The story may jump around a bit, but this is a story before riding the Shinkansen (^▽^;) ----------------------------------------- I went to see the Aomori Nebuta Festival. This time we drove to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto and then took the Shinkansen. We bought crab rice at Nagaizumi and headed to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto. We arrived much earlier than planned, so we also stopped by the Michi-no-Eki "Nanairo Nanae" in Nanai Town. They were having an event for Hakodate milk, and even had calves there. Of course, I tried the milk, and it was delicious! When you think of Michi-no-Eki, you think of the vegetable market, right? It's a shame we couldn't buy anything this time. If we have time tomorrow, we'll buy some on the way back. *We couldn't buy anything in the end. My wife, who loves Jomon culture, said she wanted to try the Jomon ice cream, so we tried it. It was a bit pricey at 400 yen. The ice cream was vanilla, and the cone was designed to look like a Jomon pottery. It was probably a special order, which explains the high price, right? (laughs) The vanilla ice cream was delicious. There was sweet red bean paste at the bottom of the cone. It was extremely sweet. *I won't show a photo of the red bean paste as it doesn't look nice when half-eaten. Thank you for the delicious treat. With time to spare, we headed to the station!

I drove non-stop towards Hakodate and stopped at a roadside station in Nanae for a restroom break. Although I have reviewed most of the major roadside stations, I recently discovered some that I have not visited or reviewed. "Nanae Roadside Station" was ranked 2nd in the Roadside Station Satisfaction Ranking. It has a clean environment, affordable menu prices, and facilities like the "Baron Lounge" for relaxation. Inside the facility, there is a food and beverage shop called "Nanae Factory" which mainly offers sweets such as soft drinks, crepes, apple pie, and ice cream. I purchased the "Hakodate Jomon Ice Cream" for 400 yen, choosing the vanilla flavor. The service was quick, with two young female staff members. I found it a bit odd that they gave me a bell to ring when my order was ready, instead of calling out to me directly. I sat on a nearby wooden bench and enjoyed the unique Jomon pottery-shaped cone. The vanilla ice cream was light and not too sweet, complemented well by the sesame and walnut paste in the cone. The price of 400 yen felt a bit expensive for what it was, considering they also offered regular scoops of ice cream for 300 yen. Overall, it was a unique and enjoyable experience at Nanae Roadside Station.

The stamp rally at Michi no Eki is coming to a close. Despite a slight delay in departure, I managed to visit all the Michi no Eki as planned. The last stop for today was "Nanairo Nanai" Michi no Eki, where I discovered a newly opened sign for "Hakodate Jomon Ice Cream" (400 yen). The ice cream, available in flavors like vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, tiramisu, matcha, and sweet potato, is served in a Jomon pottery-shaped monaka cone with sesame-walnut filling at the bottom. I chose vanilla, which was delicious and straightforward. However, the empty space between the sesame-walnut filling and the ice cream was a bit disappointing. The dessert was produced by "Joli Claire," the Western confectionery brand of the traditional Japanese confectionery shop "Suehiroken" founded in 1933. They also offer parfaits and crepes that looked appetizing. Thank you, "Nanairo," for the delightful treat!