Bashamichi in Yokohama is historically significant as the first place in Japan to sell ice cream. As a result, many products in Yokohama, including ice creams and shelf-stable items, aim to replicate the traditional taste of Japan’s first ice cream, which was made with eggs, milk, and sugar.
This is the Ariake Yokohama Bashamichi Ice Cream Harbour Yuzu.
This baked confection features a special ‘ice cream [white] bean paste’, inspired by the original ice cream from Bashamichi. It is combined with yuzu peel and wrapped in castella dough. The yuzu flavour, available only in summer, is intended to be enjoyed chilled or frozen.
Each piece was elliptical in shape and measured approximately 7 x 4 x 2 cm, with a golden-brown exterior and a yellow-hued centre. When eaten chilled, the castella exterior offered a fine crumb that melted into a rich, eggy sweetness on the palate, contrasting with the denser, smooth bean paste interior. The yuzu flavour emerged initially as a mellow floral sweetness reminiscent of yuzu sugar syrup, while the yuzu peel introduced a zesty, textural note. Overall, the combination of egg and sugar in the castella reflected the flavour profile of the original Bashamichi ice cream, while the creamy chilled yuzu-flavoured white bean paste created a refreshing taste perfect for summer.
This Ariake Yokohama Bashamichi Ice Cream Harbour Yuzu contained 1 piece. It was produced in Japan and received as a gift from relatives visiting Yokohama, Japan in 2024.