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Japanese dessert lovers have a soft spot for soft-serve, and the popular chain is now happy to oblige them.

Japan has a deep love for soft-serve ice cream. Its infatuation with the tender-textured dessert is so great that it even calls it by a different name than its firmer counterpart. Whereas ordinary ice cream is usually called aisu (“ice”) in Japanese, soft-serve is sofuto kurimu (“soft cream”).

As such, it was perhaps only a matter of time until American ice cream outfit Cold Stone got in on the soft-serve action. While the company has won over legions of Japanese fans with its signature fruit and candy-filled ice cream (which is somewhere between soft-served and hard-packed in consistency), from July 29, it’ll be adding be offering soft-serve for the first time.

The new treat, in Rich Milk flavor, will be available in cups (520 yen [US$5]) or cones. If you opt for the latter, you can choose between a plain waffle cone (520 yen), or one with crushed almonds, raspberry, or sprinkles (550 yen each).

However, Cold Stone isn’t diving into the sea of soft-serve with both feet. Instead, its new creation will initially be available exclusively at its new branch (also set to open on July 29) at the Ebina Service Area highway rest stop in Kanagawa Prefecture, which has previously been home to such culinary innovations as the potato chip burger. Given Cold Stone’s proven track record of deliciousness, though, we think a road trip is definitely in order.

Related: Ebina Service Area (Tokyo-bound, Nagoya-bound)
Source: Entabe
Top image: Cold Stone Japan

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