Kakigōri

Kakigōri is a Japanese dessert consisting of shaved ice and flavored, typically fruit-based syrup. It can also be sweetened with condensed or evaporated milk and topped with mochi and sweet bean paste. Its origins date back to the Haeian period (794-1185), but it was not until the 19th century that it became available to the wider public — the first kakigōri store supposedly opened in 1869.

The ice used for making kakigōri is traditionally pure ice made from mineral water and taken from natural springs. Shaving the ice is done with a hand-cranked machine or, today, more likely, with an electric one, which gives the shaven ice a fluffy, snowflake consistency.

The most popular and traditional flavors are strawberry, matcha, melon, cherry, and lemon, but there are "modern" flavors that are also quite popular, like Blue Hawaii, bubblegum, and pumpkin. There are also several well-known kakigōri varieties such as shirokuma (shaved ice topped with fruit, mochi, condensed milk, and sweet bean paste), ujikintoki (shaved ice topped with matcha syrup, matcha ice cream, sweet bean paste, and mochi), and yakigori (shaved ice with alcohol, typically brandy, that is lit on fire).

This Japanese treat is sold at street stalls, in festivals, stores, coffee shops, and specialized kakigōri stores, and places selling it will typically have a flag with the kanji sign for ice kōria outside. Kakigōri is eaten with a spoon and needs to be eaten from top to bottom, or it will collapse and end up all over the table; plus, it needs to be quickly eaten, so it doesn't melt.