Delicious soft-serve ice cream at a roadside station in the northern inland area of ​​Akita Prefecture! Made with fruit, vegetables, and egg flavors, this soft-serve won't fall even when turned upside down!? [Akita Prefecture]

The northern inland area of ​​Akita Prefecture is known for having particularly heavy snowfall in winter, but from spring to autumn, it's a region where you can enjoy pleasant mountain drives

At the roadside rest areas in this region, you can find soft-serve ice cream that incorporates the flavors of local specialties, allowing you to enjoy a variety of tastes

This article introduces the unique soft-serve ice creams from five roadside rest areas, along with recommended gourmet foods

(Please note that the prices mentioned in this article are inclusive of tax as of June 16, 2026.)

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[Michi-no-Eki Kazuno Antoraa] A rare peach soft serve ice cream with an intense sweetness! (Hanawa, Kazuno City: National Route 282)

Located near the border of Aomori and Iwate prefectures, this roadside station serves as a base for sightseeing around Lake Towada and Hachimantai

The "Festival Exhibition Hall" on the premises displays numerous floats used in the "Hanawa Bayashi," a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, and is well worth seeing (admission fee required)

The surrounding area is known for its thriving fruit cultivation, and the "Kazuno Marche Direct Sales Store" is always bustling with activity. In September in particular, the "Northernmost Peaches," known for their sweet and rich flavor, are very popular

Northernmost peach soft serve ice cream: 500 yen

The popular "northernmost peach" is a variety called "Kawanakajima White Peach," and due to the large temperature difference in this region, it has a high sugar content, resulting in a sweet, rich, and intensely flavorful peach

The soft-serve ice cream made with "peaches from the northernmost limit" has a strong peach aroma, and the sweetness is subtle, allowing the natural sweetness of the peaches to shine through

Last year, due to a poor peach harvest caused by snow damage, sales were suspended from May 2025, but sales resumed in September 2025

Dainichido Zaru Soba: 950 yen

This dish uses buckwheat flour grown organically in Kazuno City and comes with grated daikon radish from the Matsukan district of Hachimantai, known for its strong spiciness and aroma

Eating it with this spicy grated daikon radish enhances the flavor and sweetness of the soba noodles

Also, taking a bite of the accompanying "shiso-wrapped apricot" helps to soften the lingering spiciness in your mouth with its sweetness, making it a nice palate cleanser

Incidentally, "Dainichido" is the common name for the Ohirumemuchi Shrine in Kazuno City, where the "Dainichido Bugaku," a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, is performed

At the restaurant and dining establishment "MMITACHI," we also recommend the "kiritanpo" hot pot (single serving: 1,200 yen), which is said to have originated in Kazuno

Walnut mochi, Oonaori: 325 yen (1 piece)

These walnut mochi are made by Ishikawa Confectionery in Kazuno City, and they use local soy sauce and contain no preservatives or additives whatsoever

This Japanese confection has just the right amount of sweetness, and you can enjoy the flavor of the walnuts that are generously added, along with the chewy texture similar to "yubeshi" (a type of mochi)

The name of this place comes from the fact that the abundant walnuts represent the ore, as there is a site of the Osarizawa Mine nearby, and areas with a large amount of ore in the deposit are especially called "Ōnaori"

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[Michi-no-Eki Hinai] Enjoy soft-serve ice cream made with eggs from Hinai chickens in the Hinai Chicken Village! (Hinai-cho, Odate City: National Route 285)

Hinai Jidori, one of Japan's three most delicious chicken breeds (Japan's three most famous local chicken breeds), is a breed created by crossbreeding the Hinai chicken, which is designated as a national natural monument

In Hinai Town, the cattle are raised healthily using the traditional free-range method, and the meat has a rich flavor and depth that you can taste the more you chew it

This roadside station sells Hinai chicken meat, and also uses a wide variety of related products

Hinai chicken egg soft serve ice cream: 450 yen

The yolks of Hinai chicken eggs are kneaded into the dough in a granular texture, and the subtle flavor of the yolks spreads in your mouth

This popular soft-serve ice cream combines the milky flavor of plain soft-serve with the flavor of egg yolk, resulting in a taste reminiscent of pudding

Yakitori made with Hinai chicken: 380 yen

While Hinai chicken dishes such as oyakodon (chicken and egg rice bowl) and kiritanpo nabe (rice cake hot pot) are popular at the station's restaurants, we recommend yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) as a more casual way to enjoy its flavor

The large pieces of meat have a firm texture and a rich flavor that intensifies with every bite

Yakitori and soft serve ice cream can be purchased at the snack corner located in "Totto-kan"

Additionally, the adjacent "Premier Hinai" building houses "Restaurant Hinai-dori," which serves Hinai chicken dishes such as kiritanpo hot pot and oyakodon (chicken and egg rice bowl), so if you want to savor your meal at a leisurely pace, that's a good option

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[Michi-no-Eki Takanosu Daiko no Sato] The village of the world's largest taiko drum, with a history of over 750 years (Tsuzuko, Kitaakita City: National Route 7)

Originally built as "The Village of the Great Drum," the facility was designated as Akita Prefecture's first roadside station in 1993 due to its location as a transit point between Towada-Hachimantai National Park, the Oga Peninsula, and the Shirakami Mountains

Within the grounds is the "Great Drum Museum," which displays the "Tsuzureko Great Drum," said to have a diameter of 3.8 meters and weigh 3.5 tons (admission fee required)

"Otaiko no Sato Bussankan" and "Otaiko no Yakata" opened in October 1989, and as a result, the facilities are showing signs of aging. Currently, a renovation plan is underway with completion targeted for fiscal year 2028

Shishito pepper soft serve ice cream: 380 yen

This is a unique soft-serve ice cream that uses shishito peppers, one of the specialty products of the former Takanosu town before the merger

At first bite, it doesn't taste much different from regular soft serve ice cream, but the flavor and slight spiciness of shishito peppers gradually come through in the aftertaste

Although a spiciness lingers in the mouth as an aftertaste, that spiciness enhances the sweetness of the next bite, creating an addictive flavor

Chicken giblet soba (660 yen)

Like the shishito pepper soft serve ice cream, it is available at the snack corner inside the Bussankan building

This delicious soba noodle dish features a flavorful broth made with bonito flakes and kelp, topped with plenty of seasoned chicken offal such as liver and chicken gizzards

Also, the beef tendon soba (680 yen) is a popular menu item that you can't find at other roadside stations

This dish also contains plenty of tender beef tendons that have been thoroughly simmered and seasoned, making both of these warm soba dishes great value for money

Taiko Manju (drum-shaped steamed bun): 90 yen (1 piece)

It's a steamed bun with a dorayaki-like outer layer filled with plenty of red bean paste, and its texture is similar to Akita's famous "Kinman" sweets

They are sold individually at the souvenir shop, so you can easily buy them as a snack to take on your drive

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[Roadside Station Kamikoani] A village of natural Akita cedar and Koanichidori (Kamikoani Village, Kitaakita District: National Route 285)

"Koanichidori" is a lovely pale purple flower belonging to the orchid family, named by the renowned Dr. Tomitaro Makino. It was discovered in Koani Village during the late Meiji period

At the roadside station, juices and sweets made with the village's specialty "edible ground cherry" and "kohaze (blueberry-flavored summer blueberry berries)" are popular

The restaurant "Akita Sugi no Yakata" is a food court style establishment where you can enjoy dishes made with local specialties, as well as mountain vegetables and mushrooms harvested in the surrounding area, and horse meat dishes

Ground cherry soft serve ice cream: 450 yen

This soft-serve ice cream has a strong milky flavor but is not too sweet, and it has pieces of edible ground cherry mixed in, giving it a subtle tartness and flavor

Pound cake (2 types: ground cherry and kohaze): 140 yen (per slice)

This pound cake, with chopped fruit kneaded into the batter, is a popular item that often sells out by the afternoon, thanks to its rich fruit flavor

In addition to a simple haircut, they also sell a half-size (600 yen)

Cheesecake (2 types: Hozuki and Kohaze): 420 yen (includes 2 slices)

This set includes one slice each of Chinese lantern plant and Japanese honeysuckle

This is also a popular item, just like the pound cake, and often sells out during business hours, so I was lucky to get the last set

Both cheesecakes feature a wonderful marriage of cheese and fruit flavors, resulting in a unique and delicious taste unlike any other

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[Roadside Station Futatsui Kimimachi no Sato] Kimimachi Slope (Futatsui-machi, Noshiro City: National Route 7), where a love letter was delivered to Emperor Meiji

During Emperor Meiji's tour of the Tohoku region, Empress Shoken sent a letter to this area expressing her concern for his health during his long journey, and it was delivered to the Emperor

The letter was a love letter accompanied by a waka poem expressing the Empress Dowager's feelings for the Emperor, and the Emperor was so moved by the love letter and the beautiful scenery of the area that he named it "Kimimachi-zaka."

The roadside station was previously located on the opposite side of National Route 7, but it relocated and reopened at its current location in 2018 (Heisei 30) due to road improvements

Gelaton soft serve ice cream that won't fall even when turned upside down: 400 yen

The "gelasoft" from "GRISSINI" in the snack corner is a soft-serve ice cream that won't fall for 5.1 seconds, even if you turn it upside down immediately after receiving it

When I asked the staff, "Have any customers had any problems so far?", they said that as far as they had seen, no one had had any problems. So, at my own risk, I decided to try it myself, feeling like I was "taking a leap of faith."

With my heart pounding, I turned it upside down, and despite more than 5 seconds having passed, it was a resounding success!

Because it contains a lot of air, this soft serve ice cream is light yet firm, with a rich milk flavor, a smooth melt-in-your-mouth texture, and a creamy, sticky feel

Butter mochi (a local, casual dish from Kitaakita)

This soft, buttery, sweet mochi confection is particularly well-known as a local specialty in the northern region of Akita Prefecture, especially around Kitaakita City

This simple sweet treat is made by mixing steamed glutinous rice with butter, egg yolk, and sugar. The butter helps keep it soft and prevents it from hardening over time

It was once a preserved food for the local hunters, known as "Matagi," in the mountains, but now it has been featured on television programs as a local snack and has become known throughout Japan

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summary

In the northern inland area of ​​Akita Prefecture, particularly around Kitaakita City, there are many roadside rest areas where you can enjoy soft-serve ice cream made with local specialties

How about enjoying a drive while hopping between unique and delicious soft-serve ice cream shops and other gourmet spots?

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