I went cycling during my late summer vacation and stopped by "Michi-no-Eki Higashikawa Michikusa-kan" for some soft serve ice cream. I was surprised by how rich and delicious the milk flavor was in the soft serve, even though it was just a small cup for 300 yen. It was a nice treat after a 45km short ride.

After checking out from the "Hotel Kagura in the Forest," on the way to Asahikawa, I stopped by the Michi-no-Eki Higashikawa "Michikusa-kan" and had some soft serve ice cream. Inside Michikusa-kan, there was a shop called "Snow crystal Kirari" selling soft serve ice cream. Even though I had just had breakfast and didn't plan on eating ice cream, the menu looked so delicious that I ended up buying a small size mini cone and tried it. The charm of this soft serve ice cream is that it has two layers of milk soft serve. The upper layer of the cone was a rich and sweet soft serve from the Igawase Ranch in Sengawa, while the lower layer was a refreshing and sweet soft serve from the Ise Farm in Etanbetsu. I have never had soft serve ice cream with two types of milk soft serve in two layers before. The cone was topped with almond and butter-flavored laurel. I regretted not getting the regular size soft serve after tasting the high quality of this one.

Even on regular days, depending on the time, it can get crowded... This station on the Tohoku Expressway is popular among tourists. I've used the shop several times, but this was my first time trying the soft serve ice cream. Usually there's no one (staff) around, so I wasn't sure if they were open or not... but I found a bell-like tool on the counter. Ding ding...♪* I rang it. [Affogato] ♬ I thought it was soft serve ice cream, but I found out at the ticket machine! Actually, if it was soft serve ice cream, I could have gotten a discount by showing my JAF card... but my brain turned into affogato (๑´ڡ`๑) There's no eat-in space nearby, but there's a small seating area in the back on the other side... I quickly poured some coffee over it and snapped a photo because it looked like it was going to melt! Then I hurried back to the car (laughs). Well... I guess that's how it goes, right? It was delicious. Thank you (*´ω`*)

Higashikawa Michi-no-Eki Footprint Review September 2020: I came all this way, but they didn't have rice! The water here is delicious, so I bet the rice is tasty too. I'll buy some to take home. I also purchased some high-end eggs to go with the rice. I usually never buy eggs at this price, but when I'm traveling, I feel more generous. - Special Cultivated Satake Rice (5kg) 2600 yen: Satake Farm's Nanatsuboshi rice has firm grains, slightly sticky texture, sweetness, and a distinct flavor. It's delicious! - Ooyuki Natamago Eggs 560 yen: Eggs from Lerasan Poultry Farm in Higashikawa. The yolks are lemon-colored, slightly small, and have a light and refreshing taste. Thank you for the meal!

On the way to Asahidake Onsen, we made a pit stop at "Michi-no-Eki Higashikawa Michinoyado-kan," which serves as an information center providing details about the attractions, events, and gourmet options in Higashikawa Town. They offer hand-drawn maps such as the "Asahidake and Tenninkyo Map," "Craft Map," and "Gourmet Map." The location is along the Asahikawa-Asahidake Onsen Road in the neighboring town of Higashikawa, the second largest city in Hokkaido. The main purpose of our visit this time was for soft serve ice cream. My partner's favorite is the soft serve here, so even if we skip lunch, they still want to have it. We both opted for a light lunch (like in the school paradise song) and got our soft serves. I ordered a soft serve ice cream cup for 300 yen with my JAF card discount. It was cold and refreshing, with a light and slightly sweet taste. The texture was dense and creamy, with a milky aroma. It disappeared quickly in the mouth, leaving a satisfied feeling. The children around us were happily devouring their soft serves, and the proud fathers were boasting about how delicious it was. Enjoying a soft serve at Michi-no-Eki Higashikawa Michinoyado-kan on a hot day is a great way to boost your dad points.

Visit date: May 2020 I hope that the state of emergency will be lifted soon and daily life will gradually return to normal. Feeling a bit tired from the coronavirus situation at the end of the month, I decided to stop by here spontaneously. I had been aiming for something that was ending today or tomorrow, so I managed to make time to come here. I quickly got the limited edition cherry blossom soft serve ice cream available only on weekends in April and May! I purchased it from the vending machine at the shop and handed it to the staff. It had a cherry blossom flavored syrup, a cute mini sugar candy topping, and what seemed like matcha Pocky sticks. Underneath the cup, there was a hidden pudding. It was delicious! Thank you for the meal.

I had a Kirari soft serve ice cream at Michikawa Roadside Station Michikusa-kan in Higashikawa Town for 350 yen. This roadside station offers rice and processed agricultural products, making it a great place for shopping. I bought the soft serve ice cream they sell there. The soft serve ice cream had a refreshing aftertaste, with a star-shaped pie crust on top adding a touch of sparkle.

The town of Higashikawa. There is a roadside station a few minutes' drive from Asahikawa, and they say the soft serve ice cream there is delicious! So I went to try it. The soft serve ice cream is sold through a vending machine, which is quite strange. It's not bad, but I personally don't prefer the vending machine style. There were no staff around! What's going on?! When I picked up a matryoshka doll and shook it, a staff member finally came. Quite a high hurdle, isn't it?! The soft serve ice cream costs 350 yen. It has a milky flavor but feels light and can be enjoyed easily. It's a delicious soft serve ice cream that you won't get tired of even if you eat a lot. I read a review saying it was the best they've ever had, and I have to agree. It's a delicious soft serve ice cream that is light, rich, and easy to eat, with a flavor that will appeal to everyone. Definitely worth a try!

I stopped by for a toilet break on my way from Tenninkyo Onsen "Miyado Shikishima-so" to Asahikawa. It was around 9:30 am on a Saturday. This place is located in the center of Higashikawa city, facing Route 116. You can easily spot it with the familiar roadside station sign. Next to it on the right (southeast) is "Montbell Daisetsu Higashikawa Store." It is a two-story sturdy building with a museum-like exterior. There is a parking lot for about 50 cars in front of and to the right of the building (seems to be shared with "Montbell"). Upon entering, there is a display and sales corner and an information counter in front, and a cafe counter "Snow crystal Kirari" and free table seats to the right. The display and sales corner is not very large, but there were plenty of local specialty products such as agricultural products, food, and crafts. It's quite an attractive lineup. "Snow crystal Kirari" operates on a food ticket/self-service system. The menu includes soft serve ice cream, Chocolat pudding, affogato, blend coffee, etc. The prices are reasonable. I purchased a "Blend coffee for 250 yen" and enjoyed it with bread I bought at "Mameya" just before, at the free table seats. The coffee may not be very bright, but the "Blend coffee" was quite delicious. It paired well with the bread from "Mameya." Reading other reviews, it seems like the soft serve ice cream is also delicious. I'll have to try it next time.

I love soft serve ice cream so much that I come to Higashikawa just for it. The soft serve ice cream at the Michi-no-Eki in Higashikawa, called Kirari, is amazing! It has two layers and is truly delicious. As you eat the rich and creamy ice cream, it suddenly transforms into a refreshing soft serve, leaving your mouth feeling refreshed after finishing it. I came here after a long time, but it was still delicious. Thank you for the meal!

When I made a detour to a roadside station, I found Asahikawa Saito Farm's milk! This milk is delicious. I also bought some local sweets and sat at a table seat to relax. I really like these kinds of spaces at roadside stations.

At the roadside station, we tried the Kirari Soft serve ice cream x 5. When we bought it, there was no line, but later on, a line had formed. It was delicious in a normal way.

The soft-serve ice cream tastes normal, but the pie seems Instagram-worthy. It might be better to take pictures outside. It's summer, and they were selling steamed corn outside, which is delicious and feels like Hokkaido.

There are various local products available here. There were also many types of bread. I bought freshly picked taro sprouts in the morning, thick leeks, rice flour bread, and miso from Hirata Koji Store. They all felt like unique products from this area. Although it is not a large roadside station, there are hidden gems, so I always make sure to stop by when I am nearby.