This weekend Naoko and I were pottering around in Jujo, a station not too far from Ikebukuro in northwestern Tokyo. As we came out of the station there were many colourful lanterns hanging all across the street in preparation for the Bon Odori dance that was going to happen that evening.
What we really wanted though was something to cool us from the heat – and kakigori from this shop was the answer! Can you believe that in five years in Japan I had never had proper kakigori?!
But what is kakigori?
Basically it’s a shaved-ice dessert flavored with syrup and a sweetener, often condensed milk. This shop was old-school with faded pictures in the window, showing some of the desserts on offer.
Just as I was looking at the treats on offer we heard a commotion happening in the arcade where the shop was. A matsuri was happening! A group of men were carrying a mikoshi (portable shrine) through the arcade while shouting and dancing. One young boy at the front must have only been about 7, leading the way with a with a shaved mohican haircut. Check out the video of the crowd below, along with the massive dessert we would later eat 🙂
Dancer outside the kakigori shop ❤
Back inside it was time to order our dessert…
From a menu that was pretty overwhelming. The shaved ice at this place is made from water sourced from the bottom of Mount Fuji. And the green tea they use comes from places like Kyoto and Fukuoka.
A couple enjoying kakigori
Huge! Naoko’s was shaved ice with green tea from Kyoto, condensed milk and sweet adzuki beans.
While I had peach kakigori with lots of fresh peaches on top.
Before…
After!
I am now officially a kakigori addict
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IKIMASHO! 
Feeling cooler just looking at kakigori. We have so much smoke in the valleys from the wild fires further north in British Columbia that the sun is red, the moon is orange, and our throats need a shaved ice treat. Yesterday at the farmers’ market I met a woman who has a shaved ice company! She works the markets and the festivals, such as the Peach Festival which runs for the next week in Penticton, near where we live. Food stalls take up a full block of our Saturday market.