5 kakigori shops to check out in Tokyo

Kaneido Mejiro

3 Chome-14-3 Mejiro, Toshima City, Tokyo 171-0031

Kaneido is a sweets and confectionary store originally hailing from Kyoto. They have a number of locations throughout its home city, other parts of Kansai, and throughout Kanto, with one of its most popular being in Mejiro, nearby the Yamanote Line. Kaneido’s offerings are as traditionally Japanese as they get, with azuki beans, matcha, and mochi goods being their claims to fame. The same classic offerings extend to the kakigori, deep green with matcha syrup and served with thick, luscious globs of red anko. Kaneido is unapologetically dedicated to original Japanese confection flavors, and its kakigori is a great fusion of old meets new.

On hot summer days in Japan, the locals have collected their share of ways to cool down. While spending all day indoors with air conditioning during the peak of summer may be tempting and often justified, missing out on the fun outdoor activities and sunshine isn’t ideal either. A refreshing dessert may be the best (and tastiest) solution to the heat, as they’re sweet, crisp, and refreshing bliss for both your palette and body. Probably the dessert most heavily associated with Japan during summer is that of kakigori. Put simply, kakigori is shaved ice and has a longer and richer history within Japan’s culinary catalog than many may think. The first recorded mentions of shaved ice topped with sweet syrup date back to the Heian Period of Japan, but its popularity came more to the masses in the 19th century. Today, it is a sweet treat available in many iterations, from simple stands at festivals to dedicated specialty shops offering luxurious and unique flavors, often signified with a brightly colored sign with the kanji for “ice” (氷) written in red. 

Tokyo, especially, is host to countless places to get kakigori, and thankfully so, given the hot and humid weather seen from July to September. Take a look at five of our favorite kakigori shops in Japan’s capital, and be sure to bookmark them in case the craving for sweet and refreshing pops up!

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