This is a report on Hokkaido (lol) visited in late August! I extended my trip to Hokuryu town and stopped by a roadside station from the Sunflower Village! "Sunflower Soft Serve ¥300" "Sunflower Snack ¥240" The soft serve ice cream is extremely rich and creamy, very delicious! Additionally, the roasted sunflower seeds add a fragrant and crunchy texture as a nice accent! Took a classic photo with the sunflowers in the background (lol) It seems like there is also a bathing facility at the roadside station! It was very delicious! Thank you for the meal! Now, I will head to Asahikawa city!

I'm currently in the middle of visiting roadside stations. Since sunflowers are famous here, I'll talk about that. When you hear "sunflower," what song comes to mind for you? For me, it's Yuzuki Kamiya's "Himawari" or Motohiro Hata's "Himawari no Yakusoku." Anyway, leaving that aside, leaving footprints is something only a food blogger would do! I bought a "Sunflower Soft Serve (¥300)." I wonder how many ice creams this person has eaten! I got full in one go with the tempura bowl, and since they only sell corn, it really fills up your stomach! The rich milk flavor stands out, and it's a sweet soft serve with sunflower seeds on top. If you think of sunflower as having a mild bitterness and no strong nutty flavor, it's good. It's a shame that they raised the price from ¥250 to ¥300, but I'll try the Kurosen-goku flavor next time I go. Thank you for the meal.

The timeline got a bit mixed up, but before eating soba in Horokanai, we stopped by a Michi-no-Eki. It was getting hot as it approached noon, and it seemed like lunch would be a little later, so we decided to buy a soft serve ice cream to share (*^^*) Hokuryu Town is famous for sunflowers, so we chose... ○ Sunflower Soft Serve Ice Cream 250 yen The ice cream was smooth and had an average deliciousness. It was topped with roasted sunflower seeds, giving it a fragrant taste (*'ω'*). The crispy texture of the seeds added a nice accent. The cone was a slightly sweet waffle cone, providing a satisfying crunch (`･ω･´)b It would have been even better if the yellow of the sunflower was more prominent somewhere for impact and appeal (≧▽≦). However, expecting that at a price of 250 yen would be unreasonable. Instead, let's take a photo in front of the sunflower flower bed outside (*^^*) Luckily, we were able to eat sunflower soft serve ice cream during the season when sunflowers bloom. Thank you for the meal!

I stopped by a roadside station during a break and they were selling a wide range of fresh vegetables, local specialties, souvenirs, and even clothing. I bought tomato, cucumber, and sunflower seed soft serve ice cream! The town flower of Hokuryu town is the sunflower, and they make sunflower seed nuts sprinkled sunflower soft serve ice cream (250 yen including tax). It has a crispy and enjoyable nutty texture with creamy soft serve, delicious! I also want to try the Hokuryu town specialty "Kurosenkoku soybeans" made into black soybean flour used in "Kurosenkoku soft serve" (250 yen including tax) next time. Thank you, "Sunflower"!

Last month, we adjusted our schedules and managed to secure a day off during the week. We went Orolo with our family♪ Whenever we go to the beach in the summer, it always seems to rain or be cloudy, but this time we were blessed with a beautiful blue sky. That alone made us happy. We decided to visit some roadside stations, and the first one we stopped at was really big and had a nice atmosphere. It was around 9:30 in the morning when we entered the building. Inside, they were selling soft-serve ice cream, so we decided to try it. I ordered the "Kurochigoku" flavor. The soft-serve was white, with something that looked like kinako sprinkled on top. I had never tried this kind of topping before, but I really enjoyed it. It was delicious. I love kinako^^♪ After enjoying the ice cream, we headed to the beach. It had been a whole year since we last visited!

This is a place where you can take a bath and stay overnight~ It seems to be a relaxing place for the people of Hokuryu Town. I discovered new beans, not new rice, of Kurochigoku soybeans! I used to cook rice with Kurochigoku soybeans before, so I'm happy to find new beans! The rice cooked with Kurochigoku soybeans turns pink~ It is full of good nutrients for the body! I also got some roasted soybean flour made from Kurochigoku soybeans! Working in the countryside may be far away, but I am looking forward to it! ^ - ^

I tried the sunflower soft serve ice cream at Kitaryu Road Station. I thought it would be yellow, but it just had candy seeds on top (laughs). But it was rich and delicious!! Another flavor was kinako. Winter soft serve ice cream is nice too, but it's too cold Σ(゜Д゜)

This is the final episode of the road trip series in Hokkaido. We got caught in a heavy rain from Tomamae to Obira. We heard that the rain would stop after 10 minutes of riding, so we just kept going in the rain. We skipped Rumoi and the next stop was Hokuryu. It's under renovation there. It was my first time going inside the roadside station there. Usually, I just use the restroom. It was quite crowded, probably because of the season. I waited in line for soft serve ice cream. It was nothing special, just a regular soft serve with sunflower seeds on top. After the ice cream break, we rode non-stop all the way home. In total, we rode 774 kilometers in these 3 days. My bike is 1100cc so it was no problem for me, but my partner's bike is 250cc. Their determination and stamina are truly impressive. I couldn't ride 200 kilometers on a 250cc bike. It's tiring. My partner is amazing! 🎵

- Visit on 6/6 - Started the day with a meeting in Asahimachi, Shibetsu City, then checked the site conditions in Numata Town in the afternoon. It was a tough schedule, so I relaxed and healed my fatigue at this michi-no-eki hot spring. I soaked longer than usual, and my body felt warm and comfortable. I couldn't resist buying a "sunflower soft serve" and enjoyed it right away in my car. The sunflower seeds were fried and added a nice touch to the not-too-sweet treat. I was completely satisfied.

This is a review of a soft serve ice cream made from black soybeans. I couldn't decide between sunflower or black soybeans, so I chose the black soybean soft serve this time. I always get it in a cup, which is about the size of a small coffee cup from a vending machine. The soybean powder was delicious, but I couldn't quite tell if the soft serve itself was rich or if it was the sweetness of the soybean powder. I bought 500g of black soybeans as requested, and an additional 300g for myself. When I ordered the soft serve, I wasn't confident in how to pronounce "黒千石大豆" (black soybeans), so I ended up saying, "I'm not sure how to pronounce it... please give me the soybean powder soft serve." Unfortunately, the cashier completely ignored me. She was not very friendly, which was disappointing. I wonder if "くろせんごく" is the correct pronunciation?

I came here with the goal of trying the Kurosenko soft serve ice cream. I thought it was at Ametatsu or Kitatatsu, but it was actually at Kitatatsu. I remember staying here about 10 years ago and the children's meals were really good. This time, I was really looking forward to the Kurosenko soft serve ice cream! It had kinako sprinkled on top. I wish they had added some beans too! I also wish they had put more kinako on top. It didn't have much kinako flavor, but since I really wanted to try it, I am satisfied.

I went to Himawari no Sato with my mother and then stopped by this place. After passing through the entrance with a dragon, we entered. There is accommodation facility adjacent to the roadside station. Our main purpose was...soft serve ice cream (^ ^) I had tried the "Himawari Soft" before, so this time I was really curious about the "Kurosenkoku Soft" that ★Smile★ had written about in the reviews of the neighboring accommodation facility. The kinako sprinkled on top of the soft serve...made from Kurosenkoku (^ ^) The soft serve itself was smooth. And the kinako was fragrant and very delicious~ I like the type where it's mixed in as well, but when it's directly topped like this, you can really feel the kinako and the fragrance seems to intensify. On a side note...when it's windy, I think the kinako might fly off if you take it outside as it is. It was a bit windy that day, and I ended up tasting a bit of kinako with my eyes (lol) Thank you for the treat.

In North Ryu Town, "Sunflower Hokuryu" is a complex facility that combines a roadside station, hot springs, and a hotel. It has a Dragon Gate reminiscent of the Showa Bubble era, a main building strangely designed in a Nordic style, and features sunflowers and black soybeans, creating a chaotic atmosphere. The "Black Senkise Soft Serve" is on the smaller side, with a firm texture and a generous sprinkling of soybean powder, creating a delicious combination of rich sweetness and flavor. However, it may lack a bit of charm as a roadside station.

The first half of Golden Week in Hokkaido is hot! Despite the heat similar to Honshu, I went on a drive for the first time in a while. I decided to visit the town of Hokuryu, where they promote Kurochigoku soybeans. There is a cooperative called "Kurochigoku Business Cooperative" in Hokuryu, which sells vacuum-packed Kurochigoku beans at nearby roadside stations. Kurochigoku soybeans are a variety of black soybeans that contain a high amount of polyphenols and soy isoflavones, making them particularly valuable. The cultivation of this variety was discontinued decades ago due to its difficulty, but it has been revived and is now being grown in Hokuryu and Otoppe in southern Hokkaido. I first purchased Kurochigoku soybeans at the roadside station's shop, and also bought Kurochigoku tea tea bags as a souvenir for my parents at home. When I took out my wallet at the register, I noticed onigiri (rice balls) next to the register. I was told that they were Kurochigoku soybean onigiri and Kurochigoku tea set for only 300 yen. I didn't plan on buying them, but since it was cheap, I decided to try them out. The Kurochigoku tea is a product called "Revived Black Beans Kurochigoku Tea 350ml," which costs 150 yen alone. The onigiri comes with two pieces, making it seem quite cost-effective. However, it does not come with paper napkins or disposable chopsticks. Also, the onigiri is made with salted rice, so there are no pickles or fillings. It's really simple. When I took a bite, the rice was fluffy and delicious. It had a moderate saltiness and a nostalgic flavor when combined with the aroma of seaweed. The Kurochigoku soybeans added a pleasant texture and sweetness, making it very appetizing. And the Kurochigoku tea was quite delicious. It had a strong roasted aroma, and I finished it in no time. It seems like a good idea to buy onigiri here when feeling a little hungry or before heading to the Raijinuma Wetlands. I forgot to ask what time they start selling in the morning (laughs).