweet sauce containing honey-pickled shark fin.
The sweetness of the honey and cream is well balanced, and the crunchy texture of the shark fin adds a fun accent
Two recommended takeout dishes from Hama Cafe
Hama Cafe: A clean kitchen
Hama Cafe not only offers soft serve ice cream, but also a wide variety of convenient takeout options such as burgers
Shark cutlet burger: 500 yen
The thick shark cutlet and bun are very satisfying!
Shark cutlet, a Kesennuma specialty, is high in protein and low in fat. It is fried to a crisp, has no peculiar taste or odor, and has the appearance of a refined white fish and a texture similar to chicken
Other toppings include tartar sauce, cheese, lettuce, and plenty of shredded cabbage, and the soft, chewy bun, similar to French bread, is very satisfying
Jacket potato: 400 yen
"Salted fish x Mekabu x Butter" Potatoes are fluffy
a locally grown varietyOtani Imo, prepared in three different ways.
We recommend the "Salted Squid x Mekabu Seaweed x Butter" flavor. You can enjoy the different textures of the potato, salted squid, and mekabu seaweed, and the butter envelops the saltiness and umami of the salted squid, bringing out the sweetness of the Otani potato.
Otani Coast Roadside Station <Information>
Facility name: Roadside Station Otani Coast
Address: 9 Mishima, Motoyoshi-cho, Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture
Phone number: 0226-44-3180
Business hours: Fast food "Hama Cafe" 9:00-16:00
Business hours: Cafeteria "umicoco" 10:00-17:00
Opening hours: Direct from the farm market 9:00-18:00
[Roadside Station Higashimatsushima] The soft serve ice cream at this roadside station supporting the Blue Impulse is also sky blue! (Higashimatsushima City: Sanriku Expressway Yamoto IC, City Road Yuriko Line)
Behind the building is the Yamoto Parking Area on the Sanriku Expressway northbound
This roadside station, which can also be accessed from the Yamoto PA on the northbound lane of the Sanriku Expressway,the newest roadside station in Miyagi Prefecture, having just opened on November 27, 2024.
of the 4th Air Wing, which is based at the nearby Matsushima Air Base of the Japan Air Self-Defense ForceBlue ImpulseIt has become increasingly popular because visitors can watch training flights by
Blue Impulse everywhere in the facility
There was a training flight on the day of the interview, and since it was an offshore training session, we were unable to see the training itself, but we were able to see the aircraft taking off from the base
Matsushima Blue Soft Serve Ice Cream: 450 yen
The blue soft serve ice cream stands out against the blue sky. Behind it is Matsushima Air Base
The eye-catching sky-blue creama yogurt-like flavor, reminiscent of a lactic acid drink, and leaves a refreshing aftertaste.
The balance of sourness and sweetness is exquisite, and it pairs well with the fragrant waffle cone. When mixed with vanilla, it truly resembles the color of the Blue Impulse aircraft
Matsushima Air Base's specialty "Nori Karaage"
"Soraage" seems like a perfect match for blue skies and beer
The Japan Air Self-Defense Force calls fried chicken "karaage," and like the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force's curry, each base develops its own unique "karaage" and serves it in their meals.
At the Higashimatsushima roadside station, they have recreated a popular recipe from Matsushima Air Base and added it to their menu. The seaweed mixed into the batter is "Aomaze Yaki Nori" from Higashimatsushima.
The set meals are very filling
The rich seaweed flavor of the batter is thin and crispy when fried, and the soy sauce and ginger seasoning gives it just the right amount of saltiness, so you can eat as many as you like
"(fried seaweed) is 380 yen for 3 pieces if ordered individually, but there are also set menus that include set meals and cold ramen.
[Roadside Station Sanbongi Yamanami] offers soft serve ice cream and takeout food all in the style of sunflowers! (Sanbongi, Osaki City: National Route 4)
A building reminiscent of a mountain hut
In Sanbongi, Osaki City, there is a 6-hectare "Sunflower Hill" where 420,000 sunflowers bloom in the summer, and a "Sunflower Festival" is held.
There are lots of sunflowers in the store
The roadside station sells sunflower seeds as a local specialty, and you can purchase the same sunflower seeds that American major leaguers often eat on the bench, as well as sweets made with them
Sunflower soft serve: 400 yen
The grains are sunflower seeds, a slightly lighter color than the peanut cream
The cream has a strong milk flavor, and the sunflower seeds that are roasted and then kneaded into small pieces give it a fragrant, nutty flavor
The sunflower seeds have a delightful texture and a clean aftertaste, making this soft serve ice cream something you won't find at any other roadside station
The very popular "Sunflower Donut" is freshly fried and delicious
Crispy on the outside, moist on the inside
priced at 350 yen for a pack of fiveSunflower Donuts,, can be purchased at the restaurant. They are fried to order, so it takes some time, but you can enjoy them fresh and hot.
There are so many sunflower seeds in a sunflower donut
They are reasonably priced at 350 yen for 5 donuts, and the donuts are filled with lots of fragrant sunflower seeds
The freshly fried "Sunflower Donuts" are about the size of a golf ball and are handed to you in a paper bag, so you can take them home as is
Roadside Station Sanbongi Yamanami <Information>
Facility name: Roadside Station Sanbongi Yamanami
Address: 63-13 Omamezaka, Sanbongi, Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture
Of the roadside stations introduced in this article, Otani Coast suffered devastating damage from the tsunami caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake, and when it came time to rebuild, the national and prefectural governments attempted to build a huge seawall on the sandy beach, just like in other disaster-stricken areas
However, local residents opposed the plan, saying they wanted to protect the beach, so the land was raised a little ways from the beach to build the national highway and roadside station, and now you can see the ocean from the roadside station
With many disaster-stricken areas cut off from the sea by huge seawalls, Roadside Station Kaigan has become a valuable roadside station where you can see the sea and the sandy beach
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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