Vanilla ice cream was rated the most popular ice cream flavor in Japan. According to a survey conducted in October 2023, around 29 percent of Japanese respondents chose the vanilla flavored version as their favorite frozen treat.
While classic flavors popular in Western countries, such as chocolate, strawberry or cookies and cream, were also considered crowd pleasers in Japan, traditional Japanese flavorings that might cater to local preferences, such as matcha, adzuki bean, and soda, did not fall behind in popularity.
Traditional or traumatizing? Japan’s unique ice cream flavors
Ice cream was voted the most popular sweet treat among Japanese, relegating all-time favorites, such as cake or chocolate, to second and third place respectively. Hybrid products, combining traditional confectionaries, so-called wagashi, with Western ice cream culture, are commonly found in Japanese cooling shelves. Apart from traditional flavors, such as black sesame, sweet potato or kinako (roasted soybean powder), ice cream treats inspired by wagashi textures, such as daif*cku mochi, count as firm favorites within the domestic ice cream market.
With food trends being repeatedly covered by national and global media, Japan’s love for desserts has been made accessible to international audiences. Boosted by that, more daring product releases have entered the market, tempting consumers with flavors such as soy sauce, natto (fermented soybeans), ramen or squid ink.
An overview of the domestic ice cream market
The Japanese ice cream industry generated sales worth over 500 billion Japanese yen in recent years. The most commonly sold ice cream type in Japan were family-sized multipacks, followed by ice cream served in paper cups. While the country produces the majority of its ice cream domestically, imported ice cream brands, such as Häagen Dazs or Baskin Robbins are trending in Japan, popularly known as "Dazs" and "Thirty One".
FAQs
Vanilla ice cream was rated the most popular ice cream flavor in Japan. According to a survey conducted in October 2023, around 29 percent of Japanese respondents chose the vanilla flavored version as their favorite frozen treat.
What is the most popular ice cream flavor in Japan? ›
Vanilla was the most popular flavor for ice cream eaten in summer in Japan, according to a survey conducted in October 2023. Over 60 percent of respondents named vanilla flavor a favorite for consumption during the hot seasons.
What are the original 31 flavors of ice cream? ›
Original 31 Flavors
- Banana Nut Fudge.
- Black Walnut.
- Burgundy Cherry.
- Butterscotch Ribbon.
- Cherry Macaron.
- Chocolate.
- Chocolate Almond.
- Chocolate Chip.
According to a survey conducted in October 2023, ice cream was the favorite dessert in Japan. The survey revealed that the majority of Japanese consumers, over 68 percent, liked ice cream for its taste and sweetness, which was their leading reason to eat the frozen treat.
What is the purple ice cream flavor in Japanese? ›
Beni-imo, or purple sweet potato, is a common flavor in many Japanese sweets and snacks, even boasting its own KitKat. It has a subtle sweetness that compliments the rich creaminess of the soft serve, not to mention its incredible purple color.
What does Japan call ice cream? ›
Actually, Japanese people often just say, “aisu” (アイス）when they mean ice cream. But they'd obviously also understand “aisu kuri-mu”.
Who had 28 flavors of ice cream? ›
Howard Johnson's was America's biggest restaurant chain in the 1960s and 1970s and as much as anything else it was its “unique” ice-cream (with 28 flavors) that people drove miles for.
What is the number 3 most popular ice cream? ›
Cookies 'n cream ice cream is the third most popular flavor and was invented in 1979 when a South Dakota State University dairy plant manager sought to invent a new ice cream flavor and had students crush Oreo cookies into ice cream. The world thanks them for their discovery.
What is America's #1 ice cream flavor? ›
First things first, the survey found that 97% of Americans love or like ice cream. Traditional flavors seem to dominate their list, with vanilla being the top flavor. Following behind is chocolate and strawberry. Other top choices that they define as “newer” flavors include butter pecan and cookie dough.
What's the least popular ice cream flavor? ›
Rocky Road ice cream is the least ordered flavor in the United States. This may be because it is not as common as other flavors, or because it is not as well-known.
While no one is clear about the exact dates, the IDFA dates ice cream's origins all the way back to 2BC. They believed that it was Alexander the Great who was known to enjoy snow and ice flavoured with honey and nectar. Whichever version you believe, it seems that the first ice cream flavour had honey in it.
What is the craziest flavor of ice cream sold in Japan? ›
Shirasu (Whitebait)
Whitebait might seem an unlikely ice-cream flavour, but it's not unheard of in Japan. Sometimes vanilla ice-creams are dipped into a topping of whitebait, often their flavour is infused throughout, and sometimes a splash of soy sauce is added into the mix.
What is the green ice cream in Japan? ›
Matcha Ice Cream is the perfect refreshing sweet treat on a hot day.
What is the most popular chip flavor in Japan? ›
Calbee (カルビ) — The Most Popular Japanese Potato Chips
According to a poll, among Japanese, Calbee's three most popular types are “Light”, Seaweed-Salt, and “Consomme Punch” (a light meat-broth flavor very common in Japanese snacks).
Is strawberry ice cream popular in Japan? ›
Vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry are all beloved ice cream flavors in Japan, but forward-thinking confectioners are looking back at the country's age-old fermentation practices to create some of the most interesting modern flavors.
What is China's favorite flavor of ice cream? ›
According to stats, more than 2700 new ice cream companies emerged in 2020 and this will increase and maintain a year-on-year growth rate of 3 to 5% till 2025. According to research, chocolate, fruit, and vanilla are the most popular ice cream flavors in China.
