Have you heard of Babahera Ice Cream, a summer staple in Akita? A thorough explanation of the charm of this cute and retro homemade ice cream!

Have you ever seen pink and yellow ice cream presented like a rose and handed to you?

Babahera Ice Cream is a summer specialty of Akita Prefecture . Its simple taste and nostalgic sales style have been loved by locals for many years, and it has now become a popular local delicacy among tourists as well.

This time, we'll be introducing all the charms of Babahera ice cream, from the background of its creation to where you can buy it and its modern evolution!

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What is "Babahera Ice Cream"? The origin of its unique name

The word "babahera" is a name unique to Akita that includes a dialect.

"Baba" means "grandmother" in Akita dialect, and "hera" refers to the metal spatula used to scoop and serve ice cream.

Ice cream made by an old lady using a spatula

That's what it means.

In fact, the Babahera ice cream sellers are mostly elderly women who stand in front of ice cream cans under colorful parasols and hand out ice cream to passersby with a smile.The sales style is old-fashioned, with homemade ice cream stored in insulated cans rather than in a freezer, and they skillfully serve each order with a spatula.

What does it taste like? Characteristics of Babahera Ice Cream

The appeal of Babahera Ice Cream is not just its cute appearance. Its greatest feature is between the two colors of ice cream, pink (strawberry flavor) and yellow (banana flavor), which are skillfully layered with a spatula a rose-like shape . It's so beautiful that it's almost a shame to eat it, and it looks great in photos too.

The ice cream itself has a light taste, with a texture somewhere between sorbet and ice cream . It's not too sweet, and its lightness makes it easy to eat even on a hot summer day.

The latest Babahera ice cream trends have evolved into something even more colorful!

Recently, Babahera Ice Cream has evolved beyond the standard pink and yellow, appearing in a variety of colors and flavors. Below we introduce the main variations and flavor information!

Blue & White (Soda & Milk)

• A combination of soda (blue) and milk (white).
• The refreshing soda flavor is combined with mellow milk, giving it a light, sorbet-like texture that is very refreshing.
• This is also a limited edition color that is sold at special locations such as Blaublitz Akita's match venues.

Melon flavor (green & white)

• Made with melon juice from Akita Prefecture. The green one is melon flavored, and the white one is milk flavored.
• It features the natural aroma of melon and a refreshing aftertaste, making it popular for its refreshing taste.

Grape flavor (purple & white)

• A purple and white combination made with Osawa grape juice from Yokote City.
• It has a flavor similar to grape sorbet and is delicious when eaten alternately with milk.

Soda & Lemon (Blue & Yellow)

• A refreshing combination of soda (blue) and lemon (yellow).
• It matches the team colors of Blaublitz Akita and has appeared in matches and other events.

Hydrangea Blue (blue & purple)

• Hydrangeas are only available for sale during the hydrangea season at Unshoji Temple in Oga City.
• The colors and flavors are named after flowers: blue is ramune flavor and purple is blueberry flavor.

Pineapple & Apple (Pink & Yellow)

• Pink = apple flavor, yellow = pineapple flavor.
• This is a new flavor developed by Kodama Reika in 2020, and is sweet, sour, and juicy.

Brown sugar syrup and kinako (brown)

• The yellow is kinako and the light brown is brown sugar syrup.
• A Japanese taste with a sorbet-like feel that combines Japanese richness with a refreshing feeling.

Where and when it is sold

They are mainly sold during the summer months from May to September , and when the hot weather arrives, parasols appear in various places throughout Akita Prefecture.

Where can I buy it?

They are commonly found in the following places:

• Shoulders of major roads such as national highways
• Roadside stations in Akita Prefecture
• A venue for summer events such as the Kanto Festival and the Omagari Fireworks Festival
• A tourist hub near Akita Station and the airport

Salespeople often hold up colorful umbrellas as a sign that they are there, so you can easily find them even while driving. When making a purchase, keep the following points in mind!

• Cash payment is the norm (cards and electronic money are generally not accepted)
• Depending on the weather, they may take down early , so if you see one, we recommend buying it right away!
• It may be difficult to handle bulk orders if there is a large number of orders

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Babahera Maker and History

The originator of Babahera ice cream Shindo Reika . It first appeared in the 1950s, and is said to have started as a homemade ice cream sold in buckets on the roadside.

There are now several manufacturers, each with slightly different flavors and colors.

Another distinctive feature of this business is its community-based business model, in which ice cream cans and umbrellas are loaned by manufacturers to sales staff (mostly elderly women working part-time), who then go on sale only during the summer

Shindo Reika <Information>

• Name: Shindo Reika Co., Ltd.
• Address: 12-1 Shimoya Nagane, Kakumazaki, Oga City, Akita Prefecture
• Phone number: 0185-46-2066
• Official URL: http://babahera.net/

Google Map

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Enjoy it at home! Babahera ice cream can also be purchased online.

Nowadays, you can enjoy Babahera ice cream without having to travel to the area.

ordered online by frozen mail from manufacturers and local specialty shops, and come in a variety of flavors, from realistic cone-shaped varieties to easy-to-eat cup varieties.

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Even if you have now left Akita, you can always experience that nostalgic taste in the comfort of your own home.

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Be sure to try the handmade ice cream that brightens up Akita's summer!

Even as the eras have changed from Showa to Heisei to Reiwa, Babahera ice cream continues to brighten up Akita's summers in the same way. Its simple sweetness, the warmth of human hands, and beautiful appearance make it an experience that can truly "memories of eating .

If you visit Akita, be sure to find that parasol and try the Babahera experience, which will cool your body and mind!

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