On the tenth day of my trip, after eating a hamburger, I decided to have some dessert. I found a shop while wandering around and ordered a mixed soft serve. It had a refreshing milk flavor with a hint of ice, and the chocolate had a nostalgic taste. If I have the chance, I would visit again. Thank you for the meal.

In October 2021, on the first day of my trip to Hakodate, I explored the city, visited the Bay Area, enjoyed the colorful former Hakodate Public Hall, and visited churches. Of course, I also indulged in seafood, sweets, and B-class gourmet food. I heard somewhere that Hakodate is known for its hot soft serve ice cream. I love soft serve ice cream so much that I've been eating it non-stop at New Chitose Airport and even compiling a list. I thought I was eating too much, but when I saw a group of school trip students hanging out and enjoying the food, I couldn't resist. I passed by this shop twice, and on the second time, I just couldn't resist! It turns out, this street connecting the former Hakodate Public Hall and the church is known as Soft Serve Ice Cream Street. I ordered the Milk Soft Serve Ice Cream for 330 yen. The talkative dad took our order and relayed it to the staff inside the shop. This place must be really popular if that's part of his job. There was a high school student favorite called the Handheld Parfait, which allows for various toppings, but I went for the basic choice. Made with Jersey milk from Yamakawa Farm, the Milk Soft Serve Ice Cream was amazing! It was rich and creamy, exactly what I love in a milk soft serve. I wish it was a bit bigger, but it was truly delicious. Licking it away, it helped ease the fatigue from walking around the hilly streets of Hakodate. Now, all that's left is to see Hakodate's night view. Unfortunately, the ropeway is closed for maintenance, so we'll have to take a bus up there.

I traveled to Hakodate for the first time in March 2020. I had always wanted to visit someday, and when a great deal came up for a 3-night, 4-day trip to Hakodate, I couldn't resist and signed up. The package included round-trip flights and accommodation, which was perfect for me as I enjoy planning my own itinerary. This time, I decided not to use a rental car and instead relied on JR trains, buses, and the Hakodate streetcar. Since my hotel was in Yunokawa, I ended up using the streetcar almost every day, getting off at Hakodate Station. On the final day of my trip, with a flight departing in the afternoon, I explored the Motomachi Bay area. One of the must-visit spots there is the famous "Charmy Green Slope," officially known as Hachiman Slope. This slope is where the iconic Charmy Green commercial was filmed, a commercial that aired about 35 years ago. It was a nostalgic and touching moment for me to stand at the same place where that commercial was shot. As someone from Kobe, I found Hakodate to have similarities with other port cities like Nagasaki and Yokohama. However, there were unique aspects to Hakodate that set it apart. One of the things that stood out was the abundance of squid, a local specialty. In Hakodate, squid is everywhere you look! And in the midst of all the squid-themed items, I discovered something truly unique - the "Ika-Su Melon Soft Serve" from Hakodate Soft House Motomachi, a soft serve ice cream made with squid ink! It was a crazy but must-try experience, and I couldn't leave Hakodate without trying it. The view from the top of the Charmy Green Slope, enjoying the squid ink soft serve, and overlooking the port - it was a memorable and fitting end to my trip to the squid city.

I found this place online and decided to try tapioca for the first time. I ordered the chocolate flavor with soft serve ice cream topping. It was chewy and tasted like brown sugar, which I really enjoyed. The soft serve ice cream was rich and delicious, and I was surprised by how good the drink was too. I realized that the quality was great for the price. I saw that it was imported from Taiwan, which was when I learned that tapioca is from Taiwan. I also noticed they had Yubari melon soft serve, which I want to try next time when it's a bit cooler.

Hakodate has a lot of hills, but the Motomachi area with its churches and cobblestone streets is a great place for a local stroll. Walking up the hill, I found a perfect spot to rest and ordered a milk soft serve ice cream. The rich taste of the milk really hit the spot after a long walk. Hakodate has many soft serve shops, but this one was particularly delicious. A walk and ice cream - maybe it cancels out the calories? Later, I saw on Instagram that they use Jersey milk. Ah, that explains the richness.

This year, I focused on sightseeing in the city. First, I came to eat the classic soft serve ice cream. As I climbed the Yahata slope and turned right, I saw a crowd of people. It seemed like a school trip group? I bumped into them, but within 5 minutes, it was my turn. I ordered the classic milk soft serve. It was rich! But the aftertaste was refreshing and delicious! It was a hot day, so the soft serve melted quickly. I later found out that you can also get it in a cup. It's the perfect choice to heal the fatigue from climbing the slope. Next time, I'll try the squid ink flavor!

I discovered squid ink soft serve ice cream and, with the outside temperature around 29 degrees, I decided to order it out of curiosity. There were also photos of several celebrities who had visited the shop. The taste was not very squid ink-like, but it was still delicious.

There was a small article in the guidebook about a place called "Soft Cream Street" in Motomachi. Out of the three shops I visited, the one that caught my attention the most was this one. The storefront was filled with pictures from when they were featured in the media, which was a bit suspicious (lol). However, this was the only shop that had something called "Squid Ink Soft Serve," so I was curious to try it! They also had seasonal flavors like Yubari melon. I chose the "Squid Ink Soft Serve and Milk Soft Serve" which was a two-layered cone. My friend got the milk soft serve from Usubi's house, so we could compare them! Overall, the squid ink flavor was only in appearance (lol). The milk soft serve had a refreshing taste, which was just right for me as I'm not a fan of rich flavors. I just wished it had a bit more of the milk flavor... If you're looking for a rich and creamy soft serve, I recommend Usubi's house. If you prefer a refreshing taste or something unique, then this place is a good choice!

This is a shop where if you can eat an 8-tier soft serve in under 20 seconds, it's free. After eating ramen at Nishizono-san's place, I felt like having soft serve ice cream. The drag queen promoting in front of the shop has a really nice vibe. 8 tiers? No way, I won't even attempt that (laughs). I ordered a regular soft serve instead. The milk used is from Yamakawa, it's refreshing and easy to eat. It must be high overrun. Maybe I'll try the 8-tier challenge next year? But since there are so many tourists around, it would definitely be embarrassing (≧∇≦)

On September 30th (Friday), the drinking enthusiast on a trip to Hakodate went to Hakodate. Today is the last day of the 2-night, 3-day trip to Hakodate!! Originally, the plan was to go to Yunokawa Onsen, but we decided to spend a leisurely day in the center of Hakodate. After breakfast, we strolled around Motomachi in Hakodate, looking at Western-style buildings and churches. It was still early, so most of the shops were not open, but the soft serve ice cream shop "Hakodate Soft House" was open!! I ordered the milk soft serve from the various flavors available!! After walking a lot, it was very delicious!!

I just ate a little while ago at 10:30 on August 11th. A lady was handing out coupons on the street and mentioned that many celebrities have visited the store, including one featured in Nishino Kana's music video. I decided to check out the store, and the man at the counter said the milk was freshly squeezed in the morning! Excited, I ordered the milk soft serve. Honestly, it didn't taste like milk at all. If you're from Hokkaido, you'll understand that it tasted more like plant-based cream rather than milk. It was more like soft serve flavor you'd find at an all-you-can-eat buffet. I wonder which farm the milk is actually from...

I visited Hakodate Soft House near Suehirocho Station in Hakodate. I had come to Hokkaido for a soul-cleansing trip and visited the Kitajima Saburo Memorial Hall for sightseeing. As I climbed up Hachiman-zaka, a lady was handing out discount coupons. It seemed like they were offering discounts on soft serve ice cream. I chatted with her for a bit and she recommended that I visit the shop, so I decided to stop by. The discount coupon mentioned that the shop had been featured in media such as Gurunai and Mezamashi TV. When I arrived at the shop, it was narrow and cramped, with rows of single chairs lined up. I received my discount coupon at the entrance and purchased the unique "Squid Ink Soft Serve." I decided to enjoy it inside the shop. The squid ink-colored soft serve was swirled attractively. I took a bite... it was sticky! But I couldn't really taste the squid ink flavor. The sweetness of the soft serve was just right, not too overpowering. The squid ink soft serve was more expensive than regular vanilla soft serve because it used squid ink. Maybe I should have just ordered vanilla instead. But since I was on a sightseeing trip in Hokkaido, I wanted to experience the unique squid ink soft serve made with Hokkaido's famous squid ink. They also gave me a cone to enjoy. I removed the protective paper and savored the crispy cone. There were so many soft serve ice cream shops lined up along the street. It seemed like a fierce competition among soft serve ice cream shops, which explained why the lady was handing out coupons. They also gave me a charm that was supposed to attract money when placed in my wallet. I hope it brings me good luck! Thank you for the meal!

On the third day of my trip to Hakodate, after enjoying a delicious breakfast at Raymond House Motomachi Store, I walked up a steep hill to visit the Old Hakodate Public Hall and explore the surrounding area with my companion, Koo-chan. The hill was quite challenging to climb, but the historic public hall was still beautiful and well-maintained. After leaving the public hall, we walked in search of some dessert soft serve ice cream. A young lady gave us a discount coupon and directed us to the first store on the left. However, a different lady further down the street also handed us a discount coupon and directed us to the second store on the left. It turns out that the two stores were located right next to each other, and we decided to go to the second store based on the recommendation of the second lady. It was a bustling shop with a lot of customers, and the owner was energetically promoting their soft serve ice cream, claiming that it wouldn't make your throat dry. I tried the squid ink flavored soft serve, which surprisingly didn't have a fishy taste and was quite delicious. I also saw another customer buying an impressive eight-flavor soft serve cone, which caught the attention of everyone around. After enjoying our dessert and a walk, we headed back to the parking lot. On the way, we saw the customer who had bought the eight-flavor cone sitting on the stairs looking downcast. It seemed that the cone had broken in the middle, causing a bit of a mishap. Despite feeling sorry for them, it became a memorable incident of our trip. Next, we visited the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse to buy some souvenirs before heading to our lunch spot.

Located at the top of the famous slope, Hachiman-zaka, in the city of slopes, Hakodate. This soft-serve ice cream shop is open year-round, even in the dead of winter, right in the heart of the tourist area. Known as the "Motomachi Soft Cream Street," this street is lined with various soft-serve ice cream shops. Upon reaching the top of the slope, I received a discount coupon from one of the shop staff and decided to visit. The shop, located on the first floor of a building with a green roof, stands out with benches and appealing signs. Their menu includes classic flavors like milk, chocolate, strawberry, and Uji matcha, as well as Hokkaido specialties like Yubari melon and squid ink. They offer around 20 different flavors at all times, and you can even stack two or three flavors together. The "Squid Ink Soft Serve" is an interesting mix of Hokkaido flavors, combining squid ink and Yubari melon on a milk base. However, the "Melon Double," which features Yubari melon on top of milk soft serve, is more delicious in my opinion. The "8-tier Soft Serve" challenge offers a free meal if you can finish it in 20 seconds for men or 30 seconds for women. While the larger size seems manageable, finishing it in 20 seconds might be a bit tough.

After having lunch at Lucky Pierrot in the Bay Area branch, I decided to take a stroll around the Motomachi area since the weather was nice. The staff at the restaurant handed me a discount coupon, which led me to have dessert after the meal. The coupon only offered a small discount of 30 yen, but it was enough to tempt me. When I arrived at the dessert shop, they boasted that their soft serve ice cream doesn't make your throat dry after eating, and even mentioned that the music video for Nishino Kana's song "Kimi tte" was filmed here. They also said that the milk used in the ice cream was freshly squeezed at 5 AM that morning. I'm not a big fan of milk, so I opted for the mixed soft serve (300 yen discounted to 270 yen). The portion was decent, and on a sunny summer day, it tasted really good. It wasn't too sweet, and the raw chocolate was delicious. I actually liked that it didn't have a strong milk flavor. Unfortunately, the 8-tier soft serve challenge menu was not available that day due to the Obon holiday period. I knew I couldn't finish the challenge in 30 seconds, but I was still curious to try the 8-tier soft serve.

This is a soft serve ice cream series^^ This time, it's the Hakodate Soft House in Motomachi. It's one of the shops on Soft Cream Street. It's next to the public hall where I wrote a review before. I managed to sneak through a group of foreign tourists to get here for the first time^^ There are many shops around here that offer discount coupons, and this one also has a lady giving out discount coupons. There is fierce competition among the shops. The lady here wasn't too pushy, she even seemed approachable^^ Now, as for the order, there are many options to choose from, but I decided to try the famous 8-tier soft serve that is said to be huge. There is a challenge where if men finish it in 20 seconds and women in 30 seconds, it's free^^ The size of it is daunting, and when I asked the staff, I almost gave up after hearing the answer. They mentioned professional eaters like Giant Shirata. Impossible! So, I gave up on the challenge and decided to enjoy it slowly^^ Many people share it with 2 or 3 friends. You can mix flavors if you're not doing the challenge. I chose to mix and have it in a cup. It arrived and it was huge^^ It felt heavy when I held it. I had to eat it quickly before it collapsed. It was so much that I couldn't even taste it properly^^ I ended up full after eating the soft serve. If you're a big eater, maybe trying the challenge is a good idea. Even if you're just eating normally, there are many flavors to choose from, so try different ones.