A crowd favorite for its chewy texture: "Ichigo Daifuku" — house-made daifuku and panna cotta night ice cream

The shop

If you're looking for sweets near Chiba-Chūō Station, "Ichigo Daifuku" at 21:00 Ice Chiba-Chūō Ekimae is well worth going out of your way for. As a dedicated late-night ice cream shop open from 2:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., it's a familiar stop after work, after school, and as a sweet way to end a date.

Among its many popular items, one that stands out for combining Japanese and Western flavors in a single cup is the "Ichigo Daifuku."

A chewy daifuku rice cake is filled with tangy strawberry whip and a house-made panna cotta, all set on the shop's Hokkaido-original soft serve. It's a treat that's as cute to look at as it is satisfying to eat, right down to the very last bite.

A wagashi favorite reinvented as night ice cream

When people hear "ichigo daifuku," many picture a traditional Japanese sweet — but this version at 21:00 Ice Chiba-Chūō Ekimae has been reimagined into something new, built specifically for late-night ice cream.

A whole daifuku rice cake sits on smooth soft serve, and a tangy strawberry sauce wraps around the whole cup, giving you chewy, creamy, and cold textures all in one bite. The gentle sweetness of the wagashi and the milky richness of the soft serve balance each other beautifully, and it's become a favorite with a wide range of customers, from first-time visitors to loyal regulars who say they could never get tired of it.

Daifuku made fresh in-house at Chiba-Chūō Ekimae

The single biggest point of pride here is that the daifuku is prepared by hand at the shop, one at a time.

At 21:00 Ice Chiba-Chūō Ekimae, each daifuku is carefully made in-house, giving it a texture that's about as close to freshly made as you can get. Its soft, chewy texture holds up beautifully against the cold ice cream, without ever becoming too firm — a detail the team pays close attention to so every bite stays enjoyable to the end. That kind of softness is something you simply can't get from a mass-produced product, and it's part of what gives this dessert its gentle, comforting wagashi character.

Filled with strawberry whip and house-made panna cotta

The filling inside the daifuku is another point of pride unique to the Chiba-Chūō Ekimae location — a tangy strawberry whip paired with a panna cotta made in-house at the shop.

Inside the light, airy whip is a smooth, melting panna cotta, creating a luxurious texture that feels far more indulgent than a single daifuku has any right to be. The panna cotta is prepared carefully in-house, with real milky richness that never feels too heavy. Combined with the tangy sweetness of the strawberry whip, it brings a touch of Western elegance to a traditionally Japanese treat — layer after layer of chewy mochi, melting panna cotta, and airy whip, each one distinct, together creating something you simply won't find anywhere else.

Made with Hokkaido-original soft serve

What supports the flavor of Ichigo Daifuku is the soft serve itself — a "21:00 Ice" original mix produced at a farm in Hokkaido, using genuine Hokkaido milk.

You can taste the real richness of the milk, but the finish stays clean and light enough to enjoy even late at night. Because it's never too heavy, it lets the daifuku and panna cotta shine, and the whole cup comes together in a way that feels complete — Japanese and Western, chewy and smooth, all balanced beautifully around this one soft serve base.

A treat worth savoring, night after night

21:00 Ice Chiba-Chūō Ekimae is more than a takeout spot — it's a place designed for lingering. With 32 seats, including 8 counter seats, it's an easy place to sit down solo, on a date, or after a long day at work or school.

Open from 2:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. and just a 1-minute walk from Chiba-Chūō Station, it's an easy stop whether you're craving something sweet after dinner or simply want a quiet late-night treat.

Craving something sweet in Chiba-Chūō? Try "Ichigo Daifuku"

Chewy house-made daifuku, tangy strawberry whip, house-made panna cotta, and Hokkaido-original soft serve — the "Ichigo Daifuku" brings Japanese and Western flavors together in one indulgent cup.

If you're near Chiba-Chūō Station looking for something sweet, stop by 21:00 Ice Chiba-Chūō Ekimae and give this one a try.

Product Info

Name: Ichigo Daifuku

Highlights

• Made with chewy daifuku prepared fresh at the shop
• Filled with strawberry whip and house-made panna cotta
• A rare combination of Japanese and Western textures in one cup
• Made with the "21:00 Ice" Hokkaido-original soft serve mix

Shop Info

Name: 21:00 Ice — Chiba-Chūō Ekimae
Hours: 2:00 p.m.–11:30 p.m.
Seats: 32 (8 counter seats)
Access: about a 1-minute walk from Chiba-Chūō Station

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