Japan has many delicious foods on offer, but the one must try treat during summer is Japanese shaved ice called ”Kakigori(かき氷)". Kakigori was originally a treat served at street stalls at festivals, and mainly known as a kid's treat.
These types of original Kakioori were mainly made simply from roughly scraped pieces of ice with flavoured syrups such as lemon and strawberry. However, in recent years, there have been many other varieties of Kakigori that have sprouted, such as those with particular ice textures and special fruit and sauce toppings, even with specialist Kakigori shops providing all the varieties you can think of, and then some more!
In Tokyo, you can find many Kakigori places that originate from Taiwan or Korea, but this article provides a select list of the quintessential Japanese Kakigori establishments.
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1) Asakusa Naniwa-ya(浅草浪花家) : Asakusa(浅草)
This shop is situated in the popular tourist destination of Asakusa. This place is popular for the soft, melt-in-your-mouth iced treats. It offers traditional Japanese flavors such as green tea, but also offers many alternatives such as strawberry and other fruit flavors to cater for those who are not so partial to green tea. Along with the perfect ice arrangements, the colorful sauces make these the perfect photo opportunity. Prices range from around 600-800 yen.
This place is also famous for Taiyaki (たい焼き: a famous fish shaped sponge treat that contains anko bean paste and custard cream), so we highly recommend to try both in combination!
Asakusa Naniwa-ya(浅草浪花家) Address : 2-12-4 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo Prefecture 111-0032Access : 10 minutes walk from the Asakusa Station on the Ginza and Asakusa Line Opening Hours: From 10:00 a.m to 7:00 p.m Close : Sunday Tel: +81-3-3842-0988 |
2) Asakusa Kagetsudo Kaminarimon(浅草花月堂 雷門店) : Asakusa(浅草)
This place is also situated in Asakusa, and is famous for large melon bread, and contains many other traditional Japanese sweet treats, including Kakigori. Of course, our recommended treat is the Matcha Kakigori (500 yen), as well as the special version with various toppings such as Azuki (red beans) or Shiratama (white rice dumpling balls) (1,400 yen).
Asakusa Kagetsudo Kaminarimon(浅草花月堂雷門店) Address : 1-8-11 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo Prefecture 111-0032Access : 4 minutes walk from the Asakusa Station on the Ginza and Asakusa Line Opening Hours: From 9:00 a.m to 4:00 p.m Tel: +81-3-5830-3534 |
3) Himitsu-do(ひみつ堂) : Nippori(日暮里)
This is the most famous of the Kakigori establishments in Tokyo. There are often long queues here from early morning and therefore it can be a challenge to get in, but it is definitely worth trying their flagship Kakigori with home made “strawberry milk” sauce, which is generously applied. (800 yen). Nearby this shop is an area known as “Yane-sen” where you can also enjoy the traditional streets of times past with the old fashioned townscape.
Himitsu-do(ひみつ堂) Address : 3-11-18 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo Prefecture 110-0001Access : 4 minutes walk from the Nippori Station on the JR Line Opening Hours: From 9:00 a.m to 4:00 p.m Close : Monday (from October to May : Monday & Tuesday) Tel: +81-3-3824-4132 |
4) yelo : Roppongi(六本木)
This place was one of the establishments that sparked the recent boom in Kakigori cafes. It is situated in the popular downtown Roppongi and has a trendy bar atmosphere. This place is open until late evening and is ideal to enjoy along with an alcoholic beverage or two (or eight). You can enjoy various ice treats with milk sauce to give it that optimum texture, along with tiramisu, carrots and various other original toppings. Prices range between 800-900 yen. Other unique versions of Kakigori include those with liquers and rum – the “adult kakigoori” provided in the evening. There is also a sister shop in Shinjuku, so either one can be visited, depending in what area of Tokyo you are in on that day.
yelo Address : Patio Roppongi 1F,5-2-11 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo Prefecture 106-0032Access : 3 minutes walk from the Roppongi Station on the Hibiya and Oedo Line Opening Hours: From 11:00 a.m to morning (Sunday and Pub Holidays to 11:00 p.m) Close : Open 365days Tel: +81-3-3423-2121 |
5) Saryo-itoen(茶寮伊藤園) : Haneda Airport(羽田空港)
This place is ideal for those that wish to try Kakigori, but have run out of time to visit other places before returning home. There are various shops in the airports serving kakigoori and limited edition versions during the summer. One example is for summer 2018, in the Ito-en teahouse in Haneda international terminal, there are various types of Japanese tea flavoured kakigoori available. Ito-en is a famous tea making company, allowing you to try various high quality tea based treats and products, with endless options. Something to enjoy while you wait at the airport!
Saryo-itoen(茶寮 伊藤園) Address : Haneda Airport, Oota-ku, Tokyo Prefecture 144-0041Accsess : Haneda Airport International Passenger Terminal 4F Opening Hours: 24hours Close : Open 365days Tel: +81-3-6428-0055 |
Did this article make you want to try some Kakigori today? We certainly hope so! During the sweltering summer heat, there are also cheaper Kakigori available in fast food chains and convenience stores, so we recommend checking these ones out as well. Be sure to take time to recharge yourself with a cool iced treat during the summer heatwave!
Ran
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