Midsummer Akita: Longing for Baba's Ice Cream

Overview

It's the height of summer in Akita. From supermarket parking lots and national highways to tourist spots and even rocky areas where no one goes, colorful parasol stalls suddenly appear all over the prefecture. What they sell is ice cream served by women called “baba” using spatulas, commonly known as “baba-hera.” With over 50 years of history, Baba Hera is a summer tradition in Akita. What do people returning home for Obon think of this nostalgic taste of their hometown? A three-day documentary following the elusive Baba.