Yubara Yogurt Opens in Yubara Onsen — A Specialty Shop Featuring 100% Hiruzen Jersey Milk

A yogurt specialty shop called Yubara Yogurt (湯原ヨーグルト) has opened in the Yubara Onsen hot spring district of Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture, with a grand opening on May 15, 2026. The shop serves handmade, additive-free yogurt crafted with 100% Hiruzen Jersey milk from the Hiruzen area — Japan's foremost Jersey milk producing region.

Maniwa City, nestled in the Chugoku Mountains, is known for its rich natural environment and thriving dairy farming. The Hiruzen area, in particular, produces more Jersey milk than anywhere else in Japan, and the quality of that milk has earned high praise across the country. Yubara Yogurt was born out of a desire to create a new local specialty rooted in this outstanding dairy heritage.

The shop uses Hiruzen Jersey milk, locally produced Maniwa City honey, and other Okayama-sourced ingredients as its stars, with no preservatives or stabilizers added. Each yogurt is made by hand in the on-site workshop, ensuring freshness and flavor in every serving.

Jersey Yogurt Made with 100% Hiruzen Jersey Milk

Yogurt enjoyed after a hot spring bath

Compared to regular milk, Jersey milk is richer in fat and protein, giving it a deeper, creamier flavor. At Yubara Yogurt, fermentation time and sugar content are adjusted separately for each variety, yielding a diverse lineup that includes drinking yogurts and spoonable yogurts — all designed to be especially satisfying after a soak in the hot springs.

The full menu includes 6 varieties of cup yogurt, 1 drinking yogurt, and 1 yogurt-based sweet.

"Yubara Hanzaki Daifuku" — A Hot Spring Town Original

Yubara Hanzaki Daifuku

One of the shop's signature offerings is the Yubara Hanzaki Daifuku, inspired by the hanzaki (Japanese giant salamander) — a designated special natural monument and one of the symbols of Yubara Onsen. The treat wraps homemade yogurt cream made with Hiruzen Jersey milk in soft, chewy daifuku mochi dough, creating a guilt-free sweet exclusive to this shop.

Honey Jersey Yogurt

The Honey Jersey Yogurt pairs the rich creaminess of Hiruzen Jersey milk with generous amounts of locally produced Maniwa City honey, creating a naturally sweet, gentle flavor that reflects the region's bounty.

7 Features of Yubara Yogurt

Maniwa City's first yogurt specialty shop, spotlighting local ingredients
Yogurt made with 100% Hiruzen Jersey milk
Honey yogurt using locally produced Maniwa City honey
Additive-free, handmade yogurt with no preservatives or stabilizers
Diverse flavor lineup with fermentation times and sugar levels adjusted per variety
Available as a walk-around snack in Yubara Onsen, or enjoy it in the riverside cafe
"Yubara Hanzaki Daifuku" — an original sweet you can only find here