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Popular soft serve ice cream and gelato at roadside rest areas, plus local delicacies! Yuzu, amazake, and Tonosama soft serve! [Hamadori area, Fukushima Prefecture]
Popular soft serve ice cream and gelato at roadside rest areas, plus local delicacies! Yuzu, amazake, and Tonosama soft serve! [Hamadori area, Fukushima Prefecture]
The Pacific coastal region of Fukushima Prefecture, known as "Hamadori," suffered devastating damage from the tsunami at that time, but 15 years later, considerable progress has been made in its recovery
National Route 6, which runs north-south through the Hamadori region, has seen the addition of new roadside rest areas, each offering unique soft-serve ice cream, gelato, and a variety of other gourmet foods
In early April 2026, I visited these roadside rest areas along the coast
Please note that all prices mentioned in this article are inclusive of tax and are valid as of the end of March 2026
[Roadside Station Soma Mirai Honjin SOMA] Soft serve ice cream made with milk and yogurt from Tonosama Farm (Soma City: National Route 6)
The entrance to the building exudes the atmosphere of a former samurai residence
This roadside station was renovated from a previously existing local products shop and opened on October 20, 2022 (Reiwa 4)
The roadside station building is designed to resemble the encampment used in the "Soma Nomaoi" festival
Lord's Milk Soft Serve Ice Cream: 400 yen
Photo spot and Lord's Milk Soft Serve Ice Cream
"Tonosama Milk Stand SOMA" sells soft-serve ice cream made with milk from "Soma-san's Farm," which is run by Yukitane Soma, the 34th head of the Soma clan
Taste the milk from the farm run by the lord of the Soma family
This product is a blend of three types of milk and yogurt produced on the farm, resulting in a rich milky flavor and a smooth, creamy texture
The corn, with its fragrant, caramel-like flavor, pairs perfectly with the cream
In addition to soft serve ice cream, our soft serve parfaits topped with seasonal fruits, original smoothies, and original blend coffee are also popular
Kinsuke Pickled Special Pork Loin Set Meal: 1,480 yen
You can enjoy Kinsuke pickles at Kitchen Nittaki
"Kinsuke-zuke," pickled in a secret homemade miso sauce from "Niitsuma Foods" located near the roadside station, is a beloved local soul food
You can purchase it at Niitsuma Foods stores or through their online shop, but why not try it when you visit "Kitchen Nittaki" at this roadside station?
[Michi-no-Eki Minamisoma Nomaoi no Sato] A roadside station in the town where the magnificent Nomaoi festival takes place (Haramachi Ward, Minamisoma City: National Route 6)
The spacious village of Soma Nomaoi
The main venue for the famous "Soma Nomaoi" festival is located in Minamisoma City, which was formed by the merger of the former towns of Odaka, Kashima, and Haramachi
That's why this roadside station has been given the nickname "Somaoi no Sato" (Village of the Wild Horse Chase)
Hokkaido soft serve ice cream and gelato, plus the original Yotsuwari bread
Soft serve ice cream and gelato lineup
We offer rich soft-serve ice cream made with Hokkaido milk (vanilla, chocolate, and mixed flavors), as well as gelato in 12 different flavors
Among takeout gourmet options, the most popular is said to be "Ganso Yotsuwari Bread" from "Haramachi Bakery," which boasts a 70-year tradition
Popular Morning Sickness Bread
The round bread roll has a cross-shaped cut that allows it to split into four sections, hence the name "Yotsuwari" (four-part bread). It is filled with fresh cream, sweet red bean paste, and red candied cherries
The cream isn't too sweet, so you can eat as many as you want. It's a soul food of Haramachi
Roadside Station Minamisoma <Information>
Facility name: Michi-no-Eki Minamisoma Nomaoi no Sato
Location: 2-30-1 Takami-cho, Haramachi-ku, Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture
Phone number: 0244-26-5100
Business hours: Product hall 9:00-18:00
Opening hours: Restaurant 11:00 - 15:30 (Last order 15:00)
[Namie Roadside Station] This roadside station, a symbol of the Hamadori region's recovery, is full of delicious local cuisine! (Namie Town, Futaba District: National Route 6)
A panoramic view of Michi-no-Eki Namie
In March 2011, Namie Town was forced to evacuate all its residents, but since then, people have gradually started to return
Since opening in August 2020, it has become a symbol of reconstruction, a landmark for the townspeople, and a point of interest that showcases the charm of the newly reborn Namie Town
To the left of the entrance you'll see is the "Namie Crafts and Livelihoods Museum."
Within the grounds, at the "Namie Craftsmanship and Livelihood Museum," you'll find Suzuki Sake Brewery, which was once the sake brewery closest to the sea in Japan, brewing sake again after returning from its evacuation to Yamagata Prefecture
Large fried rice cracker wrapped in seaweed and soft serve ice cream: 756 yen
The soft-serve ice cream served in "Iwaki Kotobuki" has an incredible presence thanks to the Soma roll
The Gin Koji Amazake Soft Serve Ice Cream at the cafe "SakeKura Yui" uses sake lees and amazake, and the rich sweetness and tartness brewed by the koji spread throughout your mouth
This soft-serve ice cream comes with "Soma-maki," a rice cracker wrapped in seaweed sold by "Kuroshio Nori-ten" in Minamisoma City
You can order soft serve ice cream and sample local sake at this counter
The combination of the sweet soft-serve ice cream, bursting with the flavor and umami of amazake (sweet rice wine), and the salty soy sauce flavor of the nori-wrapped rice cracker is exquisite
You can choose from 12 different brands of sake from Suzuki Brewery for your tasting
Additionally, the cafe "SakeKura Yui" has a paid tasting corner featuring "Iwaki Kotobuki," the flagship brand of "Suzuki Sake Brewery," where you can enjoy a tasting of five small cups of sake for 500 yen (700 yen with snacks)
A small tasting cup and five coins for sampling
Since I was the driver, my companion tasted them and said that all the brands were delicious
I was a little disappointed, so on my next visit, I plan to stay in Namie Town and enjoy some wine tasting
Namie Yakisoba: Regular 880 yen, Large 990 yen
Namie Yakisoba is popular as a set meal with a seafood rice bowl
Namie is known nationwide for its "Namie Yakisoba," which won the national B1 Grand Prix
This dish features thick noodles, bean sprouts, and pork stir-fried in lard, resulting in a rich, flavorful sauce. It's recommended to sprinkle some chili powder on top before eating
"Food Terrace Kanade" where you can enjoy Namie yakisoba
Also, at "Food Terrace Kanade," fresh seafood bowls and whitebait bowls are popular menu items, and they are also available as a set with Namie yakisoba
The most popular set menu item is the Namie Yakisoba and Shirasu Don (whitebait rice bowl) set
[Michi-no-Eki Naraha] A roadside station in front of J-Village where you can enjoy hot springs and authentic Italian gelato (Naraha Town, Futaba District: National Route 6)
Local products shop and restaurant (on the right)
This roadside station, the seventh to open in Fukushima Prefecture, opened in June 2001 in front of the entrance to National Route 6 for J-Village, a sacred ground for soccer
This roadside station has a hot spring facility called "J-Village Yuyu Naraha," which is a popular place of relaxation not only for travelers but also for local residents
Italian Gelato (Naraha Yuzu): Single 400 yen, Double 450 yen
The gelato shop is right inside the entrance
They also have delicious soft-serve ice cream, but I recommend the gelato here, which is made with flavors derived from local agricultural products
The refreshing tartness of yuzu combined with the flavor of milk creates an addictive taste
Yuzu gelato; it's hard to see, but there are pieces of yuzu peel in it
This gelato has finely chopped yuzu peel in it, giving it a subtle bitterness reminiscent of orange marmalade, making it a sophisticated flavor for adults
Besides yuzu, other popular flavors include salted milk and roasted sweet potato
Nara Seafood Tanmen: 1000 yen
Naraha Roadside Station Food Court Menu
The Tanmen noodle soup, infused with the aroma of yuzu citrus and generously filled with seafood ingredients such as shrimp and scallops, is the roadside station's top recommended dish
I wasn't able to sample the food during this visit because the timing didn't work out, but I'd like to try it on my next visit
[Roadside Station Iwaki La La Mew] A roadside station (Iwaki City: National Route 6) where impressive tower-shaped seafood bowls stand side by side
"La La Mew" has a vast seafood section
Onahama Port, the largest port in Fukushima Prefecture, is a port that integrates a fishing port area, a waterfront space, and a logistics hub, and boasts one of the highest fish landings in the country among fishing ports
"La La Mew," located in Onahama Port, is packed with local products and gourmet food, especially seafood, and you won't get bored just looking around
Mini Peach Soft Serve Ice Cream: 700 yen
The combination of two frozen jelly pieces and soft-serve ice cream with peach pieces is great!
This soft serve ice cream, sold at "Kinohata," a frozen tempura shop on the first floor, features peach-flavored soft serve on top of mugwort-infused frozen tempura from "Kinohata" in Fukushima City
The "One-Bite Frozen Tempura (Petit Tempura)" comes in a pack of four and has two prongs on each side. It has a crispy exterior and a soft, chewy interior
These bite-sized frozen tempura pieces have two adorable little horns
It's topped with a sauce containing small diced peaches, and the aroma of the peaches and the mugwort in the frozen tempura go together very well
While it may not be considered a local specialty of Iwaki, this is a soft-serve ice cream that I highly recommend you try
"La La Mew"'s specialty: a tower bowl overflowing with seafood!
This is "UKYO" on the second floor, and their recommended dish is the "Aji Fry Zen" (Aji Fry Set Meal) with its towering fried horse mackerel
On the first and second floors, the "Seafood Gourmet Street" features a variety of stalls from Iwaki City, including izakayas and sushi restaurants, serving fresh seafood caught at Onahama Fishing Port
"Maguro no Takagi"'s famous mountain-sized rice bowl is unparalleled and virtually invincible!
In particular, the "mountain of tuna sashimi bowl" at "Maguro no Takagi" on the first floor and the "tower bowl" of crab and salmon roe at "Ikura no Daigoro" seem to be competing to see who can serve the tallest bowl, and the panels displayed in front of the shops are sure to catch your eye
This is "Ikura Daigoro," and the "Ikura Soft Serve" looks very intriguing
Incidentally, "Ikura no Daigoro" offers a soft-serve ice cream topped with salmon roe called "Okkona Bikkuri Daigoro Specialty," and it's gaining popularity for the surprisingly good combination of the salty taste of the salmon roe and the sweetness of the soft-serve ice cream
Roadside Station Iwaki La La Mew <Information>
Facility name: Michi-no-Eki Iwaki La La Mew
Location: 43-1 Tatsumi-cho, Onahama, Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture
Phone number: 0246-92-3701
Opening hours: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM (Please refer to the official website for opening hours specific to each facility/store.)
There is another roadside station in the Hamadori area called "Michi-no-Eki Yotsukura Port," which is popular for its Sunshine Tomato soft serve ice cream made with local tomatoes and its seafood dishes
I have visited twice, including this time, but unfortunately, the store was closed on both occasions, so I was unable to conduct an interview
I'd like to introduce it again sometime in the future
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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