[Inoue Shokudo in Bifuka] Amazing 5 Liter of Soft Serve Ice Cream

Inoue Shokudo

Inoue Shokudo (井上食堂) is a long-established restraunt founded in Showa era in Bifuka town between Asahikawa city and Wakkanai city, and faces National Route 40, and is near Arcs Bifuka Branch (アークス美深店), a supermarket, and Bifuka Station. Mr. Tomio Inoue (井上 富夫) is a restraunt owner at present. The restraunt on the 1st floor of a 3 story building has the appearance with an atmosphere of the Showa era. The interior decoration is old style, and there is small but a cozy raised seating place and a tatami-room. Counter seats and table seats are provided, so I guess that even family customers may enjoy meals. Please give yourself plenty of time and peace of mind to enjoy your meal because you may wait for a long time in busy time or lunchtime.

The Bifuka is famous as the setting of “Wild Sheep Chase” written by Mr. Haruki Murakami (村上春樹), a famous Japanese novelist, and also has Truck Kingdom (トロッコ王国), Matsuyama Wetland (松山湿原) and Mt. Hakodake (函岳). By the way, founders of Sanpachi Ramen (さんぱちラーメン) and Aji-no-Tokeidai (時計台) are from the Bifuka, and the Bifuka will be a town excited at ramen. All ramen restaurants in the Bifuka seem to be tasty.

Matsuyama Wetland

Matsuyama Wetland (松山湿原) in Bifuka town is the northernmost high moor at 797 m above sea level in Japan and is located in the northern direction of Asahikawa city. Tourists must climb a mountain trail with 900 m in length to look around. It takes about 30 minutes from a trailhead to the mountaintop. However, it is quite hard to climb the mountain trail. Because a muddy ground is not good condition, Tourists should wear their non-slip shoes. I slipped and fell down once. Read More

Mt. Hakodake

Mt. Hakodake (函岳) in Bifuka town is located in the northern direction of Asahikawa city. Altitude of the mountain is 1,129 m. A signboard written as “Superb View, Mt. hakodake (絶景函岳)” was built along Japan national route 40, and I reach to the mountaintop when I followed a road. Tourists did not climb the mountain on foot. But I had to drive on the gravel road of one car width for a little less than 30 km. Speed did not rise, and it took about 1 hour from Bifuka to the mountaintop by a car. It was a place that many people did not visit here very much, and nature was very rich. I saw North Fox and Yezo Squirrel on the road several times. Read More

Soft Serve Ice Cream

The Inoue Shokudo is famous for abundant types of ramen, and is also famous for soft serve ice cream. The reason is that the price is reasonable, and it has 8 types of size (the taste is only the vanilla flavor). Particularly, 5 liter of soft serve ice cream with the height of about 40 cm is popular with tourists, and they from Tokyo visit here to eat this. I guess that they can experience the vast Hokkaido.

I visited here around 13:30 on a weekday. After eating pork bone broth ramen (とんこつラーメン), I ordered a 5 liter of the soft serve ice cream. The price was JPY 810. Because the height was about 40 cm, it was hard to carry it. Unfortunately, the owner lost a balance in carring it, and he dropped it on a floor. he made the 5 liter of the soft serve ice cream again. I hold it in my right hand, but it was hard to make straight it. The owner told me “A key to make straight it that is not to shift the top of the soft serve ice cream”.

I ate it immediately, but the soft serve ice crea did not decrease! While eating it, it was melting. The taste was rich, and it was tasty. But I made maximum efforts to eat it as soon as possible. I ate it up for about 10 minutes. It was the interesting thing that a fragrance of the vanilla was in wafting in the air around my body all day on that day. Thanks for the tasty soft serve ice cream!

List of Accommodations

Refer to following websites for the accommodations in the Bifuka. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.

BIFUKA ONSEN

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Bifuka Onsen(びふか温泉)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Bifuka Island Cottage(びふかアイランドログコテージ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Bifuka Island Campsite(びふかアイランドキャンプ場)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten