Must try Hokkaido milk soft serve and finest gelato

Hokkaido is a dairy farming region known for producing delicious, freshly squeezed milk, which naturally leads to exceptional ice cream.

Gelato made from fresh fruits and vegetables is also popular across the island, making it a must-have treat during summer sightseeing.

We've gathered a selection of cold delights—soft-serve ice cream, ice cream, and gelato—from all over Hokkaido that you simply must try when you visit.

Hokkaido is a large island, and some areas are not accessible by public transport, so renting a car is recommended for convenient travel.

The outskirts of Niseko are sprinkled with a mix of well-known tourist spots and hidden gems.

Some locations can be challenging to reach by public transport, so we recommend driving your own car or renting one during the summer months.

Takahashi Farm, Milk Kobo: This popular spot offers ice cream made from fresh raw milk from Takahashi Farm, known for its rich and full-bodied flavor. The site also features a pizza restaurant, a chocolate shop, and a scenic photo spot with a large grassy roll on the expansive grounds. On clear days, you can enjoy views of Mt. Yotei, making it a favorite destination for many visitors.

Ruhiel: Ruhiel is a well-loved gelato shop that has gained a following for its high-quality ingredients and unique production methods, often drawing queues of eager customers. The seasonal flavors, made from local and nearby fruits and fresh dairy products, are the main draw. The gelato is made with minimal additives, allowing the natural flavors to shine.

Niseko Gelato: Located next to Niseko's roadside station, Niseko Gelato offers an array of unique flavors that make choosing difficult. None of the gelato is made using pre-made bases or mass-produced flavor pastes; instead, everything is crafted from original recipes. The hand-baked waffle cones, known for their crunchy texture, are also a hit.

Cafe Amaya: Operating as a Japanese restaurant in the winter, Amaya transforms into a charming café during the summer months. The café's concept is to provide a relaxing space from early morning until 3 p.m. for snacks. It serves beautiful seasonal fruit parfaits and the signature Niseko Mt. Yotei soft-serve ice cream, perfect for hot summer days.

Mita Farm: The cows grazing on Mita Farm’s vast pasture produce the raw milk used to create gelato on-site. In 2023, a café opened where visitors can enjoy this fresh gelato while watching the cows in the fields.

Akaigawa Gelato: Located at a roadside station in Akaigawa, just a 40-minute drive from Niseko, Akaigawa Gelato Corner is housed in a distinctive mountain hut-style building. Here, you can savor gelato made from local ingredients. Unique flavors like rice gelato, with the taste of crushed rice, and Akaigawa soybean kinako, with its coarsely ground soybean flavor, are popular for their low sweetness, making them a favorite among adults.

Cheese Kobo Takara: While cheese is the star here—having won cheese awards—the homemade soft-serve ice cream, made from freshly squeezed milk from the farm, is equally excellent. Its rich flavor is akin to tasting fresh cow's milk. The farm also offers a rare view of Mt. Yotei and Mt. Shiribetsu side by side, like twins, on clear days.

Lake Hill Farm: This breezy gelato shop is located on a hill with beautiful flower fields, meadows, and gardens, offering a stunning view of Lake Toya and Mt. Yotei.

Yamanaka Farm: Situated in the mountains of Akaigawa Village along Route 393, which runs from Niseko to Otaru, Yamanaka Farm is known for its highly popular soft-serve ice cream, attracting visitors from far and wide. The ice cream is smooth and refreshing, made with high-quality milk, yet retains a rich, milky flavor. Additional flavors like green tea and chocolate are also available.

Blue Pond Soft Serve: Located in Biei-cho Shirogane, Blue Pond is famous for its stunning landscape of gently rolling hills, vibrant blue waters, and standing dead larch trees. This picturesque spot is a popular sightseeing destination.

At the site, there’s a shop offering Blue Pond-themed products, including soft-serve ice cream. The ice cream, served with a cute biscuit featuring a fox, comes in three varieties: Biei Milk Soft Serve, made with fresh milk from Biei; Aoi Ike Soft Serve, which adds a hint of rum to the milk; and a mix of the two flavors.

Furano Melon Soft Serve: This eye-catching treat is available at Popura Farm, a sweet shop in Nakafurano run by a melon specialty store. The melon is halved and topped with a generous swirl of soft-serve ice cream. This iconic Hokkaido summer dessert combines juicy, ripe orange melon with rich milk soft serve, offering a refreshing aftertaste. Often featured on TV and in other media, this treat is a must-try when visiting the Furano area.

Lavender Soft Serve: Farm Tomita in Furano, renowned for its lavender fields, offers an original lavender-flavored soft-serve ice cream. The pale purple ice cream is visually appealing and refreshing, making it especially popular on hot days. Enjoy it while taking in the beautiful backdrop of the lavender fields.

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