Are you an ice cream lover? If yes, then Kanazawa is the place for you! People in the Hokuriku region spend so much on ice cream that leaves the members of the Japan Ice cream Association wondering. Because of this, they have conducted a thorough study involving surveys, questionnaires, meteorological data, and household spending trends to answer the question, “Why do Kanazawa residents love ice cream so much?” The compilation features five keywords.

1. Climate – During hot summer months, ice cream consumption increases. Kanazawa citizens consume frozen treats even when the temperature drops down to 5 degrees. In Ishikawa Prefecture, it rains on half of the days, so people spend more time indoors and eat luxury grocery items mostly to indulge.

2. Household expenses – When two households work, they earn more and spend more on consumption. Kanazawa citizens also spend more on confectionery, coffee, cocoa, and other luxury groceries because they have the cash to spare, according to a report.

3. and 4. – Retail and Lifestyle. Ishikawa Prefecture is the second in terms of the number of department stores and general merchandise stores per 100,000 people, which makes it a highly convenient place to shop. To encourage people more, retailers often offer 40 to 50 percent discounts when buying ice cream products in bulk. Furthermore, because of the spacious houses, most responders to the questionnaire said that they have at least two refrigerators at home to stock up ice cream products and eat them whenever they want to.

5. Preference – Lastly, a report also added that Kanazawa citizens turn out to have a sweet tooth. The prefecture is actually one of the top-ranking cities in Japan when it comes to spending money on cakes, chocolate, Castella sponge cakes, and other sweets.

Let’s face it, almost all of us have a weak spot for some sweet indulgence. Whether it’s ice cream, chocolate, cookies, cake, or doughnuts, it does feel good to treat yourself every once in a while.