The greatest appeal of local ice cream is that it allows you to indirectly experience the charm of the region through its unique food culture that has taken root there.
If you visit an ice cream shop that has been in business for a long time in the countryside, you can see the Showa era scenery that you often saw as a child.
The homemade ice cream sticks made by sticking chopsticks in at an angle are handed out in a bag as is, and if you want to take them home, they wrap them in newspaper.
Meanwhile, street food ice cream vendors are out of the question.
There are stores that sell colorful beach umbrellas by setting them up on the roadside, in rest areas, and in parks, and there are also stores that sell them on carts, ringing bells every day as they please, just as they have in the past.

A Kyushu specialty, shaved ice is a summer treat.
The so-called 'Fukurogori' is known to have started around 1955.
It is shaved ice sold fresh from street vendors or food stalls at summer festivals, packaged in a plastic bag, and the concept is to 'allow you to eat shaved ice conveniently.'
It is a strong support for people who work under the hot sun or students who want to cool off after club activities.
Even today, you can find various types of shaved ice in convenience stores, supermarkets, and rest areas in Kyushu, but it is said that during the peak summer, half of the showcases were filled with shaved ice.
The way to eat it is simple and crude: just tear off the corner of the bag and eat it as is.

In the 1930s, when even white soft ice cream was rare, 'Green Soft', a soft ice cream with matcha, was created.
It was created by managers who were concerned about the summer deficit of tea houses and wondered if there were any products that could be sold in the summer.
It is said that Green Soft was created by combining the taste of matcha in milk and soft ice cream, which is enjoyed on hot days.
Although matcha soft serve ice cream is one of the most popular flavors today, it was reportedly quite shocking when it was first released because of its green color.


The Gonsen region, located in eastern Hokkaido, boasts the largest production of raw milk in Japan.
It is a dairy farming area that takes advantage of its cool climate and vast pastures, but it is also a battleground for soft ice cream.
The vast blue sky, endless pastures, and the leisurely scenery of cows grazing are very similar to the images of Hokkaido that many people have in mind.
As you drive by, you will see soft serve ice cream signs and flags erected everywhere, and you can enjoy high-quality, handmade soft serve ice cream made with fresh, locally produced milk without any burden.
For those who love soft ice cream, this place is truly a 'holy land'.


Takeshita Confectionery, headquartered in Ogi City, Saga Prefecture.
The popular Black Mont Blanc is a steady seller that anyone from Kyushu has tried at least once.
This unique product name was created by the former chairman of Takeshita Confectionery, who, upon seeing Mont Blanc, the highest peak in the Alps, thought, "How delicious would it be to sprinkle chocolate on this pure white mountain and eat it?"


Regional names such as Nagasaki's Castella and Yamanashi's Shingenmochi, as well as Nagano's apples, Fukushima's peaches, and even soy sauce, miso, and udon.
There are also a variety of ice creams that are collaborations with local specialties and famous products.
Additionally, new specialty ice creams are being created one after another in collaboration with local governments and tourist attractions such as Mt. Fuji, Japanese swords, and iron.

--- From the text