Bizarre Japanese ice cream flavours
Japan’s a world leader in electronics, automobiles, fashion, academia… but ice cream? Japan have used their spirit of invention and innovation and injected their culinary zeal into the wonderful world of ice-cream.
Photo by hawken king
Are you bored of plain vanilla or samey chocolate ice cream? The Japanese surely were, as there is now a range of ice cream flavours to suit their eclectic taste buds. It is common to find an array of flavours like black sesame, tofu, green tea and even sweet potato.
But the Japanese have of course gone beyond this and have entered into the realm of the strange and unthinkable. We’re talking chicken, garlic, and almond flavours. All conventional flavours in their own right, you might say, albeit not necessarily for ice cream. Japan has of course experimented with ‘flavours’ that don’t even exist in regular food to take this obsession to the next level…
Pit Viper ice cream
One of Japan’s most venomous snake can be enjoyed in a tub of ice cream. The snake’s venom is not mixed in the ice cream so rest assured it is safe to eat. Still, have you ever seen a snake on the front of a tub of Ben and Jerry’s?
Photo by kaige
Dracula Cool garlic mint ice cream
Garlic may be a key ingredient for a whole variety of food, but it may not have the same effect on ice cream. At least this ice cream lets others know that you tried it due to huge quantities of garlic, balanced out with a subtle mint. Interesting.
Photo by ericabrooke
Viagra ice cream
Ice Cream has gone a whole lot sexier with an adult turn. However it is only a herbal ice cream and not actual viagra. Still, surely worth the 500JPY?
Photo by kristaandrobie
Ice Cream City
If you dare to try these ice creams, you can find most of them in Ice Cream City in the Sunshine City complex located in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. Ice Cream City is a Mecca for ice cream lovers.
Photo by monzy
As frightening as they may be, maybe sampling some of these should be part of the regular Japan food checklist, along with sushi, curry and noodles? Have you dared to try these fringe flavours?
Editor’s note: I, for one, welcome our new ice-cream serving android overlords: