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So here's the scoop!

This summer, Tohoku University and Gelateria Natu-Lino will be introducing new and unique flavours of gelato created by students from nine countries who want to share a taste of home.

Known as "Travelling Gelato," the set features flavours designed to evoke a sense of adventure to countries such as Thailand (mango and rice), Sri Lanka (coffee and vanilla) Germany (elderflower and lemon) and the USA (peanut butter and jelly).

The nine students were recruited by the Global Learning Centre for this project in early spring. Over four months, they spent numerous evenings planning, designing and developing their ideas and sharing them with Natu-Lino and university staff.

"I decided on peanut butter and jelly because PB&J was one of my favourite breakfast items when I was growing up in America," said Kentstar Harsono, who is a Junior Year in English (JYPE) exchange student. "Through our gelatos, I hope everyone in Sendai can experience new and different tastes from around the world, similar to my first wonderful experience in Japan with natto and amazake."

"The opportunity to represent Sweden and share its culture is something that is important to me," said Jonathan Dalvret, a student on the International Programme in Liberal Arts (IPLA), whose gelato is a banana and cinnamon mix. "The taste of cinnamon is reminiscent of Swedish holidays and that always makes me think of home. I wanted to create something that reminds me of the holidays and the feelings they evoke, and then share that with others."

While most of the Travelling Gelato flavours contain familiar ingredients, there might be a few surprises.

"My gelato uses hawthorn, which tastes sour but is very suitable for the summer. I don't think the fruit is well known in Japan, but it is a popular ice cream flavour in China, so I hope people here will like it," said IPLA student Zhu Dongrun.

"I was considering the exotic fruits we have in Indonesia, such as coconut, sweet corn and dates. But since I love durian, I decided to go with that.," said Sherly Nathania, an Applied Marine Biology student on the Future Global Leadership (FGL) Programme. "I know that durian is not for everyone, but I wanted to take on the challenge of creating a flavour that everyone can enjoy, including people who dislike durian and people who have never tried durian before."

To better understand Miyagi's agriculture industry and the ingredients used in the making of the gelato, the group went on several field trips. At Komatsu Farm, they learnt about milk production, the use of groundwater and particular milking methods, as well as the ethical treatment of animals. Seven of the nine gelato flavours are made with Komatsu Farm milk, the exceptions being the sorbet-style flavours from China and Germany.

The students were also shown special tomato cultivation techniques at the Gastronomy Farm Lafata and picked fruits at the JR Fruit Park in Arahama. Some of the blackcurrents used in Travelling Gelato were harvested by the students themselves.

"My favourite part of this project was being able to communicate with different people in the community. It's not often that you're able to meet and talk with the best tomato farmer in Japan, the president of a gelato company, or the farmers who live in the rural areas," said Harsono. "I learnt so much about the different aspects of Japan that I wouldn't have known if I wasn't part of this project."

On their part, Natu-Lino successfully sourced the ingredients - even the exotic ones - and provided three rounds of tasting, during which the students gave detailed feedback and worked with the staff to get the balance of the flavours just right.

"Working with the students this time has taught me a lot," said Natu-Lino President Tomohiro Suzuki. "I got a glimpse of their culture and learnt about combinations of ingredients that we Japanese cannot even imagine. It was a great learning experience for us and I believe we were able to grow through their enthusiasm, their ideas and by understanding their traditions and cultures."

The full description of all nine Travelling Gelato flavours can be found here.

"Travelling Gelato" will be on sale from August 1 - 14 at S-PAL, on the east side of Sendai Station. Scoops will be sold from an ice cream truck on the first floor, while sealed tubs will be sold at a pop-up counter on the 2nd floor. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Tohoku University Fund to support international exchange programmes.

Throughout the fortnight, the students who created the gelato flavours will take turns selling scoops from the truck. They are also looking forward to sharing more about their country and culture with anyone who asks.

Tohoku University x Natu-Lino Travelling Gelato
Period: August 1 - 14, 2024
Hours: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Pop-up counter: 2nd floor of S-PAL Sendai East Building (in front of Aoba Daily Market)
Ice cream truck: 1st floor of S-PAL Sendai East Building (next to the escalator, in front of Tully's Coffee)
Price: Single = 550 yen, Double = 660 yen, Triple = 770 yen (all prices include tax)
*A portion of the sales will be donated to the Tohoku University Fund to support international exchange programmes.

"Travelling Gelato" is part of Tohoku University's "Students x Jimoto Project," which features a series of collaborations between international students, domestic students and local companies. The project was launched earlier this year to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the university welcoming its first international student.