EAT | Enjoy Toraya Karyo's shaved ice to beat the summer heat.
TORAYA
EAT | A Timeless Summer with Kakigori
Beat the Summer Heat with Toraya Karyo's Kakigori
Kakigori, a quintessential summer delight, has been a beloved treat since the days of Sei Shonagon's "The Pillow Book." Toraya Karyo, the tea house of the renowned wagashi maker Toraya, is now offering a selection of visually refreshing kakigori. Available until mid-September, these shaved ice confections include store-exclusive flavors, so don't miss out.
Text by KUROMIYA Yuzu
Special Flavors Debut at Three Locations
The perennial favorite at Toraya Karyo is Uji Kintoki. The matcha syrup, made with luxurious Uji green tea, uses Toraya's specially selected Uji matcha, "Kyo no Shirabe," known for its mellow taste and sweet, gentle aroma. Combined with "Wasanbon," a pure Japanese sugar, it creates a rich matcha flavor with a clean, pleasant sweetness. Furthermore, the addition of azuki bean paste, meticulously prepared over a full day, offers a delightful harmony of syrup, bean paste, and ice.
Exclusive kakigori flavors are also available at the Akasaka Main Store, Ginza Store, and Gotemba Store. The Akasaka Main Store exclusive is "Kori Anzu," featuring an abundance of apricots. The Ginza Store exclusive, "Ichigo Mizore," is topped with a luscious strawberry syrup and a charming strawberry yokan. The "Mikuriya Sencha Kintoki," available only in August at the Gotemba Store, uses Mikuriya sencha from the Gotemba region and the area's abundant Fuji spring water. This local specialty is finished with Mikuriya sencha syrup poured over the ice, topped with sencha water yokan made with kuzu starch.
Additionally, TORAYA CAFÉ, established in 2003, offers two types of "Mizore" shaved ice each month, featuring seasonal cool desserts. The August special, "Mizore," presents "Watermelon Mizore with Rum and Kuromitsu Flavored Bean Sauce," a signature summer treat at TORAYA CAFÉ. By blending watermelon purée with white syrup, this mizore captures the fresh essence of the fruit itself, creating an exquisite dessert.
The classic "Milk Kuzu Jelly," whose fruit topping changes with the season, is also presented in a summery fashion with a fresh mango sauce and topped with mango and kiwi.
As summer truly begins, there are many ways to cool down. Why not try to beat the heat with a timeless and charming kakigori?
Toraya Karyo Akasaka Main Store
Tel. 03-3408-4121 (General)
http://www.toraya-group.co.jp/
TORAYA CAFÉ Omotesando Hills Store
Tel. 03-5785-0533
http://www.toraya-cafe.co.jp/