Milk, 170 yen The most popular ice candy in the Arctic. It is said to be made with condensed milk, cornstarch, and highly pure white sugar. It has a refreshing sweetness with a condensed milk flavor. A very classic taste. However, personally, I prefer red bean with its deep flavor and texture.

A list of top 100 ice cream shops has been created. Although I have traveled around the country eating ice cream, I doubt there are truly 100 top shops in Japan. Despite my skepticism, I decided to visit one of the selected shops and tried the soft candy in mixed juice flavor. I had originally thought of it as a cheap souvenir for tourists and hadn't visited before, but I was impressed by the quality, which reminded me of a Chupa Chups lollipop.

On the way to Kansai Airport, I stopped by the Namba Honten branch of Hokkyoku (Polar) even though I wasn't planning to! When I saw it on Tabelog, I wasn't sure what to expect, but yes! It's the ice candy with the penguin logo!! Without a doubt, it must be the cheapest among the Ice Gelato Hyakumeiten (Top 100 Ice Cream Shops)! The nostalgic standard ice candy is priced at ¥170 per piece. Mixed juice and lemon flavors are priced at ¥200 per piece. The cup ice creams are priced at ¥320 and ¥350. I bought the pineapple flavor for ¥170. There is a Hokkyoku Cafe on the second floor, where you can buy the ice candy and enjoy it upstairs. (Please note that purchasing only the ice candy and eating it upstairs is not allowed). The cafe offers a discount of ¥100 on cafe menu items if you purchase the ice candy. Since I have been going to cafes a lot recently and my caffeine intake is already high, I opted for the apple juice. By the time I took a few photos on the second floor, the ice candy had already started melting! I quickly enjoyed it. The characteristic diagonal wooden stick it was on is quite unique. The ladies at the shop were efficient and pleasant. Thank you for the treat.

Thank you very much for always reading. If you like it, I would be happy if you could bookmark it with the "Save Shop" button. The second stop on the tour of the top 100 stores is the newly established Ice Gelato Top 2023 selection, Hokkyoku Namba Honten. The address is 3-8-22 Namba, Chuo-ku, Osaka, a 3-minute walk from Namba Station on the Osaka Metro. Established in 1950, this shop has been loved in Minami for over 70 years. I arrived at the shop a little after 1 pm. Closed on... Open hours: [Mon-Thu] 11:00-20:00 [Fri] 11:00-21:00 [Sat] 10:00-21:00 [Sun] 10:00-20:00. We were fourth in line at the right time! The ice candies come in 9 flavors: red bean, milk, cocoa, matcha, strawberry, pineapple, orange, mixed juice, and lemon. The basic price is 170 yen, with mixed juice at 190 yen and lemon at 200 yen. You can buy them in bulk, and from 6 items, you get free dry ice service for up to 1 hour. It's cold, so using a basket for photos is better. My husband ordered the mixed juice. After paying, we thanked the staff and moved in front of the shop. The packaging for mixed juice and lemon is different from the others. Let's eat! The first thing that catches your eye is the stick of the ice candy! The materials used are antibacterial hinoki and cedar from Yoshino, Nara. It has a rich fragrance! The reason it's slanted is twofold: to make it less likely to fall off and easier to eat, and to make it easier to secure space for dry ice in the box for takeout. The surface is firm, and the inside has a crunchy texture like ice! The natural sweetness of fruits like banana and mandarin orange with white sugar gives a refreshing aftertaste! Dispose of the container and stick in the trash can in the store and thank the staff. I think it's the best cost performance to be able to enjoy the top 100 stores at this price. If you come to Minami, I think it's a recommended store that you should try at least once. My husband: Thank you for the meal! It was delicious! I'll come again! Thank you very much for reading to the end. I hope this gourmet information can be of some help to you. "Fishing for Bonito, Eating Bonito" Instagram ⇒https://www.instagram.com/turisurukatsuo_ni_taberukatsuo/ Fishing and Eating Blog ⇒https://釣りするカツオに食べるカツオ.net/ The blog has appropriate placement of photos, etc.

I visited the restaurant at 6:00 pm on the weekend. It is a popular shop located about a 3-minute walk from Namba Station on the subway, in the Ebisu Bridge shopping street, selected as one of the "Top 100 Ice Cream & Gelato Shops in 2023" by Tabelog. The shop was established in 1945 and is a long-established ice cream shop where craftsmen make each ice cream by hand with carefully selected ingredients and methods. This time, I ordered the "Pineapple 170 yen" from the original menu that has been available since the establishment. The review of the pineapple ice cream is as follows: Pineapple 170 yen: Pineapple's fruity sweetness is popular. It is served wrapped in a vinyl with a penguin logo that was registered as a trademark. The shop has upgraded to using Golden Pineapple variety since 2022, offering a gentle and elegant flavor. The wooden stick inserted diagonally makes it easy to eat and hard to drop. The square cross-section stick with antibacterial properties is made from hinoki cypress from Yoshino, Nara Prefecture. There is no background music in the shop, and the customers include men, women, and young ladies, with about 60% being women. The Tabelog rating at the time of visit was 3.57. It is an ice cream and gelato shop that boasts "the same taste as before, nostalgic, handmade ice candy." I would like to try the "Mixed Juice 190 yen" next time. Thank you for the meal!

Handmade ice candy takeout menu ☆ Milk 170 yen (tax included) ☆ Cocoa 170 yen (tax included) ☆ Orange 170 yen (tax included) ☆ Matcha 170 yen (tax included) ☆ Strawberry 170 yen (tax included) Thank you for the delicious meal! Thank you, Hokkyoku Namba Honten for the delicious manju!

There is a shop located about a 3-minute walk from Namba Station in Osaka City. It was selected as one of the 2023 Top 100 Stores in the ice cream category. Similar to the mixed juice at Hankyu Umeda, I was surprised to find it here! I tried the ice candy priced at 190 yen. When I first tried it, I thought, "The stick is slanted. Looks sloppy." But upon closer inspection, they were all like that, probably to make it easier to eat. They offer various flavors like red bean, strawberry, pineapple, matcha, cocoa, and lemon. It was a hot and humid summer night, so the ice candy quickly started melting, and I had to eat it in a hurry. Many people were buying in bulk or requesting delivery via courier, and the shop was bustling with customers. It's not exceptionally delicious, but it's a comforting taste of the past. Thank you for the meal.

Osaka Metro Midosuji Line, 3 minutes walk from Namba Station. A famous Osaka specialty, right? A well-known and beloved place for a long time!! The renowned shop, Hokkyoku, is where I tried their milk this time. It was rich in milk, with a nostalgic and simple taste. Please try it once if you get the chance (^^)

Today, I had a nostalgic ice candy here. My mother, who was born in Osaka, loved it and always bought it for us in the summer. My favorites are milk and pineapple. It was a delicious taste that brought back memories. Thank you for the meal.

I visited an ice cream shop called Hokkyoku in Namba, which I had been curious about for a while. It seems that buying Hokkyoku ice cream as a souvenir from Osaka is a common practice. I ordered the mixed juice flavor and it was really delicious. I would like to buy all the flavors as souvenirs next time. Thank you for the meal.

After the war, this ice candy specialty store was founded. The surface of the ice candy has a firm texture, while the inside has a crunchy ice-like texture. Inside, there is a gentle sweetness of sugar and blue agave syrup, with a refreshing aftertaste. You can clearly taste the texture and aroma of the azuki beans, as well as the flavor and acidity of the lemon, all highlighting the characteristics of the ingredients. These ice candies are carefully handmade, providing a more delicate taste experience compared to modern industrial products. It is hoped that such a wonderful store will continue to thrive in the future.

Located in the shopping street of Ebisubashi-suji, right next to Namba Station. This is a long-established shop famous for its Osaka specialty ice candy. There is a freezer outside the shop where you can pick and choose your ice candy before paying at the counter. Initially offering flavors like milk, red bean, and pineapple, they have since added cocoa, strawberry, sweet potato, matcha, and orange, among others. The packaging exudes a nostalgic feel, and each ice candy is handcrafted with a characteristic slanted stick. I purchased all the flavors, but the mixed juice flavor stood out the most. The surface is firm, but inside, you can feel the crunch of ice. It tastes just like frozen mixed juice, with a refreshing mix of banana, orange, and other fruits. It captures the essence of Osaka's summer. Thank you for the delicious experience.

Located near Namba Station, this shop is famous in Osaka for its delicious ice candies. Although the shop is usually next to Namba Marui in the Ebisu-bashi shopping street, this review is based on a temporary shop set up inside the Kintetsu Osaka Abenobashi Station. Since 1945, Hokkyoku has been selling ice candies in Namba, becoming a well-known souvenir in the area. Initially offering only milk, red bean, and pineapple flavors for 20 yen each, the shop now sells a variety of flavors including pineapple, orange, strawberry, milk, lemon, and mixed juice. The ice candies have a refreshing taste, perfect for cooling down on hot days. They are made with natural flavors and have a slightly firm texture. The unique diagonal stick in each ice candy is a sign of the handmade process, using antibacterial hinoki and cedar wood from Yoshino, Nara. The shop's mascot, a cute penguin, can be seen on the signs and packaging, adding to its charm.

On August 12, 2023 (Saturday), we tried the homemade ice candies. Milk flavor for ¥170 (tax included) and mixed juice flavor for ¥190 (tax included). Since our establishment in Showa 20 (1945), we have been dedicated to making ice candies for over 60 years. Back then, there were hardly any shops selling food in the Namba and Ebisu Bridge areas of Osaka right after the war. In such a situation, we started selling ice candies with a thought of "At least, let's make cold and delicious ice candies for children and women." Since our establishment in Showa 20, we have been selling original flavors such as "Milk," "Azuki," and "Pineapple," and currently offer 8 flavors including "Cocoa," "Strawberry," "Matcha," "Sweet Potato," and "Orange." We use carefully selected ingredients and traditional methods to handcraft each ice candy.

Ice Candy Mix Juice Address: 3-8-22 Namba, Chuo-ku, Osaka, Osaka Phone: 06-6641-3731 Business Hours: [Mon-Thu] 11:00 am - 8:00 pm [Fri] 11:00 am - 9:00 pm [Sat] 10:00 am - 9:00 pm [Sun] 10:00 am - 8:00 pm Open on Sundays, closed on no specific day

I visited "Hokkyoku Namba Honten," a restaurant located in Osaka, known for its food culture. It has been selected as one of the Top 100 Ice Cream & Gelato Shops in 2023 on Tabelog. It is conveniently located just a 3-minute walk from Namba Station on the Osaka Metro Midosuji Line. The restaurant is situated in the Ebisu Bridge Shopping Street, a lively area. The entrance is marked by a freezer labeled "Ice Candy" with a penguin holding candy illustration. Inside, there are colorful papers displayed. Additionally, a cafe has recently opened on the second floor in April 2023. Today, I tried their signature menu item, the Hokkyoku Soft Serve Ice Cream. The soft serve is a pure white color with a creamy and rich milk flavor. This establishment, founded in 1945, is a long-standing shop known for its traditional manufacturing methods passed down from the first generation. Thank you for the delicious treat.

I wanted to try the handmade ice candy from the long-established shop in Namba. The main store has a cafe on the second floor, but they have a one-drink order system, so I bought the ice candy on the first floor and ate it there. Matcha flavored ice candy ¥170 There were various flavors of ice candy, with seasonal limited editions costing around ¥350. It's cute how the stick is inserted diagonally! It had a slightly strange smell, maybe from being in the freezer for a long time, but it was crispy and delicious. By the time I finished eating one, I felt like my body temperature had dropped quite a bit. I'm not sure why it's considered a top store, but maybe because handmade ice candy is rare... I wanted to try it once, so I'm glad I did, but personally, I thought it was just okay. If I were to compare it to a local ice cream, I definitely prefer Nagasaki Castella ice cream (although it may not be a fair comparison). Thank you for the meal! ★

Located in Namba, Osaka, the ice candy shop "Hokkyoku" is a long-established store founded in 1945!! This Hokkyoku shop in Namba has been newly selected as one of the top 100 ice cream shops☆ On a Sunday evening, I visited and found that there were customers coming in and out occasionally, but it was not crowded at all, allowing me to relax and choose at my own pace. There is also a sweet cafe on the second floor~ I purchased their trademark "ice candy" which is registered as a trademark. I chose the classic flavor, "Strawberry" for 170 yen. The ice candy is known for its unique diagonal stick. It has a firm texture and a slightly powdery taste, which makes me wonder if it contains sweetened condensed milk. Regardless of the flavor, the main characteristics of the ice candy remain the same. Hokkyoku has its own charm, but the taste may not be for everyone. It melts easily in the summer heat, so be careful when enjoying it outdoors. Hokkyoku is a renowned ice candy shop in Osaka, selected as one of the top 100 ice cream shops, so if you have the chance, why not visit and see for yourself. (Note: Personally, I find it debatable if it truly deserves to be in the top 100 ice cream shops.) [Food review rating on Tabelog: 3.57 at the time of visit]

I didn't know there was an ice cream specialty shop like this. The shop is open from 10am on weekends. This time, I tried the Milk Ice Candy. It was really delicious, especially on a hot day. It had a slightly nostalgic taste. Thank you for the meal.

I went to a famous ice cream and gelato shop! Established in Showa 20, this place has been around for a while. I tried the Pineapple flavor of their popular popsicle, and it was delicious! I was actually hoping to get a taiyaki (fish-shaped cake) but couldn't find it anywhere. Was it a limited-time item? Seasonal only? Sorry for eating while standing, but it was melting fast, so I had to join the crowd outside the shop. Thank you for the tasty treat, shop owner! I appreciate all the follows, likes, and comments. You can find me on Instagram at @kanae.0402 and my food account at @kanae.0402sub. I'm currently pregnant, so I'm taking a break from "eating to lose weight" and enjoying a maternity foodie life. Thank you for your support!