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Himitsudo in Yanaka Ginza: Cool Down With Fluffy Japanese Shaved Ice
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Himitsudo in Yanaka Ginza, Tokyo, is a shaved ice shop offering delicious traditional Japanese kakigori, or shaved ice. This article introduces the unique and truly delicious shaved ice customers line up for all year long.
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This is the official account of MATCHA's editorial department. Our articles feature useful travel information for visitors to Japan, from how-to guides to recommended places to visit.
Popular kakigori (Japanese shaved ice shop) Himitsudo is located near the beautiful Yuuyake dandan, or sunset stairs in Yanaka Ginza. This shaved ice shop and area is very familiar to MATCHA editors.
The biggest appeal of Himitsudo is the delicious taste from the syrup made with seasonal ingredients and natural ice, creating a line of customers out the door all year long.
Today, we'll introduce you to Himitsudo, a shop with refreshing sweets that will make you hooked after just one bite.
Read also
Popular Himitsuno Ichigo Milk - Strawberries and Cream Shaved Ice
We highly recommend the Himitsuno Ichigo Milk (800 yen), which is shaved ice topped with strawberries. It is also called "Ichimi" for short. This flavor is exclusively offered during the winter season and has an adorable appearance.
Himitsudo has a very varied menu, described on the store's official website as: “We’ll make 132 (Japanese for HI-MI-TSU, or secret) syrup flavors with a seasonal variety of beans, vegetables, fruit."
Here, the syrup flavors vary by day and the season, and the daily menu is posted on Twitter (@himitsuno132). Himitsudo offers many unimaginably unique flavors!
For example, this is the menu tweeted in the past:
Uguisu-Zakura (green tea and cherry blossom), Satsumaimo-Cream Caramel (sweet potatoes and caramel cream), Ichigo-Yogurt (strawberries and yogurt), Setoka (citrus), Haniyo (honey with apple), Hanami (honey with milk), Razuyo (raspberry with yogurt)
The flavors also have charming and unique names as well, as you can see, making Himitsudo stand out.
The rich and creamy sweet potatoes and caramel taste surprisingly well with the shaved ice!
Our personal favorite flavor is Kyararin Cheese (caramel, apple and cheese flavors), a combination of opposing flavors. This flavor is refreshing and unlike anything you've ever tasted. Just thinking about it makes us want to try it again.
Other dishes like Shippou Gratin, a gratin with potatoes, scallops, shrimps, and tomatoes, and French toast, are popular items on Himitsudo.
In winter, many customers eat Shippou Gratin and have the shaved ice for dessert.
The Secret of Himitsudo Isn't Just in the Syrup
Himitsudo's secret lies in the great attention and care they put into making shaved ice and dishes. Himitsudo uses a retro manual ice crusher and natural ice from the famous Nikko area in Tochigi Prefecture.
The shopkeeper serves shaved ice in the bowl with his left hand, while checking the sound, feeling, and rotational speed with his right hand. In the summer and winter, they change the blade sharpener of the retro manual ice crusher to change the texture of the shaved ice.
“Before starting this shop, I was considering stopping because it was such hard work physically,” the shopkeeper says. However, he wanted to make light and fluffy natural shaved ice achievable only from a manual machine. Thanks to this hard work, customers can eat and appreciate the wonderful texture of this shaved ice.
Visit Between 16:00 and 18:00 and Be Careful of Lines!
You may have to wait for an hour or two on weekends, or even multiple hours in the summer months in line to get Himitsudo's shaved ice.
We suggest walking around the Yanaka Ginza area and wait for a time with less of a wait.
Himitsudo is a shop that will change your concept of shaved ice. We highly recommend a visit here!
* Menu changes daily. Please refer to the official website for details.
* Shippou Gratin is a limited-time item, available from November to March.
Information
Himitsudo
Address: Tokyo, Taiko, Yanaka 3-11-18
Access: 6 minute walk from Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line Sendagi Station, or 4 minute walk from JR Yamanote Line Nishinippori Station West Exit
Phone number: 03 -3824 -4132
Opening Hours: 11:00-20:00 (Winter season until 18:00), please confirm details on Twitter
Closed on Mondays(Closed on Monday and Tuesday from October to April )
Official website: http://himitsudo.com/(Japanese)
Official twitter: http://twitter.com/himitsuno132(Japanese)
This is the official account of MATCHA's editorial department. Our articles feature useful travel information for visitors to Japan, from how-to guides to recommended places to visit.
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