I took a drive through a rural part of Iwate Prefecture in Northern Japan (Tohoku) the other day with some locals in the area. It’s been nice to get away from the city for a few days, as I had a nice drive through plenty of greenery and quietness, something I’m not used to with life in the big cities.
I wanted to share a part of this drive from the other day. I was in the town of Shizukuishi in Iwate Prefecture, and along the way stopped by a local ice cream shop called Matsubokkuri that is beloved by locals. I previously did not know about this place, but was introduced to it during the drive, and it was a nice stop right off the road.
There’s no shortage of greenery in rural Japan, especially during the summer. The sweeping rice fields with the varying mountainous terrain in the distance make a classic Japanese countryside view. Much of the drive involved scenes like the one above.
One of us pointed out a home selling flowers on the street, and we stopped by. They were selling flowers for 300 yen and small vegetables for 100 yen. We bought 1,200 yen worth of flowers. The money for the purchase goes into a jar.
Small “shops” like these selling foods grown on the farm and other goods are fairly common in rural parts of the country, and residents like to buy and support each other’s living through this.
Eventually, we stopped by the ice cream shop Matsubokkuri I was told about.
My understanding is that this place directly sources the ice cream from a nearby farm. It’s not just any ice cream for residents in the area, but it has roots of local pride.
There was a good amount of parking just outside the shop. There was another smaller lot on a grass field just past this lot.
One thing to keep in mind about this place is that it’s not transit accessible; the nearest train station is about 10km (6.2mi) away, and there are no bus routes in the area.
Regardless, there were plenty of customers when I was there. They do seem to get good business.
I entered a modest line as I entered the shop. I did notice the line spilling out of the building when I left.
There were a lot of flavor options. Above is the menu, with the flavors beer, milk, rum raisin, coffee, blueberry, green tea (aka matcha), pineapple, salt, yogurt, tomato, wasabi, caramel nuts, and sesame.
I went with the milk, as that is the “original” flavor they offer.
A single scoop was 350 yen, and a double scoop was 420 yen. I went with a double, as it was just an extra 70 yen.
The ice cream was fantastic. The rich milk flavor was delicious; the creamy feel was perfect on the mouth.
Above is a coffee and milk flavor. You can combine different flavors when you get a double scoop.
Right next to the ice cream shop was a store with many vegetables and fruits from local farms. We took a look inside.
Outside were watermelons, cabbage, rice, and more.
The robust selection continued inside, with all sorts of vegetables and related goods made by locals.
I picked up a package of sekihan (Google tells me the translation is “red rice”) to have as a snack as we continued our drive.
It’s These Little Stops That You Remember
I didn’t know about this place until the drive, but it ended up being the most memorable part of the short trip. On journeys like this, I find it nice to take it slow and appreciate the little things, like that house selling vegetables and flowers.
Maybe this is normal for those who live out in the countryside. Maybe it’s because I’m used to being in a city. Either way, it’s certainly the little things like this that stick out to me when I’m out in sweeping greenery.
Additionally, this is a side of Japan that’s pretty difficult to see if you’re in the busy areas of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Knowing I have personal connections here in Northern Japan, I’m grateful to be able to get these experiences up in Iwate Prefecture.
All photos taken by the author.
