The soft serve ice cream costs 350 yen and has sunflower seeds mixed in, giving it a slightly nutty flavor compared to regular soft serve. It is smooth, not too sweet, and very delicious. The portion size was just right for me.

I usually write ramen reviews, but sometimes I review 【Hokkaido's tourist gourmet】. The 39th review is about the "Sunflower Soft Serve" I had at the Sunflower Village in Hokuryu Town. ================================= After buying mangoes at "Michi no Eki Tsurunuma" in Urashiro Town where I wrote the previous review, we headed to Hokuryu Town as our next destination. Surprisingly, we were able to get there smoothly from Sapporo to Urashiro Town, and when we checked, Hokuryu Town was only 35km away. We arrived in about 40 minutes. It's about 100km from Sapporo to Hokuryu Town. Surprisingly close. So, let's go there♪ε=ε=ε=ε=ε=ε=┌(^◇^)┘ Located in the middle of Sapporo and Asahikawa in Hokkaido, Hokuryu Town is an agricultural town mainly focused on rice cultivation, and also grows melons and watermelons. Particularly famous is the vast land of about 5 Tokyo Domes (23 hectares) where 2 million sunflowers are planted! It has become a major tourist spot attracting over 200,000 visitors every year. The sight of the gentle hillside turning yellow during its peak season in August is a breathtaking beauty♪ It's quite impressive to see, right? After finishing the sightseeing, we took a break at the Sunflower Village's visitor center. Inside, about the size of a small gym, there are restaurants, souvenir shops, and local product stores, bustling with customers. We purchased the "Sunflower Soft Serve" for 350 yen at "Yahachi" shop. They process sunflower seeds into powder and mix it into the soft serve. It's rich in Vitamin E and has a fragrant taste. It's delicious and refreshing♪ The sunflower soft serve at the Sunflower Village was delicious♪ Thank you for the meal. (Visited on August 12, 2022) (Posted on January 23, 2023)

I was impressed by the wonderful sunflower field! Inside the same area as the sunflower field, there is a dining area where a restaurant seems to operate an izakaya in Kitahiro Town. I purchased a "Sunflower Soft Serve Ice Cream (350 yen)" verbally. According to the explanation, "Sunflower seeds are powdered and mixed into the soft serve ice cream, which is rich in vitamin E and has a fragrant and rich taste." It was slightly colored, and indeed there were grainy bits like seeds. It had a slightly rough texture, and the taste was average! It's really just an average soft serve ice cream. However, as a local specialty soft serve ice cream, it's worth trying. The straightforward name caught my attention. I was also moved by the sunflower field, so I wanted to support this town a little by spending some money (I also made a small donation). It's a bit awkward that everything, including the parking, is free. I will come back next year.

I tried the sunflower soft serve ice cream at Himawari Soft Cream, one of the ten shops at the entrance of Himawari no Sato in Kitatatsucho, but it was just average! If they used edible sunflowers, it would stand out and provide a more satisfying experience, so I would rate it a 3.5 out of 5! Looking forward to improvements from the company!

In the afternoon of Bon festival, I enjoyed the sunflowers at Himawari no Sato in Hokuryu town, and then I discovered the words "Himawari Soft Cream"! Of course, I had to try it. There was a large space like a gymnasium with various shops, and it seems like you can get the sunflower soft serve near the entrance. Oh, there's a line of about 10 people! But the line moves quickly and it was soon my turn. Himawari Soft Cream for 300 yen. This soft serve has sunflower seed powder mixed in, so it has a slightly colored appearance and some grainy seeds in it. When you taste it, the cream is smooth but you can also taste the sunflower seeds, giving it a nice nutty flavor. The grains might be a bit noticeable, but overall, it's a good local soft serve. Thank you for the meal.

Nocchimu-san and I used the consecutive holidays to visit Himawari no Sato in Hokuryu Town, which we couldn't go to last year. After enjoying the beautiful sunflowers in full bloom, we decided to check out the facility with several shops inside. Inside the facility, there are soba noodles, rice bowls, and even a soup curry shop run by a shop owner from Hokuryu Town. Among them, we decided to try something that truly represents Hokuryu Town - the sunflower soft serve ice cream. We bought one and found out that the soft serve ice cream contains powdered sunflower seeds. Upon closer inspection, you can see crushed seeds scattered throughout the soft serve. When we tasted it, the sunflower seeds gave a nutty, fragrant flavor which was delicious. The soft serve itself was smooth, enhancing the rich nutty flavor even more. The sweetness was just right, perfect for our tired bodies after a long drive and touring the sunflowers. It's been a while since I last had it, so I couldn't quite remember the taste, but I know I'll want to have it again when I come to see the sunflowers next time. Thank you for the meal.

I have been wanting to see the sunflowers in Kitatatsucho for years, but I always missed the season due to bad timing... OTL However, this year, the timing finally worked out! (；∀；)・Sunflower Soft Serve Ice Cream I was actually interested in trying the sunflower soft serve ice cream here because I love sunflower seeds. When I tried it, it tasted a bit nutty and powdery. The soft serve itself was milky, but it melted quickly (Σ(ﾟДﾟ)). I wish they would sprinkle a few sunflower seeds on top! Seeing the sunflowers really lifted my spirits (˘ω˘). Maybe now my heart will feel a bit richer... Thank you so much, Wu-ta-san! ((((orz

I enjoyed the classic sunflower soft serve and black sesame shake. They were rich and delicious!

The food was average.

On the 5th day of my Hokkaido trip, I left Biei and rented a car at Asahikawa Station to head towards Sapporo. Along the way, I visited Hokkaido Gokoku Shrine, entered the Snow Art Museum, and stopped by the Sunflower Village in Hokuryu Town. The weather was great! This was my second time visiting a sunflower field, with the first time being in Tsunan, Niigata two years ago. The sunflower field in Tsunan was also vast, but Hokuryu Town was quite impressive as well. The sunflower variety in Tsunan was tall, while in Hokuryu Town, they were shorter. They used to plant tall sunflowers like in Tsunan, but switched to shorter varieties to prevent them from falling due to strong winds. I tried sunflower seed-infused sunflower soft serve ice cream. It had a fragrant and delicious taste, but it melted quickly, making it a bit challenging to eat. The shop was a bit away from the sunflower field, so I planned to take a photo at the field with the ice cream, but it started melting on the way and I had to eat it before reaching the field. It really does melt fast. After finishing the ice cream, I got back in the car and continued towards Sapporo.

I arrived at Sunflower Village! I found Sunflower Soft Serve at Yayaya, a big food court-like venue. It's soft serve ice cream mixed with sunflower powder. It costs 300 yen each. Let's try it! Delicious! It has a slightly textured feel and is very smooth. It's really tasty! The staff member was friendly and nice! Enjoying sunflower soft serve while looking at sunflowers! What a great day! Thank you for the meal!

I went to see the Himawari (sunflower) Festival in Hokuryu, where there were many food and drink stalls. Among them, the soft serve ice cream shop was very popular. They use the famous Hokuryu sunflowers in their dishes and sweets, and the Himawari soft serve ice cream is a big hit! It has sunflower seeds mixed in, which gives it a unique taste. It's sweet but also has a savory touch to it. I love it! Even after the festival, you can still try it at the Michi-no-Eki (roadside station) in Hokuryu. When you visit Hokuryu, be sure to give it a try!

I had never seen the sunflower fields in Hokuryu, so I decided to visit. However, they were not blooming at all yet. I should have checked before going... I thought they would be blooming like in Furano. Anyway, I decided to cheer myself up by trying the sunflower soft serve ice cream! I went to a shop in Sunflower Village. The regular price is 300 yen, but since it was the first day of sales, I got a 10% discount and paid 270 yen. The soft serve ice cream contains sunflower powder. When I tried it, it was rich and creamy! Maybe the original milk soft serve is already rich, but the sunflower seed oil makes it even more flavorful. It may not be entirely accurate, but it's delicious! The bits of sunflower seeds add a nice touch. Local soft serves can be disappointing, but this one was a hit! Thank you for the meal!

On the first Sunday of August, after shopping for local products at the Minori-chi Kitahiro Wildlife Center, we finally reached our goal of getting some soft serve ice cream. The place selling it was called Ajito Yayachi, and it seemed a bit old-fashioned. Despite that, there were many customers seeking something cold just like us. They offered a sunflower soft serve ice cream for 300 yen, which my wife bought while I found a good spot away from the sun and the crowd. The ice cream had a slightly rough texture, as it contained powdered sunflower seeds mixed in. This added a unique flavor and richness to it, making it quite delicious. Unlike some regional soft serve ice creams that lack the promised flavor, this sunflower soft serve ice cream lived up to its name with a pleasant nutty taste. It was a perfect treat to cool down in the scorching heat. Although the customer service was lacking, likely due to the busy event, the ice cream helped us refresh and recharge for our next destination.

While living in Hokkaido, I visited Hokuryu Town for the first time. I had seen it on TV before, and I wanted to walk through the vast sunflower fields. I went during the Bon Festival period, but unfortunately, the sunflowers were not at their peak. However, the temperature was comfortable. I didn't do any research beforehand and just came on a whim, so I unexpectedly found sunflower soft serve ice cream! It was unusual! It was my first time seeing it. I wondered what kind of soft serve it was, and the explanation said that sunflower seeds were ground into powder and kneaded into it. I didn't have high expectations and thought it was just for show, but I was surprised by how delicious it was. The soft serve was made by local high school student part-timers, maybe? They had a cheeky attitude, but it added to the rural town atmosphere (laughs). They skillfully scooped it out. The soft serve was rich and smooth, and I thought the seeds would be gritty, but they weren't. The aftertaste was fragrant, and you could taste the sunflower seeds. It had a mysterious flavor. Maybe you could imagine it as nutty? It was a taste I had never tried before. I quite liked it! It was delicious! Thank you for the meal!