A craft soft cream and local ice cream specialty brand born from "あいぱく®" — the ice cream festival that has drawn a cumulative 4.5 million visitors — is opening a limited-time popup store at Hibiya Step Plaza in Tokyo Midtown Hibiya. あいぱく® TOKYO POPUP STORE runs from Saturday, July 4 to Sunday, September 27, 2026.
The brand carries on the world of あいぱく®, which has championed the appeal of ice cream from across Japan, and works alongside farms, producers, and popular shops nationwide to offer craft soft cream and local specialty ice cream made with carefully selected ingredients. This summer, a new destination comes to Hibiya — a neighborhood bustling with theatergoers, moviegoers, and park strollers alike.
New Ways to Enjoy Hibiya's Streets
Hibiya is a neighborhood where culture and greenery coexist, home to theaters, cinemas, museums, and parks that invite leisurely walks throughout the day. あいぱく® TOKYO positions itself as a neighborhood soft cream stand — a casual stop between shopping and theater visits, or a moment of rest in the park.
Craft Soft Cream Made with Quality Ingredients
あいぱく® TOKYO features premium craft soft cream made with top-grade dairy sourced from farms across Japan, primarily from the Tokachi region of Hokkaido — one of the country's leading dairy producing areas.
The shop uses machines by Carpigiani, an Italian manufacturer recognized as the pinnacle of the soft cream world. Overrun (the amount of air incorporated) is carefully adjusted to suit each mix, drawing out the natural flavor of the milk and achieving a smooth texture.
Seasonal soft cream menus rotate to highlight differences in milk flavor by region, breed of cow, and time of year, offering a new soft cream experience. The shop also partners with local ice cream makers across Japan to bring regional collaborations to life.
Opening with Two Featured Craft Soft Creams
The popup launches with two standout soft creams representing farms and beloved local shops from different corners of Japan, available to enjoy in Hibiya this summer.
① Kikuchi Farm (Hokkaido Tokachi) — Craft Soft Cream from Pasture-Raised Cows
Fresh milk from Kikuchi Farm in Hiroo-cho, Tokachi, Hokkaido is used for this soft cream. The cows are put out to pasture from May through November, raised in a low-stress environment. Milk is processed in the farm's own facility on the day it is milked. The result is a craft soft cream that captures the gentle natural sweetness of the milk, with a clean finish and a full-bodied richness that speaks to the quality of the ingredients.
*At あいぱく® TOKYO, this soft cream is sold as the あいぱく® Flower Soft.
② New York-do (Nagasaki) — Nagasaki Castella Nama Soft
A limited-time offering from New York-do, a long-established shop beloved in Nagasaki for many years. Their popular "Nagasaki Castella Nama Soft" makes a rare appearance in Tokyo. This soft cream is rarely available even at the Nagasaki shop itself, making it a special opportunity for Tokyo visitors. It uses "Taiyou Tamago," a branded egg from Nagasaki Prefecture, delivering a rich, creamy depth and smooth texture. The flavor evokes the nostalgic, refined sweetness of Nagasaki's famous castella sponge cake.
Concept: A Paradise Space for Ice Cream Lovers
あいぱく® TOKYO curates a selection of local specialty ice cream from across Japan under the concept of "a paradise space for ice cream lovers." The あいぱく® event series began with its first edition in Harajuku, Tokyo in 2015, and has since grown into a large-scale ice cream festival held throughout the country, drawing a cumulative 4.5 million visitors.
Store Information
- Store Name: あいぱく® TOKYO POPUP STORE
- Address: Tokyo Midtown Hibiya, 1-1-2 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
- Location: Hibiya Step Plaza (top of the grand staircase)
- Period: Saturday, July 4 to Sunday, September 27, 2026
- Hours: 11:30 AM – 8:00 PM (hours subject to change without notice)
- Closed: Open daily (no regular holidays)
- Payment: Cashless only (credit cards, various smartphone payment services, electronic money, etc.)
- Website: https://aipaku.tokyo/
