Squid Ink and Rice Crackers! 10 of the Best Soft Serve Ice Creams to Try in Japan

1. Kintoki sweet potato soft serve at Naruto Strait (Tokushima)

Close to Naruto Strait, lies Eska Hill Naruto, an observation place with a really long escalator. Here you will be able to have some yummy Kintoki sweet potato soft serve! Creamy soft serve is served on top of fluffy Naruto Kintoki sweet potatoes and this sweet dessert is then topped with a slice of deep fried sweet potato skin! It doesn't do this dessert any justice just by writing down how you would be able to enjoy the natural sweetness of the sweet potato along with the cooling soft serve. You've got to try it for yourself to know why this soft serve is in this list! 

Homepage: www.narutokanko.co.jp/eskahill/ (Japanese Only)

Address: Naruto-cho, Naruto-shi (within Naruto Park) (Google Map)

2. Kombu soft serve at Rebun Island (Hokkaido)

If you are looking for a unique soft serve, then we would recommend you to head to Hokkaido's Rebun Island to the most northern part of Japan called Scoton Cape for their Kombu soft serve! Don't get intimidated with the light greenish tint of the soft serve. Have a bite and you'll be surprised at the creamy milky texture and taste of the soft serve. Wait for it, and the konbu taste will dance playfully on your taste buds. Since this is served at the most northern point in Japan, this soft serve is not as soft as the other soft serves in Japan. 

Address: Scoton Cape, Funadomari-mura, Rebun-cho, Hokkaido (Google Map)

3. Senbei soft serve at Niigata's Senbei Oukoku!

Niigata's Senbei Oukoku is only a 15 minute walk away from Niigata's Niizaki station. Here you will get to make your own rice cake, take a tour to see how rice cakes are made and of course have some really good Senbei soft serve. This sweet and salty dessert is about savory rice cakes with creamy vanilla soft serve and a hint of soy sauce. Who ever said that adding salt to sweet desserts was bad? 

Homepage: senbei-oukoku.jp/ (Japanese Only)

Address: 2661 Niizaki, Kita ward, Niigata City, 950-3134 Niigata Prefecture (Google Map)

4. Moromi soft serve at Beppu's Jigoku area (Oita)

For some special Moromi  soft serve, you'll have to head to Gokokuya, which is in the Jigoku area of Beppu, Oita. Moromi is basically grains fermented in soy sauce and Japanese rice wine. Its taste will remind you of both soy sauce and miso. Although complicated, its rich taste will knock you out in a good way. 

Address: 5 Miyuku, Beppu-shi, Oita Prefecture (Google Map)

5. Ikasumi soft serve at Tojinbo (Fukui)

Although Tojinbo is infamous as a suicide cliff, one thing that we can all look forward to at this place would have to be their unique Ikasumi soft serve. The color may be gray due to the squid ink but the squid ink is not overpowering at all. You may also notice that the soft serve comes with something that looks like a squid's eye but fear not that is just a piece of candy. 

Address: Tojinbo, Mikuni-cho, Sakai-shi, 913-0063 Fukui Prefecture (Google Map)

6. Castella soft serve at Nagasaki (Nagasaki)

Nobody misses out on a slice of Castella when they are in Nagasaki! Since Castella is popular, Nagasaki has to come up with a Castella soft serve. Head over to the souvenir street near Nagasaki's Oura church for this yummy soft serve. Come and enjoy the rich  creamy yellow soft serve. 

Address: Minami Yamate-machi, Nagasaki-shi, 850-0931 Nagasaki Prefecture (Google Map)

7. Hotate soft serve at Aomori Prefecture Tourist Center (Aomori)

Aomori is famous for fresh succulent seafood so it shouldn't come as a surprise for Aomori to come up with this unique flavor that uses scallops. To try this Hotate soft serve, you'll have to make your way to the famous Aomori Prefecture Tourist Center, a big building in the shape of an A. It might be a taste that you have never tasted before but you might find yourself liking this unique soft serve of vanilla and scallop flavors.  

Homepage: https://aomori-tourism.com/en/spot/detail_4.html

Address: 1-40 Yasukata, Aomori-shi, 030-0803 Aomori Prefecture (Google Map)

8. Olive soft serve at Shodo Island (Kagawa)

Shodo Island in Kagawa is where olives are produced in Japan. At the Olive Garden here on the island, where you'll not only be able to see beautiful olive trees and their leaves rustling when the wind blows, you'll get to have a taste of their olive soft serve. Olive leaves are used in making this unique olive soft serve. Come and enjoy this soft serve and the views in this beautiful garden that also has a grecian windmill.

Address: 1941-1 Nishimura, Shodoshima, Shozu District, 761-4434 Kagawa (Google Map)

9. Wakame soft serve at Tsunoshima

There is a restaurant on Tsunoshima in Yamaguchi called Shiokaze no Sato that serves Wakame soft serve. If you are wondering what Wakame is, Wakame is a type of edible seaweed that is commonly used in soups. A bite into this soft serve and you'll be able to taste the strong distinct Wakame flavor. Unlike all the other unique soft serves, this particular soft serve is not shy in showcasing its unique ingredient at all. 

Homepage: https://www.shiokazenosato.jp/

Address: Shiokaze no Sato, 853-4 Tsunoshima, Hohoku-cho, Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture (Google Map)

10. Akaoni soft serve at Okayama

Okayama is famous as the backdrop of one of Japan's folklore, Momotaro, that talks of a young boy who grows up and defeats a group of demons. To commemorate the story, Okayama has come up with a special soft serve. Here at the Kibi rest area on the outbound route of Sanyo Expressway in Okayama, you'll get to experience the Akaoni soft serve. It's a strawberry soft serve topped with a cookie that represents the demon's staff and then dashed with red pepper powder. Now it wouldn't be fair to only have a soft serve after the antagonist. So naturally we have one too called Momotaro soft serve that is a soft serve topped with delicious Kibi dango sweet dumplings. 

Homepage: https://www.w-holdings.co.jp/sapa/2367.html

Address: 476 Imaoka, Kita Ward, Okayama-shi, Okayama Prefecture (Google Map)

Since you have made all the way to be here in Japan, you shouldn't miss out in trying unique soft serve flavors here! Some of the flavors may be just too bizarre but you might be pleasantly surprised! So don't shy away!