Blue Seal ice cream arrived in Okinawa from the United States about 70 years ago. There are seven directly operated shops on the island including the main store in Makiminato, Urasoe City, a branch in Naha’s Palette Kumoji, three in Chatan Town and an outlet at AEON Mall Okinawa Rycom. In addition, many franchises are scattered throughout the island. Here you can enjoy more than 30 flavors of ice cream, including unique varieties using local specialty products such as beniimo (purple sweet potato) and sugarcane. The Ice Park, adjacent to the main shop in Makiminato, features a paid tour (five times a day) of the ice cream production facility, offering visitors a chance to decorate ice cream bars, a first for Okinawa. During the tour visitors can also see what it feels like inside an ice cream storage freezer where the temperature is set at -20 ºC, a rare experience that makes the tour enjoyable for adults and kids alike.