【Day Trip Drive】Gobbling up exquisite soft serve and Menchi Katsu at Isehara "Kashiwagi Ranch"

Kashiwagi Farm in Isehara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, is a popular spot loved not only by tourists but also by locals. My mother, who loves soft serve ice cream, says that the soft serve sold at the farm's direct store is incredibly delicious! The combination with freshly fried minced meat cutlet is also the best.

My mother, who is picky about soft serve ice cream, highly praises a farm in Isehara City

Even though September is coming to an end, the sun is still strong during the day. During such times, I find myself craving soft serve ice cream. To hide nothing, I am a huge fan of soft serve ice cream. Of course, I indulge in convenience store soft serve, but whenever I see a sign for soft serve ice cream, I can’t help but stop by, even when I'm short on time.

The place I stopped by this time is "Kashiwagi Farm" located in Isehara City, Kanagawa Prefecture. It’s a favorite spot of my mother, who is also very particular about soft serve ice cream and visits whenever she has free time. I came here with her to taste the rumored soft serve ice cream that is said to be "exceptionally delicious."

Kashiwagi Farm
Location: 11 Koinoba, Isehara City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Business Hours: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Closed on: Wednesdays

It takes about 10 minutes by car from Isehara Station, and it’s about a 30-minute drive to Chigasaki, which is famous for surfing and the Southern All Stars, making it a perfect distance for a drive. There is also a free parking lot right in front of Kashiwagi Farm.

Despite it being a weekday, the place is lively and bustling. Not only tourists, but there were also many locals, including people in work clothes and those who arrived by bicycle. According to my mother, the parking lot is often full on weekends. I could feel how much the local community loves Kashiwagi Farm.

Discovering facilities like the barn and market

Since it was my first visit, I'll start by checking what’s available on the premises.

In front of me is the Isehara Ham Workshop. Although general visitors cannot enter, it seems that they produce hams and sausages here.

As I walked further inside, I heard a mooing sound.

Peeking inside the cow shed, I discovered many cows. Watching them relax is quite soothing. Although I couldn’t interact with them, I was surprised by their size since they were much closer than I had imagined.

Next, I stopped by the market. From aged beef to homemade drinking yogurt and local vegetables, a variety of carefully chosen products are lined up. There were more kinds than I expected, and I found myself wanting to get this and that. My mother, who came along with me, filled her basket with sausages and drinking yogurt.

They have a rich menu including items like menchikatsu and soft serve ice cream.

I eagerly charged into the "shop" I was looking forward to, and when I checked the menu… the lineup is abundantly varied compared to typical ranch shops. When I asked a staff member a little about it, they said, "Soft serve ice cream is quite popular!” They also recommended the menchikatsu saying it’s delicious, so I think I’ll start with that.

Kashiwagi Ranch's homemade "Menchi Katsu (250 yen)" is thick and generously sized. When you crack it open, it reveals juicy meat and coarsely chopped onions inside.

I immediately took a bite... the crispy coating on the outside is delightful. The contrast between the richly flavored meat and the crunchy texture of the onions is irresistible! To be able to eat this level of Menchi Katsu at a ranch is incredibly lucky.

Next up was the highly anticipated soft serve ice cream. It seems they use their original fresh milk from the ranch to make it. There were many varieties, including sweet vanilla and bitter chocolate, but of course, the first one to try should be the classic "Fresh Milk."

The sweetness is mild, it’s light yet conveys the rich flavor of the milk. Indeed, this is certainly high quality. The aftertaste is refreshing, so I quickly finished the large-sized soft serve. The thinly baked waffle cone is crispy and pairs perfectly with the soft serve.

Since it was over 30 degrees that day, more than 80% of the customers at Kashiwagi Ranch were enjoying soft serve. There are plenty of terrace seats and benches at Kashiwagi Ranch, allowing you to sit back and enjoy gourmet treats like soft serve.

I came here with the intention of eating soft serve, but the level of the Menchi Katsu exceeded my expectations! Next time, I think I will arrive with a bigger appetite.

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