Japan has never been a nation to shy away from bold flavours and creative confections, especially when it comes to soft serve (or ‘sofuto’). Of these 16 interesting ice-cream flavours, how many have you taste-tested?
Sakura (Cherry Blossom)
Particularly during Hanami season, pretty-in-pink cherry blossom (or sakura) soft serves are a popular choice of tourists and locals alike.
Ikasumi (Squid Ink)
Not to be confused with black sesame ice-creams (caution: vegetarians), squid ink ice-creams have been adopted from the Korean iced treat and blended with vanilla.
Salt Vanilla
For times when you can’t decide between sweet or savoury, salt vanilla soft serve is a snack that provides a little of both.
Charcoal
A little like a smoky caramel, charcoal ice-creams are sweeter than they sound. Though charcoal on its own isn’t a particularly strong flavour, often other ingredients will be added (and sprinkles on top).
Shirasu (Whitebait)
Whitebait might seem an unlikely ice-cream flavour, but it’s not unheard of in Japan. Sometimes vanilla ice-creams are dipped into a topping of whitebait, often their flavour is infused throughout, and sometimes a splash of soy sauce is added into the mix.
Sweet Potato
Look out for sweet potato ice-creams (both golden and purple) sold on the streets of Kyoto (they’re a particular favourite in Nara). Smooth sweet, and not too overpowering, this is a combination that surprisingly works.
Miso
Miso soft serve tastes not too dissimilar to salted caramel. With many restaurants in Australia beginning to add miso to dessert menus, this one is a safe gateway into the world of Japanese savoury ice-cream.
Red Bean and Rockmelon
Served in a rockmelon with a big scoopful of sweet red beans, this is a much-loved summertime treat throughout Japan. Warning: you may need two hands to manage this plateful.
Wasabi
It might sound painfully hot (or cold, as it were), but wasabi ice-cream is a mellowed version of this savoury ingredient. Just don’t blame us if someone gives you a particularly burny batch.
Black Sesame
Not uncommon on the menus of Australia’s Japanese restaurants, Black Sesame ice-cream is a mild, delicious bite that’s easy to devour.
Lavender
Is this the ultimate soft serve flavour? The perfume of lavender lends itself beautifully to the soft texture of soft serve – imagine eating a floral cloud, if you can.
Matcha
Now this is one you can likely tick off the ‘eaten that’ list. Green tea (matcha) soft serve is a classic Japanese treat – it seems few desserts a spared an infusion of this flavour in Japan.
Shoyu (Soy Sauce)
Now we’re hitting the savoury side of the spectrum. Soy sauce soft serve is, as you might imagine, fairly salty. If you’ve ever wondered what a vegemite soft serve would taste like, this one can give you a fairly close preview.
Hojicha
Similar to matcha, hojicha is a type of roasted green tea (which is where its brown hue comes from). It tastes a little more toasted than its green counterpart, but boasts a similar flavour.
Yuzu Salt
Sour, sweet and refreshing, in this soft serve flavour, the citrusy zing of yuzu combines with a decent dose of salt – in balance, it works well.
FAQs
Wasabi. It might sound painfully hot (or cold, as it were), but wasabi ice-cream is a mellowed version of this savoury ingredient. Just don't blame us if someone gives you a particularly burny batch.
What are the different types of Japanese ice cream? ›
While many of the flavours are seasonal, kinako (roasted soybean flour) with black honey is a staple. Other regular flavours include milk, matcha, azuki, karinto (sweet deep fried Japanese crackers), black sugar hojicha and black sesame.
What ice cream was invented in Japan? ›
Mochi ice cream thus has origins in Japanese tradition because of the traditional value of mochi. However, mochi ice cream is truly a result of the crossroads of both American and Japanese food culture.
Is ice cream expensive in Japan? ›
In December 2020, the average retail price of ice cream in the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan amounted to 263 Japanese yen per unit. The ice cream prices peaked at the beginning of the year, reaching around 266 yen per cup.
What is the most famous ice cream flavor in the world? ›
Vanilla reigns supreme as the most popular ice cream flavor around the globe.
Who had 31 flavors of ice cream? ›
As one of the top ice-cream franchises in the US, Baskin-Robbins has been serving scoops since 1945. The chain was originally known for its 31 flavors of ice cream, but between seasonal rotations and menu updates, it's offered more than 1,000 flavors over the years.
Who had 28 flavors of ice cream? ›
Howard Johnson's soon became known for its 28 flavors of thick ice cream that had double the butterfat of most competitors' products. "During the post-war boom, Johnson began expanding rapidly, so by the company's peak in the 1960s, there would have been dozens of restaurants on the South Shore alone," Elliott said.
What are the bad ice cream 2 flavors? ›
Depending on the player's choice in the game's menu, they may be brown, white or pink coloured, representing chocolate, vanilla and strawberry flavours. In Bad Ice Cream 2, there are three new flavours: sorbet (yellow), mint-choc-chip (green), bubble gum (blue).
What is Japanese flavors? ›
In Japanese cooking, there are five major flavor profiles: salty, hot(spicy), sweet, sour and bitter. Actually, there is the sixth flavor – the magical Umami, or the savory depth found naturally in Hanakatsuo (bonito flakes), Kombu (kelp) and Shiitake (Japanese forest mushrooms).
What is Japanese ice called? ›
Kakigōri banner with the kanji for “ice” (氷) In addition to street stalls, kakigōri is sold in festivals, convenience stores, coffee shops, specialized kakigōri parlors, and restaurants. It's also frequently prepared by families at home. During the hot summer months, kakigōri is sold virtually everywhere in Japan.
Beni-imo, or purple sweet potato, is a common flavor in many Japanese sweets and snacks, even boasting its own KitKat. It has a subtle sweetness that compliments the rich creaminess of the soft serve, not to mention its incredible purple color.
What is the weird dessert in Japan? ›
Japanese zenzai is an unusual dessert which combines thick red bean soup with mochi, the famous sticky rice cake. It can be made by boiling dried red beans or diluting anko (sweetened red bean paste) in water. The soup can either have a coarse or a completely smooth texture.
What is the most controversial ice cream flavor? ›
Some people love the taste of durian and consider it a delicacy, while others find it unbearable. Durian ice cream is often considered an acquired taste and is not for the faint of heart. Horseradish is another polarizing flavor that has been making the rounds as of late.
