Summer in Tokyo is hot and humid but there are still plenty of reasons to go outside. From the bustle of Harajuku streets to the tree-lined Yoyogi Park, the city is best explored with a sweet treat in hand – and preferably a cold one. Meticulously prepared bowls of kakigori, creamy soft serves and towering fruit parfaits offer welcome respite from the afternoon sun. Here are five spots in Tokyo for a refreshing bite.
While meandering around Tokyo or visiting one of the city’s summer hanabi (firework) festivals, you will likely spot a kakigori flag. Bearing the Japanese character for “ice”, the iconic red, white and blue banners announce that an establishment sells this seasonal treat, which is made of shaved ice sweetened with an assortment of flavours and often topped with condensed milk.
When in the Sangenjaya neighbourhood, follow the flag to Kori Kobo Ishibashi – kori kobo meaning “ice workshop” – which has served the area for more than 60 years. The shop, complete with charming, retro-style interiors, began serving the icy desserts in glass bowls to residents and visitors about 40 years ago. The small space is also home to a beautifully preserved antique kakigori machine: “It’s probably the last, or second-to-last [machine of this age] in Tokyo,” says owner Kumiko Ishibashi.
Not sure which flavour to try? “Milk tea and cherry are among the summer favourites, as well as matcha, of course,” says Ishibashi. The matcha is carefully ground in-house using a traditional stone mill.
1-29-8 Sangenjaya, Setagaya-ku
The desserts at Palace Hotel Tokyo are as refined as the guest rooms upstairs. This summer the seasonal menu includes everything from peach parfait to mango shaved ice with coconut and yoghurt. But what is truly worth crossing town for is the soft-serve ice cream, which is made using milk from Nagano’s Obuse Dairy Farm, and arrives crowned with a delicate cookie. If you’re looking for a classic soft serve in the city, the Palace Lounge is your best bet. You can also enjoy afternoon tea here, while live jazz is performed nightly.
1-1-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku
Shinjuku Takano is a heritage Tokyo institution that treats fruit as a luxury. The company was established in 1885 and opened its flagship in the Japanese capital in 1921. Spread across several floors, it looks more like a grand department store than a fruit vendor.
On the two underground floors, visitors will find an elegant selection of products, including gift boxes, apricot jams, muscat-grape jellies and fruit-based delicacies, all presented with the care of a luxury boutique. The fifth floor features the brand’s namesake restaurant, the Takano Fruit Parlor. Here, beautifully sliced seasonal fruit, muskmelon juice and fruit sandos take centre stage. The summer the menu includes parfaits with Miyazaki mango and Crown Melon, whose unparalleled sweetness has earned it a devoted following.
5F, 3-26-11 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku
Across Japan there are more than 55,000 konbini, or convenience stores, that offer everything from baked goods and bento boxes to magazines and umbrellas. In Tokyo, where a 7-Eleven, Familymart or Lawsons is never far away, summer’s most popular aisle is the one with the frozen treats. There, you’ll find favourites that generations of Japanese have grown up with: Choco Monaka Jumbo, a classic ice-cream sandwich made with a crispy wafer, introduced in 1972; mochi-covered Yukimi Daifuku ice creams; the soda-flavoured Garigari-kun popsicle, which has been a staple from the 1980s; and Japanese confectionary giant Morinaga’s shareable, chocolate-covered Pino ice cream.
Though there are plenty of sophisticated dessert options in Tokyo, few are so woven into the rhythms of daily life. On a sweltering summer day, stepping into an air-conditioned konbini and leaving with a favourite from the freezer remains one of the city’s simplest pleasures.
Located in Daikanyama, Flux Cafe is an all-day address that serves lattes in the morning, teishoku (set meals) at lunchtime, and of course, delightful bowls of kakigori after meals. Working with Matsuyama-based food supplier Oishii Oto, Flux brings some of Ehime prefecture’s freshest seasonal ingredients to Tokyo. This summer every kakigori flavour (and colour) imaginable is on offer: bright-red strawberry milk, green matcha and golden caramel-banana milk are all options. The portions are made for sharing: add azuki bean, mochi, kinako (roasted soybean flour) or any of the available toppings to assemble your own shaved ice.
1F, Daikanyama Kinoshita Bld, 3-7 Sarugakucho, Shibuya-ku
