A fun drinking town tour event! "Cream Soda in Yakage" [Okayama]

• Table of Contents
• Get a brochure at the Yakage Visitor Center Wholesaler
• Get the new masking tape and key chains with gacha
• Rent a walking bicycle at the Sanyo Roadside Station Yakagejuku
• Easily cycle through the old post town on a walking bicycle
• 1. Seeds Fujiwara / Brown Honey Lemonade Float
• 2. Taisho Romantic Hall / Yumeji's Dream-Colored Cream Soda
• 3.t2lab.／Ume Cream Soda
• Dumplings and cream soda?!
• Fresh crepes tabi
• 4. Healthy Sweets & Lunch Shop Mantenchaya / Lemon, Lemon, Honey Lemon
• 5. Yakage Town House Exchange Center Yakage Chaya / Cream soda made with passion fruit from Yakage Town
• 6. Yakage Inn & Suites / Old-fashioned Cream Soda
• 7. YKNOT COFFEE WORKS/Espresso & Dark Cherry Cream Soda
• Lunch at "Samurai Italian in Yakage Post Town"
• 8. Shokukobo Tsuo / Mixed Mango Cream Soda
• 9. Fruittopia / Fresh Strawberry Cream Soda
• Surprise strawberry!!
• in conclusion

Get a brochure at the Yakage Visitor Center Wholesaler

First, I went to the Yakage Visitor Center Wholesaler, which is located almost in the center of the Cream Soda event venue, and got a pamphlet with a map of the venue and details of the participating Cream Soda stores. There was also a digital stamp rally, and if you completed the following, you could get a cute clear file!

1. Order a cream soda at any of the two participating stores and get a stamp

②Post a photo of the event on Instagram, X, or Facebook with the hashtag "Cream Soda IN Yakage"

In addition, if you ordered a cream soda at a participating store, you would receive one of three colored stickers as a gift. I started the event full of enthusiasm and attended all four days of the event!!

[Yakage Visitor Center Wholesaler/Yakage DMO]

Location: 1989 Yakage , Oda County Yakage Town, Okayama Prefecture

TEL: 0866-83-0001

Business hours: 9:00-17:00

Parking: None (use nearby tourist parking lot)

Yakage Visitor Center Wholesaler

1989 Yakage, Yakage-cho, Oda-gun, Okayama, 714-1201

On the main street of the former Sanyo expressway, Yakagejuku, the Japanese traditional folk house transformed into a tourist guide facility stands. During the Edo period, under the trade name,”Inabaya”, this post station was used as a location to hire laborers and horses to pull freight and passengers. Right as you enter the building it is an atrium and when you go up to the 2nd floor, there is a large beam you can observe up close. There is an exhibit where you can learn about the history of Yakage town and the building, and there are also sightseeing related leaflets available.

Get the new masking tape and key chains with gacha

Next to the reception desk in the Yakage Visitor Center Information Building, there are new masking tape gacha and cream soda keychain gacha. Masking tape and keychains come in three colors each, and the excitement of not knowing which one you'll get is fun. Many people, from children to adults, were there to try them out. (Please note that the cup holders from the gacha must be returned.)

Rent a walking bicycle at the Sanyo Roadside Station Yakagejuku

About a 3-minute walk from the Yakage Visitor Center Wholesaler, we arrive at Roadside Station Sanyo-do Yakage-juku, located along National Route 486. This roadside station was designed by industrial designer Eiji Mitooka, who is originally from Okayama. It is notable for not having any food, drink or retail stores within the facility, with the adjacent shopping arcade being used as a retail and food corner. On the first floor, there are photos introducing sightseeing and local products in the town, and on the second floor there is a kids' room and a mini gallery.

Here you can rent bicycles, walking bicycles, and electric scooters. In order to enjoy a comfortable cream soda tour, I decided to rent a walking bicycle!

[Sanyodo Yakagejuku Roadside Station]

Location: 1988-10 Yakage , Yakage Oda County Yakage Town, Okayama Prefecture

TEL: 0866-63-4300

Business hours: 9:00-17:00

Parking: Available

Roadside Station Sanyo Road Yakage-juku

714-1201 1988-10 Yakage, Yakage-cho, Oda-gun, Okayama Prefecture

This roadside station is located along National Route 486 in Yakage-cho, a post town on the former Sanyo Expressway. The design of the station building was supervised by Eiji Mitooka, an industrial designer from Okayama who designed the Ibara Railway's Yume Yasuragi, the Kyushu Shinkansen Tsubame, and the luxury sleeper train Seven Stars in Kyushu. The adjacent shopping street is positioned as a product sales and food and beverage corner, and this is an unusual style in which there are no food and beverage or product sales stores within the facility. On the first floor there is a corner introducing sightseeing and local products in Yakage town, on the second floor there is a kids' room with a ball pool and picture books, a corner introducing Mr. Mitooka's works, and a spacious deck that goes around the building.

Easily cycle through the old post town on a walking bicycle

This is my first time riding a walking bicycle since I rode it during a report on Ibara Dam. It has an electric motor, so you can pedal it just like a bicycle. There's no need to worry about falling over, but you do need to be careful of cars as you ride on the road. The Cream Soda event area is almost straight from east to west, so it was very easy to ride. It's even more pleasant when the weather is nice.

1. Seeds Fujiwaraya / Brown Honey Lemonade Float

The cream soda from Seed's Fujiwara is made with freshly squeezed juice from a whole lemon, rich brown sugar syrup, maple syrup, and topped with yuzu sorbet. The sorbet alone was quite filling, and you could really taste the yuzu. The refreshing sorbet blended nicely with the rich soda. (700 yen / limited to 12 cups per day)

[Seeds Fujiwara Family]

Address: 2588 Yakage , Oda County Yakage Town, Okayama Prefecture

TEL: 0866-63-4383

Business hours: 9:00-16:00 (cream soda served from 14:00-16:00) *Last orders 15:30

Closed: Wednesday

Parking: Available

Seeds Fujiwara Family | Official website

2. Taisho Romantic Hall / Yumeji's Dream-Colored Cream Soda

The day I visited was during Golden Week, and all the cream sodas were sold out shortly before I arrived... The "Koisuru Otomeiro Cream Soda" featured in the event pamphlet was already out of stock, but the customers in the store kindly cooperated with my photo shoot, and I was able to take a photo of the strawberry flavor of "Yumeji's Yumeiro Cream Soda." Thank you for your cooperation.

Other flavors available were white peach and muscat. The retro cream soda looked great in the atmosphere of a 100-year-old traditional Japanese house and the Taisho era romance of the store. (800 yen / limited quantity)

[Taisho Romantic Museum]

Address: 3049 Yakage , Oda County Yakage Town, Okayama Prefecture

TEL: 090-3630-5113

Business hours: 11:00-16:00

Closed: Monday to Friday (open on public holidays)

Parking: Nearby parking lot (free) 1 space

Taisho Romantic Hall | Instagram

3.t2lab.／Ume Cream Soda

Cream cheese ice cream floats in Nanko plum soda, and the toppings of dark cherries, chocolate, and oiri are gorgeous. It's refreshing and delicious enough for adults to drink as is, but you can enjoy a change in taste and color by adding red plum syrup to your liking. The glass itself is wobbly, so be careful when carrying it. (935 yen)

[t2lab.]

Address: 2584 Yakage , Oda County Yakage Town, Okayama Prefecture

TEL: 0866-82-2818

Business hours: 11:00-16:00 (last order 15:45)

Closed: Irregular holidays

Parking: None (use tourist parking lot)

t2lab. ｜Instagram

Dumplings and cream soda?!

"t2lab." has delicious dangos, so I recommend them! I ordered cream soda dangos. The refreshing sweet and sour taste of the ramune went well with the dango. You can choose your favorite dango one by one, so they are also recommended as a companion to cream soda.

Fresh crepes tabi

"tabi," a fresh crepe shop next to "t2lab.", is a sister store. The dough, which is made with a blend of rice flour, is chewy, moist, and delicious. It is baked after you order, so you can enjoy it fresh. Oiri toppings are free, so you can enjoy decoration. They also offer free coffee while you wait, so it's a great deal!

[Tabi]

Location: 2585-1 Yakage , Yakage Oda County Yakage Town, Okayama Prefecture

TEL: 0866-82-2818

Business hours: 13:00-17:30

Closed: Mondays and Thursdays

tabi｜Official Instagram

4. Healthy Sweets & Lunch Shop Mantenchaya / Lemon, Lemon, Honey Lemon

This Seto Inland Sea soda is filled with crushed jelly made from organic Setouchi lemons, including the skin, and is topped with milk ice cream, cotton candy, and cookies. The lemons are crushed with the skin on, so they are chewy and have a good balance of sweetness and bitterness. The cotton candy and cookies have completely different textures, but each has its own deliciousness, and they go well with the milk ice cream. (950 yen)

[Healthy Sweets & Lunch Shop: Mantenchaya]

Address: 2575-6 Yakage , Yakage Oda County Yakage Town, Okayama Prefecture

TEL: 090-6414-2575

Business hours: 12:00-16:00 (cream soda served 11:00-15:30, eat-in available from 13:00)

Closed: Tuesdays and Wednesdays (open on public holidays, take-out only on Thursdays)

Parking: None (use tourist parking lot)

Healthy sweets and lunch shop Mantenchaya | Instagram

5. Yakage Town House Exchange Center Yakage Chaya / Cream soda made with passion fruit from Yakage Town

This cream soda is made with homemade jam and syrup from passion fruit grown in Yakage and is topped with vanilla ice cream. The refreshing sweet and sour taste is reminiscent of the tropics, and the vanilla ice cream adds a mild touch. Mix it with vanilla ice cream for a different taste. You can also enjoy the tropical feel with the passion fruit pieces. (700 yen)

[Yakage Machiya Community Center Yakage Chaya]

Address: 2639 Yakage , Oda County Yakage Town, Okayama Prefecture

TEL: 0866-63-4446

Business hours: 10:00-18:00 (last order 17:30)

No regular holiday

Parking: Available

Yakage Machiya Community Center｜Instagram

Yakage machiya koryukan

2639, Yakage, Yakage-cho, Oda-gun, Okayama, 714-1201

At the information section, the information about the events held at Yakage machiya koryukan is made available and specialty products from that area are sold. The Japanese style room and rental rooms on the 2nd floor can be used for meetings and various kinds of gatherings. The Japanese-style room is also available as a gallery for exhibits. “Taniyama Salon” is a multipurpose hall with a Japanese traditional folk house atmosphere which has a capacity to hold a hundred people, and can be used for various events such as concerts, lectures, public readings and rakugo performances. When not being used for events, it is open to the public as a cozy space. At “Yakage Chaya”, light meals utilizing Yakage’s specialty items and beverages such as coffee are available.

6. Yakage Inn & Suites / Old-fashioned Cream Soda

This classic cream soda has a nostalgic feel to it. There are seven different flavors (melon, peach, green apple, strawberry, blue Hawaii, lemon, cherry blossom, and pineapple). You can enjoy the atmosphere at the bar counter or in the courtyard. The person making it was also wearing a retro hakama. The large cream soda motif at the entrance to the shop is a landmark and is perfect for Instagram!! (600 yen)

[Yakage Inn & Suites]

Address: 3050-1 Yakage , Yakage Oda County Yakage Town, Okayama Prefecture

TEL: 0866-82-0111

Business hours: Cream soda served: eat-in 11:00-14:00 (last orders 13:30), take-out 11:00-16:00 (last orders 15:30) Closed: irregular

Parking: Available

Yakage ｜Official website

7. YKNOT COFFEE WORKS/Espresso & Dark Cherry Cream Soda

This cream soda is perfect for adults, made with bittersweet home-roasted espresso coffee and a nice blend of American dark cherry syrup. The rich, moderately sweet vanilla ice cream is voluminous and delicious whether eaten as is or mixed with the drink. (800 yen)

[YKNOT COFFEE WORKS]

Location: 1988-8 Yakage , Yakage Oda County Yakage Town, Okayama Prefecture

Business hours: 10:00-16:00

Closed: Wednesdays and Saturdays

Parking: None (use tourist parking lot)

YKNOT COFFEE WORKS｜Official Instagram

Lunch at "Samurai Italian in Yakage Post Town"

This is one of the stores that serve cream soda, but the cream soda contains alcohol (non-alcoholic options are also available), so I had lunch here. This is an Italian restaurant that has a long line every day, and I had a fresh pasta lunch, which was filling and delicious. The homemade bread was also hot and delicious. You can also buy it at the "Samurai Love Bakery" next door.

[Samurai Italian]

Address: 2636 Yakage , Oda County Yakage Town, Okayama Prefecture

TEL: 0866-84-1212

Business hours: 11:00-15:00 (last entry 14:15, last order 14:30), 17:30-21:30 (last entry 20:30, last order 21:00)

*Cream soda can only be ordered by customers who have had a meal

Closed: Thursdays Parking: None (use tourist parking lot)

Samurai Italian in the post town of Yakage| Instagram

8. Shokukobo Tsuo / Mixed Mango Cream Soda

"Shokukobo Tsuo" is a shop located about 6 minutes by car from the roadside station. You can enjoy a hearty cream soda filled with plenty of frozen mango. The sweet mango is delicious and gives off a tropical vibe. If you mix it with the strawberry syrup and Calpis soda, you can enjoy a different taste. Only available for takeout, limited to 20 cups per day. (800 yen)

[Food Workshop Tsuo]

Address: 2448-1 Yakage Town Oda County, Yakage, Okayama Prefecture

TEL: 0866-82-3232

Business hours: 11:00-14:00, 17:00-22:00 (last order 21:30)

Closed: Mondays *Sometimes closed

Parking: Available

Food Workshop Tsuo｜Instagram

9. Fruittopia / Fresh Strawberry Cream Soda

"Suisha no Sato Fruittopia" is located about 8 minutes by car from the roadside station. It is a facility where you can pick fruit and have a barbecue all year round. This cream soda is made with fresh strawberries picked right from the farm and contains ice cream, jelly, and syrup. There are five strawberries in the glass, but three of them are on skewers and in the glass, which was a real surprise. Only 15 cups are available per day (650 yen).

[Waterwheel Village Fruittopia]

Address: 3974-20 Yakage Town, Oda County, Oda Yakage, Okayama Prefecture

TEL: 0866-83-3423

Business hours: 10:00-16:00 (last orders 15:30), Saturdays, Sundays and holidays - 16:30 (last orders 16:00)

Closed: Wednesday

Parking: Available

Waterwheel Village Fruittopia

3974-20 Higashi Mitsunari, Yakage-cho, Oda-gun, Okayama Prefecture 714...

This is a facility where you can enjoy harvesting experiences such as picking seasonal fruits grown on a lush farm and digging potatoes. We offer experience plans such as strawberry picking in the spring, pear picking and grape picking from summer to fall. All freshly picked fruits are delicious and popular with families with children. Additionally, in the fall, the town's specialty ``Yam Festival'' is held, where you can enjoy dishes made with fresh yam. The cafe menu, which uses fruit such as parfaits and drinks, is also popular.

Surprise strawberry!!

Wow!! It looked like the three strawberry brothers!! lol

in conclusion

There are still many shops I want to visit, but I haven't been able to visit them all yet. Some places have limited quantities of cream soda or set serving times, so it's efficient to get a pamphlet at the Yakage Visitor Center Wholesaler first and then go around. Be sure to visit Yakage Town, where fun events are held.

Saturday, April 27th, 2024 to Sunday, June 2nd, 2024

Cream Soda IN Yakage| Official website