12 Must-try Hokkaido Milk Soft Serve and Gelato Shops

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

No matter the season, you can’t leave Hokkaido without trying its famous cold delights — soft-serve, ice-cream, and gelato. The latter is a specialty during the summer, often crafted from local fresh fruits and vegetables.

From the photogenic lavender soft serve in Furano to the creamy cheese-flavored ice cream in Niseko, we've gathered the best places in Hokkaido for ice cream lovers. Take note: Some locations can be challenging to reach by public transport, so we recommend renting a car for serious ice-cream exploration.

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): Have you even been to Niseko if you didn’t go to Milk Kobo? This popular spot offers ice cream made from fresh raw milk from Takahashi Farm, known for its rich and full-bodied flavour. 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 Mount Yotei, making it a must-stop 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 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 flavours that make choosing difficult. None of the gelato is made using pre-made bases or mass-produced flavour pastes; instead, everything is crafted from original recipes. The hand-baked waffle cones, known for their crunchy texture, are also a hit!

Mita Farm: The cows grazing on Mita Farm’s vast pasture produce the raw milk used to create gelato on-site. In 2023, they opened a café where visitors can enjoy this fresh gelato while watching the cows graze 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. Skip your usual order and try one of the unique flavors like rice gelato, which tastes like crushed rice, and Akaigawa soybean kinako, which has a coarsely ground soybean flavor. Both types have a subtle sweetness, making them a favourite pick among adults.

Cheese Kobo Takara: While award-winning cheese is the star here, the homemade soft-serve ice cream, made from freshly squeezed milk from the farm, is equally excellent. The rich flavour is akin to tasting fresh cow's milk. On clear days, you can also see a rare view of Mount Yotei and Mount Shiribetsu side by side, like twins!

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 Mount Yotei. Gelato with a view? Count us in.

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 far and wide. Made with high-quality milk, the ice cream is smooth and refreshing. Additional flavours like green tea and chocolate are also available.

Blue Pond: Located in Biei-cho Shirogane, Blue Pond is a popular sightseeing destination thanks to its stunning landscape of gently rolling hills, azure waters, and standing dead larch trees. At the site, there’s a shop offering Blue Pond-themed products, including soft-serve ice cream. The ice cream is served with a cute biscuit featuring a fox and comes in three varieties: Biei Milk Soft Serve, made with fresh milk from Biei; Aoi Ike Soft Serve, which adds ramune (citrus) flavour to the milk; and a mix of the two flavours.

Farm Tomita: Renowned for its endless rows of lavender fields, Farm Tomita also offers an original lavender-flavored soft-serve ice cream. The pretty, pastel-hued ice cream is made for the gram, and luckily it tastes as good as it looks! A welcome treat on hot days, enjoy it while taking in the beautiful backdrop of the lavender fields.

Popura Farm: This sweet shop in Nakafurano is run by a melon specialty store, hence an eye-catching creation: the Furano Melon Soft Serve. Here, 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. Often featured on TV and in other media, this treat is a must-try when visiting the Furano area.

Furano Cheese Factory: Best known for its cheese offerings — including Japan’s first wine-infused cheese — Furano Cheese Factory also sells ice cream in several flavors such as classic milk, as well as fun options like pumpkin and combinations like cheese and grape. The one to go for? Their signature cheese soft ice cream, which is made with their own cheese. The architectural complex also has an in-house cafe and pizzeria, where they serve pizza topped with local produce.

We offer a range of accommodation options to suit every need, including one-room apartments, spacious five-bedroom condominiums, private chalets and villas for holiday rentals.

Contact us for more information.

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +81 (0) 136-23-1724