Roadside stations in the six prefectures of Tohoku offer a wide variety of unique soft-serve ice cream and gelato made with local specialties such as fruits, vegetables, rice, milk, seafood, local sake, and miso
In addition to classic rich milk and fruit flavors, they also offer surprising local flavors such as clam, black garlic, soy sauce, wasabi, habanero, and shark fin
In this special feature, we visit roadside stations in Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Akita, Yamagata, and Fukushima prefectures , and report on our taste tests of the soft-serve ice cream we find in each location
Along with the unique local delicacies and attractions of roadside rest areas, we'll introduce some refreshing sweets from Tohoku that will make you want to make them your next road trip destination!
Roadside stations in Aomori Prefecture
Aomori Prefecture is blessed with a wide variety of local specialties, including seafood, mountain produce, rice, fruits, and garlic. At roadside stations throughout the prefecture, you can enjoy unique soft-serve ice cream made with these local ingredients
The following articles will cover
- Roadside Station Ikarigaseki Tsugaru Sekinosho
- Namioka Apple Hill Roadside Station
- Towada Roadside Station Towada Pia
- Roadside Station Lake Ogawara Koyukan
A total of four locations
From refreshing flavors using quince and apple to surprising creations incorporating rice, black garlic, soy milk, and even clams, we introduce Aomori's unique local soft-serve ice cream and recommended gourmet treats available at various establishments
Roadside stations in Akita Prefecture
At roadside stations in the northern inland area of Akita Prefecture, you can enjoy unique soft-serve ice cream made with local specialties such as fruits, vegetables, and eggs from Hinai chickens
The following articles will cover
- Roadside Station Kazuno Antoraa
- Michi-no-Eki Hinai
- Roadside Station Takanosu Daiko no Sato
- Roadside Station Kamikoani
- Roadside Station Futatsui Kimimachi no Sato
A total of 5 locations
We'll compare local soft-serve ice cream made with peaches from the northernmost limit of cultivation, eggs from Hinai chickens, shishito peppers, and edible ground cherries, as well as gelato soft-serve that won't fall off even when turned upside down
Furthermore, we will introduce recommended local delicacies and attractions unique to each region, such as kiritanpo hot pot, Hinai chicken yakitori, chicken giblet soba, and butter mochi
While "Babahera Ice Cream" is famous as a summer treat in Akita Prefecture, you can also enjoy a variety of unique soft-serve ice creams made with local specialties and products at roadside stations throughout the prefecture
The following articles will cover
- Roadside Station Akita Port SELION
- Roadside Station Oga OGARE
- Roadside Station Showa Blue Messe Akita
- Kyowa Shiki no Mori Roadside Station
A total of four locations
While you enjoy all five flavors—Babahera ice cream, lactic acid bacteria, soy sauce, rose, and pure rice ginjo sake lees—we'll also introduce the highlights of each facility and recommended gourmet foods unique to Akita
Akita Prefecture has 34 roadside rest areas, each offering local soft-serve ice cream and gourmet food that showcases the unique characteristics of the region
The following articles will cover
- Roadside Station Kamioka Chayakko Ichirizuka
- Roadside Station Nakasen Donpan-bushi no Sato
- Roadside Station Misato
- Roadside Station Shimizu no Sato Chokaigo
A total of four locations
Focusing on the inland areas of Akita Prefecture, we'll introduce recommended local delicacies such as Japanese-style soft serve ice cream made with "Ajidouraku no Sato," as well as unique soft serve ice creams combining tomatoes, roasted brown rice, buckwheat flour, and caramel, along with Daisen burgers, bodakko rice balls, carp sashimi, and Chokai mountain vegetable buns
Roadside stations in Iwate Prefecture
Iwate Prefecture boasts a variety of unique local soft-serve ice creams that utilize the bounty of its mountains and plateaus
The following articles will cover
- Roadside Station Morioka Shibutami
- Roadside Station Nishine
- Roadside Station Shizukuishi Aneko
- Roadside Station Shiwa
- Roadside Station Kukai Kogen
A total of 5 locations
Enjoy a variety of soft-serve ice creams made with local specialties from each region, such as wild peas, walnuts, spinach, Hitomebore rice, grapes, wine, and shiso apples
Furthermore, we'll introduce recommended gourmet foods and attractions at various facilities that you'll want to stop by and enjoy during your drive, such as chewy pork buns, Anekko burgers, and french fries
At roadside stations in northern Iwate Prefecture, you can enjoy unique soft-serve ice cream made with local specialties such as cabbage, black beans, wild grapes, and locally produced milk
The following articles will cover
- Roadside Station Ishigami no Oka
- Roadside Station Yamabiko-kan
- Roadside Station Ohno
- Roadside Station Iwate Kitasanriku
- Roadside Station Oritsume
A total of 5 locations
While enjoying local soft-serve ice cream made with ingredients such as spring greens, black soybeans, black soybean kinako, and wild grapes, we'll also introduce recommended gourmet foods and sights at each facility, including dragon noodles, okara donuts, short-horned beef curry donuts, and obuchiki fried chicken
In the northern part of the Sanriku coast in Iwate Prefecture, you can find a variety of unique soft-serve ice creams that utilize the bounty of the sea, dairy farming, and local specialties
The following articles will cover
- Roadside Station Noda Purple
- Roadside Station Aonokuni Fudai
- Roadside Station Tanohata: The Wind of Thought
- Roadside Station Taro
- Roadside Station Miyako Seatopia Naado
A total of 5 locations
While enjoying local soft-serve ice cream made with ingredients like Noda salt, kelp, raw milk, and deep-sea water, we'll introduce recommended Sanriku specialties such as the Blue Country Burger, duck cheese frankfurter, Masaki-yaki, and Miyako-produced cod fry, as well as the attractions of each facility
In the southern part of Iwate Prefecture's Sanriku coast, you can enjoy a variety of unique soft-serve ice creams that incorporate local flavors such as soy sauce, regional cuisine, and locally grown persimmons
The following articles will cover
- Roadside Station Yamada Oisuta
- Roadside Station Funakoshi Igubesu
- Roadside Station Kamaishi Sennintoge
- Roadside Station Sanriku
- Roadside Station Takada Matsubara
A total of 5 locations
While enjoying local soft-serve ice cream made with Yamada and Kamaishi soy sauce, azuki battou (a type of sweet), Koeda persimmons, and coffee, we'll also introduce recommended gourmet foods and sights at each facility, such as shrimp tempura rice balls, Kamaishi ramen, fresh seafood from Sanriku, and salted sea urchin rice balls
At roadside stations in southern Iwate Prefecture, you can enjoy unique soft-serve ice cream that features the rich flavor of locally produced milk and the fragrant taste of sesame seeds
The following articles will cover
- Roadside Station Kinshuko
- Michi-no-Eki Mizusawa
- Michi-no-Eki Hiraizumi
- Roadside Station Daito
- Michi-no-Eki Murone
A total of 5 locations
Compare and contrast the rich soft serve made with 100% Yuda milk, black sesame, golden sesame milk, and the classic flavor made with locally sourced raw milk
Furthermore, we'll introduce the charms of local cuisine and facilities that you can enjoy along with your drive, such as tempura biscuits, doburoku ice cream, dango in a cup, and Murone fried chicken
At roadside stations in central Iwate Prefecture, you can enjoy unique local soft-serve ice cream that showcases regional specialties such as sake, miso, and wasabi
The following articles will cover
- Ishidoriya Roadside Station
- Roadside Station Towa
- Michi-no-Eki Miyamori
- Roadside Station Tono Kaze no Oka
- Michi-no-Eki Mitagai Branch School
A total of 5 locations
We'll compare a variety of flavors using black sesame, local sake, locally produced miso, wasabi, and Iwaizumi milk
Furthermore, we will introduce the unique local cuisine and attractions of each region, such as Taroshi Udon, Touwayaki, Wasabi Ramen, Kirisensho, and nostalgic school lunches
At roadside stations in Iwate Prefecture , you can enjoy authentic gelato made with fresh, locally produced milk and specialty products
The following articles will cover
- Roadside Station Iwaizumi
- Roadside Station Morioka Shibutami Tamitto
A total of two locations
Compare and contrast 18 kinds of Italian gelato made with Iwaizumi milk, Iwaizumi yogurt, and sea salt, as well as unique flavors combining Morioka-produced raw milk with tomatoes, corn, honey, and more
Furthermore, we'll introduce recommended gourmet items to try at each facility, including the trendy "Scofin" sweets, Iwaizumi milk bread, and sandwiches generously filled with homemade fresh cheese
Roadside stations in Yamagata Prefecture
Yamagata Prefecture is a treasure trove of food ingredients, blessed with fruits such as cherries, watermelons, apples, and La France pears, as well as rice, branded beef, and seafood from the Sea of Japan
The following articles will cover
- Roadside Station Obanazawa Hanagasa Village Nemaru
- Murayama Roadside Station
- Asahimachi Roadside Station Apple Forest
- Nishikawa Roadside Station
- Roadside Station Chokai Furatto
A total of 5 locations
While enjoying unique soft-serve ice cream made with local specialties such as watermelon, rosehip, ripe apple, Gassan beer, and dadacha beans, we'll also introduce recommended gourmet items from each facility, including kaimozu sticks, gravity burgers, chilled konjac balls, and grilled seafood skewers
In the Murayama region of Yamagata Prefecture, you can find unique soft-serve ice cream made with fruits that are characteristic of this fruit-growing region
The following articles will cover
- Roadside Station Sagae Cherryland Sagae
- Roadside Station Ooe Koramagase
- Roadside Station Tendo Onsen Mori-na Tendo
- Roadside Station Yamagata Zao
A total of four locations
We'll compare soft-serve ice cream flavors ranging from those made with Yamagata's representative fruits like cherries, plums, and La France pears, to a unique combination of pudding and rich soft-serve ice cream
Furthermore, we will introduce recommended gourmet foods and sights at each facility, such as peach maritozzo, Funauta Onsen eggs, imoni croquettes, and curry bread made with Kome no Musume pork
Roadside stations in Miyagi Prefecture
At roadside rest areas in Miyagi Prefecture, you can enjoy a variety of unique soft-serve ice creams that utilize local specialties and tourist attractions from all over the prefecture
The following articles will cover
- Ah, Date Roadside Station
- Roadside Station Otani Coast
- Roadside Station Higashimatsushima
- Roadside Station Sanbongi Yamanami
A total of four locations
Compare and contrast a variety of flavors, including Royce's rich chocolate and strawberries, Kesennuma's famous shark fin, a refreshing blue color inspired by the Blue Impulse aerobatic team, and fragrant sunflower seeds
Furthermore, we'll introduce recommended gourmet foods and sights unique to each facility, such as beef tongue meatballs, shark cutlet burgers, seaweed fried chicken, and sunflower donuts
Roadside stations in Fukushima Prefecture
Along National Route 6, which runs north-south through the Hamadori region of Fukushima Prefecture, there are many unique roadside rest areas that are promoting the region's attractions alongside its recovery efforts
The following articles will cover
- Roadside Station Soma Mirai Honjin SOMA
- Michi-no-Eki Minamisoma Nomaoi no Sato
- Roadside Station Namie
- Roadside Station Naraha
- Roadside Station Iwaki La La Mew
A total of 5 locations
We'll compare and contrast various soft-serve ice creams, including rich soft-serve made with milk from Tonosama Farm, a combination of amazake (sweet rice wine) and nori-wrapped rice crackers, gelato made with yuzu (citrus fruit) from Naraha, and soft-serve ice cream featuring peaches and frozen jelly
Furthermore, we will introduce recommended local delicacies unique to the Hamadori region, such as Kinsuke pickles, the original Yotsuwari bread, Namie yakisoba, seafood tanmen, and the impressive Tower Donburi, as well as the attractions of each facility
Fukushima Prefecture has the second-highest number of roadside rest areas (Michi-no-Eki) in the Tohoku region, with 36 locations, and each facility offers a variety of unique soft-serve ice cream made with local specialties
The following articles will cover
- Roadside Station Fukushima
- Kunimi Atsushinosato Roadside Station
- Roadside Station Tsuchiyu
- Roadside Station Kita no Sato "Kura no Yu"
A total of four locations
We'll compare a variety of flavors using ingredients such as Akatsuki peaches, wild grapes, bamboo grass, highland milk, and peanuts from Aizu
Furthermore, we will introduce recommended local delicacies and attractions unique to each region, such as egg kimbap, mackerel miso Kunimi burger, Touge no Oyaki, and Kitakata ramen burger
At roadside rest areas in Fukushima Prefecture, you can find uniquely flavored soft-serve ice cream that will make you wonder, "Why this flavor?"
The following articles will cover
- Michi-no-Eki Hirata Shibazakura no Sato
- Roadside Station Adachi Chieko no Sato
- Roadside Station Bandai
We'll be visiting a total of three locations. We'll be sampling a stimulating dish topped with extra-spicy habanero peppers, soft serve ice cream made with kozo leaves (the raw material for washi paper), and fragrant soft serve ice cream made with locally produced organic buckwheat
Furthermore, we'll introduce recommended gourmet foods and sights to enjoy at each facility, such as jumbo asparagus cutlets, natto burgers, and the legendary cream buns
