Ice Cream Can Get Bizarre in Japan

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Brian Ashcraft - Kotaku


http://i.imgur.com/GpRYXMC.png

Your typical ice cream in Japan is rather vanilla. Things usually don't get much crazier than green tea. But in some places, the ice cream gets downright strange. Viper ice cream, anyone?

The above containers read "mamushi" (まむし) in Japanese, and on the label, right next to "almond," that is exactly what's listed as an ingredient.

In Japan, this kind of ice cream is called "novelty ice cream" (変わり種アイス) or "strange ice cream" (奇妙なアイスクリーム).

Sadly (or thankfully, rather), you can't really walk into any old Family Mart in Japan and buy snake ice cream. You'll probably just find a buncha Häagen-Dazs flavors.

A Namco-run "food amusement park" in Tokyo called Namja Town used to have an ice cream museum called "Ice Cream City" that displayed many of these flavors. However, that attraction ended last year.

http://i.imgur.com/hEPlj23.jpg

But if you look around can find smaller ice cream makers, crafting truly odd flavors. You know, like "raw horse meat" (above). Then, there are soft cream stands who whip up all sorts of interesting treats, such as squid ink-flavored ice cream (below).

http://i.imgur.com/YlzNa0k.jpg

Some of the ice creams are just "flavored." Others have little bits of stuff in them.

These novelty ice creams are sold in local areas—often tourists spots. So, even when Japanese people traveling within the country happen upon these flavors, they are very surprised.

Here, have a look at some of the most exotic (?) flavors you can find in Japan:

http://i.imgur.com/GMS8o3D.jpg

Soy sauce. Hrm, not too bad.

http://i.imgur.com/UgZI7iq.jpg

Soft serve ice cream with fried oysters. Oh boy.

http://i.imgur.com/qcwlj1D.jpg

Shark fin ice cream with, apparently, actual shark fin.

http://i.imgur.com/WSP0eIJ.jpg

Soft serve with whitebait (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitebait).

http://i.imgur.com/wR87UHj.jpg

Sea urchin ice cream.

http://i.imgur.com/U3wTnYv.jpg

Beer-flavored.

http://i.imgur.com/JOQeZQM.jpg

Miso ramen ice cream.

http://i.imgur.com/YU8KTL4.jpg

GOODNESS. That's monjayaki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monjayaki) ice cream. And yes, monjayaki looks like barf.

http://i.imgur.com/BMBFqru.jpg

Grilled eggplant ice cream.

http://i.imgur.com/skOfIcL.jpg

Nattou ice cream. Nattou is fermented bean that smells... pretty bad!

http://i.imgur.com/QNzr1Rh.jpg

Japanese pickle flavored ice cream.

http://i.imgur.com/W6ezzag.jpg

Fried shrimp ice cream. (Apparently, however, that's marzipan.)

http://i.imgur.com/gc9TWPB.png

Slow boiled egg with ice cream. And marzipan, that ain't.

http://i.imgur.com/tpi5BAZ.jpg

Cow tongue ice cream.

http://i.imgur.com/ggLP2nf.jpg

Salad ice cream. Notice the cucumber and the red bell pepper?

http://i.imgur.com/uO4pn9i.jpg

Eel ice cream with a type of Japanese pepper.

http://i.imgur.com/5devz01.jpg

Wakame (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wakame) ice cream.

http://i.imgur.com/ui2JcUK.png

Chicken wing ice cream, which apparently tastes like vanilla... and chicken wings.

http://i.imgur.com/7KbQfUa.jpg

Crab ice cream. It's handmade!

http://i.imgur.com/o1dQxuU.jpg

Octopus with soy sauce ice cream. You didn't think we'd make it through without octopus, did you?

[redred]

i'd taste test for the fun of it :lol:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

i'd taste test for the fun of it :lol:

:nuts:

[redred]

sure they're crazy but they can't all taste shit :lol:

[Hal-9000]

looks yummy and scary all at the same time :)