Modern shaved ice is nothing short of art (Natsuki TONE)

Good evening, everyone.

It's already that time of year when classes are wrapping up.

In this post, I'd like to introduce one of my favorite foods: shaved ice.

When you hear “shaved ice,” what comes to mind?

Is it ice shaved at home with colored syrup poured over it?

Or perhaps the cup-sized version you eat at festival stalls?

In western Japan, supermarkets sell shaved ice in ice blocks—is that what you picture?

If you imagined any of those, you might be surprised by how shaved ice has evolved lately.

Modern shaved ice, especially at specialty shops open year-round, offers incredibly luxurious experiences.

Beyond superior ice quality and shaving techniques, they generously use seasonal fruits and offer countless sauces and flavors to keep things interesting.

Prices range from ¥1,500 to ¥2,500, which is a bit on the high side...

Let me share two favorites I had this year, both from Tokyo specialty shops.

First was the fig shaved ice.

It featured figs, in season at the time, used generously both as fruit flesh and sauce—an irresistible treat for fig lovers.

The second was kumquat shaved ice.

The fruit itself was delicious, of course, but it was paired with the distinctive flavors of blue cheese and sake lees cream. Surprisingly, these ingredients complemented each other perfectly!

By enjoying shaved ice year-round, you can savor seasonal fruits even outside of summer.

I hope you all find your own favorite bowl too.

Thank you for reading my blog over these past few months.