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Gastronomie

Shaved Ice

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FOOD: Shaved Ice! Tokyo’s Coolest Snack

Tokyo may be cooling down but the craze for shaved ice is only hotting up. Kakigori is a traditional summer treat in Japan but has been enjoying a revival, particularly amongst Tokyoites, as specialist cafés spring up around the city and brightly coloured bowls of ice flood our Instagram feeds.

Here’s our run-down of Tokyo’s top Kakigori cafes.

1. Gram Factory

Newly opened in Tokyo’s hip Shimokitazawa district, Gram Factory unashamedly appeals to the Instagram generation with ultra photogenic bowls of ice and hash-tagged branding. Each dessert is infinitely customisable with pick-your-own toppings charged by the gram.

Gram Factory: 2-15-1 Kitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo

2. Peace

For kakigori that keeps you guessing, make your way to Peace in Kichijoji district. With just eight counter-top seats and an experimental menu that changes almost daily, Peace has earned itself a legion of local fans, regularly checking in to try the latest seasonal treat.

Peace: 1-9-9 Kichijoji-Minamicho, Musashino-shi, Tokyo

3. Yukiusagi

Originally a soba shop, Yukiusagi’s kakigori proved so popular the Sakura-Shinmachi eatery decided to open a stand-alone café dedicated to serving deluxe shaved ice all year round. Their most popular flavour is the salted caramel granola, though autumn visitors will want to try the pumpkin caramel – well worth waiting in line for.

Yukiusagi: 3-18-2 Komazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo

4. Sebastian

Kakigori gets a European makeover at this Shibuya café where professional patissiers have created a unique variant coined ‘dolce shaved ice’. Serving cake-inspired kakigori, visitors can enjoy utterly original flavours including mango shortcake and creme brûlée.

Sebastian: 7-15 Kamiyamacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

5. Ice Monster

Setting up shop in the heart of Harajuku in April 2015, Taiwan’s much hyped Ice Monster is arguably the driving force behind Tokyo’s kakigori boom. Its arrival prompted shaved ice mania, with Tokyoites queuing up to five hours to get a taste of Taipei-born flavours such as milk tea with tapioca pearls.

Ice Monster: 6-3-7 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

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