Hokkaido Revisit 2017 三回目の北海道の旅 - Farm Tomita ファーム富田

Visited 28.10.2017 (Sat)
Previous post: http://hsuchia.blogspot.com/2013/03/hokkaido-summer-2012-farm-tomita.html

Pride of Furano. Farm Tomita is analogous to Furano and whenever someone mentions about Farm Tomita, lavender comes into my mind automatically. The story of how lavender was successfully cultivated in Farm Tomita, thereby elevated it to become an icon of Furano today continues to be an inspiring one. When I visited Farm Tomita on my first trip to Hokkaido in 2012, it was during the peak summer season in July when the park was packed with tourists. Despite that, I did not get to tour the premises extensively due to poor weather conditions then. This time round, though I managed to avoid the crowd at Farm Tomita, I missed the best time to see the carpeted lavender fields. It is hard to get the best of both worlds at times.

The slope of Choei Lavender Park covered by blooming lavender flowers in July.

Was lucky enough to capture a clear view of Tokachidake mountain range on the day of my visit! 

A close up shot of the snow-capped mountain.

Familiarity. However, this recent visit to Farm Tomita has affirmed that this well received sightseeing spot is still worth visiting during its off-peak season. Walked from Nakafurano JR Station to Farm Tomita after a satisfying lunch at Chevre. Along the way, I passed by Choei Lavender Park, another popular lavender sighting location in Nakafurano which I have visited on my first trip to Hokkaido. During summer, the slope is fully covered with blooming lavender and visitors can make use of the chairlift to gain enough elevation to capture a spectacular view of surrounding Tokachidake mountain range decorated with lavender flowers in the foreground.

As expected, Farm Tomita was so much quieter during an off peak season without the usual sighting of buses ferrying groups of tourists here. All the shops within its premises, except for Hanabito House 花人の舎 and Dried Flower House ドライフラワーの舎, were already closed for the year. In Hanabito House, visitors can bring back home Farm Tomita's huge array of lavender related items, such as fragrances, cosmetic products, food and stationery. At the cafe located within the same building, I could not resist not getting a lavender flavoured soft serve cone to relish (the feeling is like something I had to tick off from my to-do list). Love the smooth texture and rich milky flavour, infused with the signature soothing scent of lavender. This is definitely a delectable dessert that should not be missed during a visit to Farm Tomita or even to Furano in general.

Greenhouse. Though there were no vibrant flowers sighted in the outdoor fields, a completely different outlook awaits in this small greenhouse situated in the center of Farm Tomita. Here, beautiful lavender flowers blooming out of their bushes can be enjoyed all year round. The indoor scenery certainly pales in comparison to the flower carpeted fields which will make everyone be wild about during summer. But think otherwise. Due to less facilities/attractions to explore in other parts of the park at this time of the year, visitors can spend more time admiring these enthralling stalks of flowers closely and carefully instead. This is something that is difficult to accomplish when the flower park is packed with tourists. I had the luxury to take numerous close up shots of these endearing flowers and the bees buzzing around the bushes, without much disturbances. Apart from lavender, I was also greeted by beautiful white and pink coloured Geraniums planted at the sides of the greenhouse during the time of my visit.

In conclusion, despite not being able to witness the rainbow fields again, I felt that I enjoyed myself more thoroughly at Farm Tomita this time round...

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Farm Tomita ファーム富田
071-0704 北海道空知郡中富良野町基線北15号
Free admission.
http://www.farm-tomita.co.jp/

How to get there?

(1) Approx 20 mins walk from Nakafurano JR Station 中富良野駅.

(2) Approx 7 mins walk from Lavender Farm JR Station ラベンダー畑駅, a temporary train station which is only opened when Furano-Biei Norokko Train 富良野・美瑛ノロッコ号 is in operation.

Hokkaido Revisit 2017 三回目の北海道の旅 - Farmers Cafe Fudo ファーマーズカフェ風土

Visited 03.11.2017 (Fri) 

Luck. During my stay in Higashikawa-cho for a month, I stayed out on most weekends to visit nearby places such as Furano and Biei. At the back of my mind, there was one food in this quaint countryside which I longed to eat - the famous omu rice from Farmer's Cafe Fudo. However, to accomplish this mission, some luck is required. What makes it difficult for me to visit Fudo is its operating hours. It is only and usually opened on weekends; infrequently on Fridays and Mondays. When I decided to stay put in Higashikawa-cho on my second Sunday in, Fudo was coincidentally not opened for business that weekend. And when I came to terms that I would most likely not be able to relish this before I depart from Hokkaido on a Saturday morning, I leapt for joy after finding out from their blog that it was opened on Friday (the day before I leave)! On that particular day, I pulled along a classmate and we cycled to our destination which was about 2 km away from our dormitory. I even timed it such that we were first in the queue and to beat the lunch crowd. When the clock struck 11 am, there were already three groups of diners including ourselves waiting eagerly to "bash" into the cafe.

Background. Cafe Fudo opened 1 year after Mr and Mrs Nitta-san 新田さん shifted from Wakkanai to Higashikawa-cho in 2007. Mr Nitta-san decided to settle down here to carry out organic cultivation of rice. On the other hand, as their kid is allergic to chemical additives in food, they wanted to foster natural style of living and it started with rearing their own chickens, using carefully chosen poultry feed which comprised of Higashikawa's rice fragments and wheat produced from nearby areas. Chickens reared here are not subjected to any form of hormonal or antibiotics injection, therefore the harvested eggs are not only safe for consumption, it also eliminates body burden. There is even an exclusive name given to the eggs produced by Farm Rera ファームレア (the farm owned by Mr and Mrs Nitta-san) called “Daisetsu na tamago 大雪なたまご” and the best way to savour these eggs is to pay a visit to Fudo to eat the omu rice prepared by Mrs Nitta-san herself.

Best omu rice. As Mrs Nitta-san handles everything in the restaurant, from taking the orders, cooking to serving, all by herself, the seating capacity in Fudo is limited to only 9 people. Waiting time could be longer than expected since each plate of omu rice is cooked upon order. There are two types of omu rice to choose from the menu (Fuwatoro Omu Rice or Fuwatoro Omu Curry). Apart from omu rice, patrons can also wrap up their meals with pudding made from Daisetsu no tamago as well.

- Fuwatoro Omu Rice ふわとろオムラス [950 yen]: The term "fuwatoro" is actually made up of two words "fuwafuwa ふわふわ" and "torotoro とろとろ". The former means fluffy/airy, while the latter means lava like; and the combination describes how an excellent omelette should look and taste like. The soft and fluffy omelette is laid over fried tomato rice and the dish is completed with a ladle of lightly flavoured homemade sauce poured on top of it. I have to exclaim that this is the best omu rice I have ever eaten to date; it was so delicious that I could not bear to finish the very last bit. The aromatic eggy flavour and smooth texture felt so satisfying to my tastebuds and this is truly a soul food which will win the hearts of many, regardless of age.

- Fuwatoro Omu Curry ふわとろオムカレー [980 yen]: The tomato rice is replaced with normal white rice and this omu rice is eaten with curry cooked using spices, vegetables and beans (the colour resembles that of dhal curry). Both set meals are served together with soup and salad. My classmate had the omu curry and he like it very much too. 

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Farmer's Cafe Fudo ファーマーズカフェ風土
北海道上川郡東川町東4号北2
* Normally opens on weekends, infrequently on Fridays and Mondays (if it happens to be a public holiday). Please check their blog to find out the days of operation. Usually the owner will post relevant information 1 or 2 weeks before its actual days of operation.
Operating hours: 1100 - 1600 hrs; last order at 1530 hrs
https://blog.goo.ne.jp/miyuki_rera

More about Daisetsu no tamago from Farm Rera: http://farmrera.com/




How to get there?

(1) Bus 66 from Asahikawa Station Bus Terminal 旭川駅バスターミナル Platform 9 or from Michikusakan 道草間, heading for Asahidake 旭岳. Alight at Higashi-4-go 東４号.

* Instead of taking Bus 66 from Asahikawa Station Bus Terminal which will make a detour to Asahikawa Airport before arriving at Michikusakan, you can take Bus 60 and 67 (which have more regular services) from Asahikawa Station Bus Terminal (Platform 10) to Michikusakan, followed by transferring to Bus 66 here.

Bus 66 schedule: http://www.asahikawa-denkikidou.jp/manage/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/d9af3c4bfbbd86979b52b2d278d7cd34-2.pdf

(2) By rental bicycle from Michikusakan.
For greater flexibility (and if you can ride a bicycle), you can rent a bicycle from Michikusakan for 500 yen/hour. From Michikusakan, turn left and cycle along the main road towards direction of Asahidake (National Route 1160). Takes approx. 10 - 15 mins. Keep a lookout for Farmer's Cafe Fudo on the left side of the road when you arrive at Higashi-4-go 東４号.
http://www.welcome-higashikawa.jp/michikusa/

Japan Autumn Nov 2017 一人で日本の旅 - cafe Tati sweets カフェタチスイーツ

Visited 14.11.2017 (Tue)

Lunch. Wrapped up my day trip at Ito with lunch and dessert at cafe Tati sweets. Reached the cafe slightly just before it was opened for the day and was surprised to see another person who did the same too. Tati has been featured in several travelogues that I have read and being a person with a sweet tooth, I was definitely looking forward to this visit. While standing outside to wait for the clock to struck 11:30 am, I was already attracted to this 2 storey, white coloured and cute looking building which Tati is housed within. Upon entering the shop, I was immediately dazzled by the beautiful and delicious looking sweets arranged neatly in the display fridge.

Cafe Tati sweets is a family operated cafe and patisserie, located near Matsukawa Yuhodou 松川遊歩道. While the husband is in charge of the shop front, the wife, who is a pastry chef, handmade all her creations wholeheartedly. The interior of the cafe is also nicely done, with a modern country style outlook. Found a corner seat and sat down to read the menu. There are two set lunches available on the menu - (1) Saba fish, harvested in Ito, minced and cooked in miso, served with onsen tamago and rice, (2) homemade sandwiches with three different fillings to choose from (egg, curry and pork). Chose the latter because I had something similar like the former (but in ochasuke style) during breakfast in Kai Ito.

Sweets rule! The set lunch comprised of egg sandwich タマゴサンドイッチ as the main and accompanied by soy milk and vegetable soup, salad with pasta, dried fruit, biscuit and coffee/tea. When my meal was served, I was slightly disappointed by the outlook of the egg sandwich which was prepared beforehand (rather than upon order), wrapped with a plastic sheet and kept in the cooler until it is served. The egg sauce filling was actually quite delectable and tasted better than it looked. However, it still fell short of my expectation as I would have preferred it to be served warm. Made my way to the front counter to choose a dessert from a good variety available to make up for the slightly mediocre lunch. Glad that I did not give up on their sweets - had a maccha cream puff and it was so good that I wanted to order another! The cream was smooth, rich and aromatic, with a subtle bitter aftertaste that is distinct to maccha which I like alot. In fact, there are many other sweets (that are very photogenic as well) which I hoped I could savour, especially after the excellent impression derived from the maccha cream puff. This totally brightened up my day again!

For the delicious sweets, I am quite sure I will make a return visit to cafe Tati sweets again.

- Egg sandwich: 280 yen + 600 yen to upgrade into set lunch
- Maccha cream puff: 230 yen

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cafe Tati sweets カフェタチスイーツ
 〒414-0023 静岡県伊東市渚町2-6
Operating hours: 1130 - 1830 hrs; closed on Mondays
http://cafetati.sakura.ne.jp/

How to get there?

(1) By foot. Approx. 12 mins walk from Ito JR Station 伊東駅.

Japan Autumn Nov 2017 一人で日本の旅 - Cafe Kichi カフェキチ

Visited 12.11.2017 (Sun)

Flagship. Ever since the pleasant dining experience at Kichi+ on my first visit to Atami, I have been thinking of visiting Cafe Kichi, the original flagship store. On my two weeks stay in Japan, I managed to drop by Atami again to tick off this item from my to-do list. After enjoying a satisfying Sanshoku don (three coloured don comprised of raw and boiled whitebait and boiled sakura shrimp) at Kichi+, I extended my stay in Cafe Kichi to savour some dessert and drink before heading back to the train station.

Cosy. Cafe Kichi occupies a refurbished 2 storey wooden shophouse situated in an alley connecting Nakamise-dori 仲見世通り to Heiwa-dori 平和通り, two of the busiest sheltered shopping streets in the vicinity of the train station. The emergence of Cafe Kichi appealed to a younger and inquisitive audience and this fueled the revitalisation of the long established shopping streets. Upon stepping into Cafe Kichi, I felt that I have entered into a completely different space from the outside world. I was immediately engulfed by the calming and peaceful ambience in the cafe when I pulled open the wooden door of its entrance.

The open concept kitchen and a wooden bench table took up most of the space on the ground floor. I was brought to a table on the second floor and the interior decor was very much to my liking. Since it was still early and there were no other customers on the second floor, I had the entire space to myself for most part of my stay in the cafe. The usage of wooden furnishing and warm lighting generated a cosy dining environment. The ceiling was decorated by tree branches and I love its natural silhouette cast onto the walls - creating this dining-in-the-woods atmosphere. Here, I also got to know Takagi Masakatsu (高木正勝), a talented Japanese musician who was born in Kyoto, from his soothing musical compositions/arrangement played over the audio system in Cafe Kichi. 

Sweets. As there is a limited number of items available on the sweets menu - chiffon, no-bake cheesecake, chocolate cake, pumpkin pudding and scones, I did not take long to decide what to have Ordered a no-bake cheesecake (レアチーズケーキ) and a cup of their coffee blend to go with my dessert. The cheesecake was delectable - the cream cheese was rich but not overpowering and I love its overall consistency in terms of texture. The sweet blueberry jam also helped to cut the saltiness inherent of cream cheese. Their coffee was delicious; having a strong captivating aroma and not too acidic for my liking. After eating the no-bake cheesecake, I was very tempted to try the rest of the sweets on the menu! It is always during such occasions I wish for some companions who will be able to indulge into a variety of food together with me...

I can finally resonate to why Cafe Kichi is so popular and I hope it will continue to stay here in Atami city. In conclusion, Cafe Kichi is such a pleasant and comfortable place to hang out in, whether you are alone or with a group of friends, with the company of their delicious sweets and coffee.

- No-bake cheesecake: 410 yen

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Cafe Kichi カフェキチ
静岡県熱海市田原本町5-9
Operating hours: 1100 - 1900 hrs; closed on Wednesdays
http://www.cafe-kichi.com/cafekichi/index.html
Approx. 3 minutes walk from Atami JR Station.

Japan Autumn Nov 2017 一人で日本の旅 - Kichi+ キチプラス

Visited 12.11.2017 (Sun)

Revisit. Had a brief encounter with Atami in Jan 2016 to catch the concurrent blooming of plum blossoms and cherry blossoms then. Came here again for different reason this time round - to board the themed sightseeing train, Izu Craile 伊豆クレイル heading for Shimonda in Izu Peninsula. Decided to spend the earlier part of the day here first to enjoy a leisure stroll around Sun Beach and settle my lunch after that. There was one thing I wanted to do very much again in Atami, it was to revisit Kichi+ for their specialty - Shirasu (white bait) rice bowl! 

Shirashi don, from my first visit in Jan 2016. 

Simple goodness. It all started with Cafe Kichi which opened its door for business in an alley between Nakamise-dori 仲見世通り and Heiwa-dori 平和通り, both of them are located in close vicinity to Atami JR Station. Cafe Kichi brought along a fresh breath of air into the long established shopping streets with their handmade sweets and coffee blend. Eventually, they had to search for more space to accommodate the growing number of diners and this led to the opening of Kichi+ in 2008, occupying a shophouse unit along Nakamise-dori. While Cafe Kichi focus on sweets and drinks, Kichi+ offers simple set meals and is always packed with people during lunch hours. The refurbished two storey shophouse has incorporated both modern and minimalist elements to create a comfortable dining environment for its patrons. The food menu is rather straightforward and easy to comprehend, in which white bait harvested from Suruga Bay 駿河湾, is the lead ingredient in their famous rice bowl. On my first visit, I tucked into a delicious bowl of boiled shirasu don (ゆでしらす丼) and I like it a lot. The subtle sweetness of shirasu captivated my tastebuds and it tasted even better with a small amount of light soy sauce and grated ginger added. After this pleasant encounter, I told myself that I should try the raw version if I ever get to visit here again.  

Gems of Suruga Bay. And because of how my itinerary was planned out, I could afford a short trip to Atami again. Without much hesitation, I made my way egaerly to Kichi+ just before the lunch crowd arrived. This time round, I ordered the three coloured / Sanshoku don (三色丼) which comprised of both boiled and raw shirasu and boiled sakura shrimp. All three were equally and evenly laid out on top of warm rice and the bright red colour of sakura shrimp was just too enticing to look at! Tastewise, it did not disappoint again. Though the raw, translucent shirasu did not look appetising from its appearance, it actually tasted better than it looks. The only difference I felt between the raw and boiled version was its texture. Regardless, the freshness and sweetness of this delicate puny fish could be savoured in every mouthful. To me, sakura shrimp was the highlight of this rice bowl. It tasted even sweeter and because the shells were retained, it has a better mouthfeel than shirasu. Simple as it looks, this rice bowl is packed with gems harvested from Suruga Bay, an important incubator for both shirasu and sakura shrimp, which will blow you away!

Menu:
- Boiled shirasu don (ゆでしらす丼): 1,000 yen
- Three coloured don / Sanshoku don: 1,300 yen

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Kichi+ キチプラス
静岡県熱海市田原本町6-11
Operating hours: 1000 - 1800 hrs; closed on Wednesdays
http://www.cafe-kichi.com/kichi+/index.html
Approx 3 minutes walk from Atami JR Station. Kichi+ is located along Nakamise-dori 仲見世通り, a sheltered pedestrian only street lined up with shop houses on both sides.

Hokkaido Revisit 2017 三回目の北海道の旅 - Bistro Vraie ビストロ ヴレ

Visited 31.10.2017 (Tue)

The best. Stayed in Higashikawa-cho for a month and I am glad that I discovered Bistro Vraie just before I left Hokkaido. Located within walking distance from Michikusakan 道草館, I was surprised to see a French restaurant like Vraie pop up in such a remote and quiet countryside area like Higashikawa-cho. Got to know about this restaurant while reading a magazine a few days before my visit and it piqued my interest immediately. Having visited it, I have to conclude that this is one for the best meals I had during my stay in Higashikawa-cho!

Truth... Real... That is what Vraie meant in French. The owner and chef, Murakami-san 村上さん, previously operated a popular French restaurant named Montorgueil モントルグイユ in the heart of Sapporo city. Despite that, he has always wanted to move his restaurant closer to the food suppliers / where the ingredients originated from for guaranteed freshness. With this thought in mind, he kept a lookout for such suitable location for about five years. His dream eventually came true in February 2017 when he shifted his business entirely to Higashikawa-cho, a suburb which fulfilled his criteria. Clean underground waters provided by water that flows down from Daisetsuzan, excellent agricultural produce, close proximity to airport (about 10 mins drive away from Asahikawa Airport), friendly people that reside here are some of the reasons why he decided to start anew here. A bold decision taken indeed.

Concept. Murakami-san showcases his culinary talents in this humble looking wooden house standing just behind the main road that runs through Higashikawa-cho. The warm ambience created by the usage of polished wooden furnishing, an industry which the town is well known for, captivated me instantly when I stepped into the restaurant. The homely aura here made me feel very relax and comfortable, and this was one aspect which I did not expect to come from a famous high end French restaurant. While Murakami-san leads the kitchen, his amicable wife serves the customers in the dining area. The culinary concept portrayed here is 「山のめぐみをいただく」which means "to enjoy the blessings from the mountain". Using vegetables and meat as the core, backed up by his culinary skills and numerous years of experience in this field, guests can ensure that delicious and affordable French cuisine are presented in Bistro Vraie.

Relish. Ordered the roast pork ローストポーク for main. First, I tucked into a bowl of creamy mushroom soup which increased my appetite for the upcoming main dish. I was exhilarated by what was put in front of me next! The entire dish was so aesthetically plated to the point that I felt that the position of every component is well thought through and it looked harmonised in any angle I looked at it. Tastewise, it definitely blew me away! The thick cut of meat has the right about of fats and was cooked to perfection, with a little pink in the middle and the juices retained wholesomely. The sides were equally delicious as well - perfect mashed potatoes and tasty charcoal grilled vegetables. Had to compliment and thank them for the delectable food served when I was footing the bill. With such awesome food offered here, I am absolutely sure that supporters for his previous restaurant in Sapporo are more than willing to travel an extra mile to Higashikawa-cho now to relish this flavour over and over again.

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Bistro Vraie ビストロ ヴレ
〒071-1424 上川郡東川町南町1丁目4-11
Opening hours: Closed on Sunday nights and Mondays; please refer to their Facebook / Instagram for their operating hours during lunch and dinner.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vraie.hokkaido/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vraielife/
Website: http://vraie-hokkaido.com/

How to get there? 

(1) By bus from Asahikawa Station Bus Terminal 旭川駅バスターミナル Platform 10.
Board Asahikawa Denkikidou 旭川電気軌道 Bus 60, 62 and 67 for Higashikawa-cho 東川町 and alight at Michikusakan-mae 道草館前. Bus journey takes approximately 40 minutes. From the bus stop, it takes another 2 minutes to walk to Bistro Vraie.
Fare = 570 yen

Bus 60 schedule:
- Weekdays: http://www.asahikawa-denkikidou.jp/hyouji.php?ROSEN=60&BSTOP=167&HOLID=1&DATE=2017-12-03
- Weekends/Public holidays: http://www.asahikawa-denkikidou.jp/hyouji.php?ROSEN=060&BSTOP=167&HOLID=0&DATE=2017-12-03

Bus 67 schedule:
- Weekdays: http://www.asahikawa-denkikidou.jp/hyouji.php?ROSEN=67&BSTOP=167&HOLID=1&DATE=2017-12-03
- Weekends/Public holidays: http://www.asahikawa-denkikidou.jp/hyouji.php?ROSEN=067&BSTOP=167&HOLID=0&DATE=2017-12-03

Hokkaido Revisit 2017 三回目の北海道の旅 - Biei Senka 美瑛選果

Revisited on 14.10.2017 (Sat)
Previous post: http://hsuchia.blogspot.sg/2013/02/hokkaido-summer-2012-asperges-biei-senka.html

Memorable experience. The previous time when I was in Biei, I felt that I did not explore this scenic town well enough. Despite that, Biei Senka 美瑛選果 was one place which I fondly remember from my first visit to Hokkaido. Here, we enjoyed a memorable and exquisite lunch experience at Asperges, an in-house restaurant which serves French cuisine and my family would still mention about it whenever we reminisced about Hokkaido. Apart from that, we brought back heaps of snacks from Senka Ichiba 選果市場, the section where local agricultural products from Biei are put up for sale here.

Alfresco area for patrons of Senka Kobo. 

Asperges.

10 years. After accomplishing my expedition of Patchwork Road, I cycled back to the main town and made my way to Biei Senka. Recognised the iconic, modern looking container house immediately when I turned into the parking area. Biei Senka is an antenna concept shop, aimed to showcase and promote a wide array of products harvested from the land of Biei. This shop set foot in this small town a decade ago and has become a place where both locals and tourists drop by and gather to enjoy delicious flavours that Biei has to offer. Apart from the flagship store, Biei Senka also operates two other antenna shops; one in New Chitose Airport (a good place to head down to for last minute shopping before departure) and the other one in Yurakucho, Tokyo (opened in 2015). The Michelin 1 star accredited French restaurant, Asperges, is the pride of Biei Senka and continues to impress diners with their creations, incorporating ingredients from Hokkaido.

Senka Ichiba.

At Senka Ichiba, I felt like a regular customer here; helped myself to the food samples and located my favorite snack corner effortlessly. Before I stepped into this market section of Biei Senka, I have already set sight on what I wanted to buy from here - the same snacks which I bought five years ago.

- Dice milk ダイスミルク (350 yen): Do not underestimate this small freeze dried milk cube! Popping this into the mouth will unleash the richness and sweetness of raw milk and raw cream concentrated in the milk cube. For milk lovers including myself, this is an irresistible and crazily addictive snack and the entire content will be exhausted in no time, without much effort needed. I wil highly recommend bringing this back home!

- Freeze dried corn とうきび (300 yen): Another equally additive and delectable snack. You will be amazed by the amount of natural sweetness contained in each tiny dried corn kernel and it felt like eating fresh corn out from a cob. This is another item not to be missed out in your shopping list.

- Freeze dried azuki beans あずき (350 yen): This is a new product introduced recently. Similar concept is employed like the two products mentioned above, azuki beans are first boiled with sugar and then freeze dried. These sweet red beans can be eaten directly from the pack or used as a condiment for ice-cream. Bought a couple of these back this time round and my parents like it a lot. 

After all the shopping at Senka Ichiba, it was time to grab a rich and creamy Biei's milk soft serve (310 yen) from Senka Kobo 選果工房, the section of Biei Senka where sweets such as roll cakes and pudding prepared by professional chefs can be purchased from here.

Yet another fruitful trip to Biei Senka!

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Biei Senka 美瑛選果
北海道上川郡美瑛町大町2丁目
Opening hours: Differs with season https://bieisenka.jp/store/
http://bieisenka.jp/

How to get there? 
(1) Approx 10 minutes walk from Biei JR Station.