Introducing Nama Cheese Softcream NICORI

Hello travelers! I’m Aikero, a writer for SaruKuma.

Today I’m taking you to Ikutomi in Koshi City to visit
【Nama Cheese Softcream NICORI】
In Japan, we have all kinds of “nama” (fresh) sweets — fresh caramel, fresh chocolate, fresh donuts — but fresh cheese soft-serve? That’s a first for me too!
And it should be: this is the very first fresh cheese soft-serve in all of Kumamoto Prefecture!
You can only try it at NICORI (●＾o＾●)

I’ll explain what makes this cheese “fresh” in a moment — first, let me tell you how to find it.
Locals will know Ikutomi instantly, but for visitors, it’s about a 5-minute drive from YouMe Town Hikari-no-Mori, a popular shopping mall.

When using Google Maps, don’t search by address — type in “生Cheese Softcream NICORI” directly.
The owner told me the address sometimes leads people to the wrong spot!

I tested it myself, and searching by name led me right there with no trouble♫
Colorful banners line the road, making the shop super easy to spot — even passing drivers were turning their heads!
There’s parking for 5 cars across the street from the shop.
The lot stretches further back, but those rear spaces are reserved for other tenants — please don’t park there.
Look for the “NICORI” parking blocks — that’s where you’ll want to pull in.Here’s the menu.

《Soft-Serve Ice Cream》 All 430 yen
Choose cup or cone
・NICORI Original Milk
・NICORI Original Fresh Cheese
・NICORI Original Mix
Crunchy sauce topping +50 yen
Chocolate / Strawberry / Burnt Caramel / Matcha

《Parfaits》
Choose your soft-serve flavor: Milk / Fresh Cheese / Mix
・Rich Mango 750 yen
・Caramel Pudding 680 yen
・Cheesecake 750 yen
・Seasonal Parfait

《Sweet Fried Sandwiches》
・Cheese & Whipped Cream 390 yen
・Cheese Brûlée 470 yen
・Matcha & Brown Sugar Syrup 590 yen
・Honey Lemon 590 yen

《Savory Fried Sandwiches》
・Daily Special
・Shrimp & Avocado 650 yen
・Cheese Hamburg Steak 650 yen
・Teriyaki & Egg 560 yen

《Soft-Serve Fried Sandwiches》 All 650 yen
Choose your soft-serve flavor: Milk / Fresh Cheese / Mix
・Strawberry Chocolate
・Oreo
・Shiratama Mochi & Matcha

《Big Homemade Karaage (Fried Chicken)》
・Garlic Chive Soy Sauce Karaage
2 pcs 350 yen, 4 pcs 710 yen, 6 pcs 1,060 yen
・Salt Karaage
2 pcs 340 yen, 4 pcs 670 yen, 6 pcs 1,000 yen

《French Fries (with sauce)》 400 yen
Choose one: Ketchup Mayo / Sweet Chili & Mayo / Honey Mustard & Mayo

《Floats & Drinks》
・Cola Float 550 yen
・Coffee Float 580 yenEverything is made fresh to order, so leave yourself a little extra time when you visit♫
There’s an outdoor eat-in area too.
It sits on slightly higher ground, so a lovely breeze flows through — perfect for relaxing (●＾o＾●)
Parasols are coming soon, so sun protection is covered too!

NICORI’s Must-Try Menu Items

The moment I knew I was coming here, I had my heart set on the NICORI Original Fresh Cheese Soft-Serve!
Thick, generous swirls — it’s surprisingly heavy when you pick it up.

So what does “fresh” cheese actually mean here?
It means unaged fresh cheese — the “nama” refers to its just-made freshness!
Sorry, just a slightly different angle of the same shot, haha.
One bite in and it’s an instant “oh wow, THIS is fresh cheese!” — rich, mellow, unmistakably cheesy.

The owner told me they perfected this flavor through countless trials, and the result is something no other cheese could deliver.
Fresh cheese is usually milder and lighter than aged cheese, with less of that signature sharp aroma.
So I was genuinely surprised to find this much depth using fresh cheese!

And then there’s NICORI’s hidden specialty I’d been eyeing on Instagram — the karaage (Japanese fried chicken).
The menu says each piece is about 60g, but honestly, who walks around thinking in grams? (laughs)
I ordered 2 pieces of garlic chive soy sauce flavor and 2 of salt.

When they arrived, I almost shouted out loud — “These are HUGE!!”
For anyone else who can’t picture 60g, I went looking for something to compare them to and…
…this was honestly all I had to work with!

I promise I’m not exaggerating for the article!
They really are about 2/3 the size of a standard oshibori (hand towel)!
This is the garlic chive soy sauce flavor.
It’s hard to see in the photo, but little flecks of green chive are tucked throughout.

I expected the chive to dominate, but instead the soy sauce takes the lead while the chive drifts in gently — absolutely delicious!!
Crispy on the outside, juicy and tender inside♫

I’m usually a salt karaage loyalist, but this time my vote goes to the garlic chive soy sauce!
Take some home for dinner and you’ll easily polish off three bowls of rice! (Maybe five, if you’ve got a hungry teen.)

I couldn’t finish them all on the spot, so my husband and daughter tried them at home that evening — both gave them an enthusiastic “delicious!” (●＾o＾●)
We didn’t even reheat them, and they were still fantastic cold!
The shop itself is a charming food-truck style setup.

That “first in the prefecture” tagline really pulls in curious foodies (●＾o＾●)
During my visit, plenty of customers were ordering the fried sandwiches too!
A warm fried sandwich paired with cold soft-serve? Honestly an unbeatable combo.

It’s just a short drive from YouMe Town Hikari-no-Mori, so swing by NICORI after shopping and don’t forget to try the fresh cheese soft-serve, the fried sandwiches, and that legendary hidden-menu karaage (#^.^#)

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Frequently Asked Questions

※Information accurate at time of reporting. Prices and hours subject to change. Please confirm before visiting.