Delux kakigōri shop open for the summer

Shaved ice dessert served in DELUXE bowls

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The kakigori is served in exquisite ceramic bowls

Over the summer you can savor a deluxe style kakigōri (a Japanese shaved ice dessert flavored with syrup and a sweetener, often condensed milk) at the Tajimi Kakigōri shop in Ichinokura, in the hills above Tajimi city. The city is famous as the hottest town in Japan, and it's on those very warm days you really appreciate a large serving of kakigōri, which cools your body to a more pleasant temperature. In spite of record breaking temperatures, the heat in Tajimi feels a lot more bearable than in big cities like Tokyo, for example. This may have something to do with all the lush greenery, the water, and the natural environment. Still, a serving of kakigōri is always a welcome refreshment!

​The Tajimi Kakigōri Shop (Map here) is adjacent to the company's small but very cozy ceramic shop and serves the cool dessert in fine ceramic bowls. This is a new concept since kakigōri is usually sold at street stands in the simplest possible fashion.

The young staffer that served us has just recently started to work in the quiet little kakigori café.

The shop is located up in the hills, a fairly long ride by car from Tajimi Station, but if you are interested in fine ceramics you can combine the kakigōri excursion with a visit to the adjacent ceramics shop, which is also a very pleasant experience with its fresh and modern wooden interior and fine selection.

The shop recommended the ginger flavoured variety, so we had to try.

A ceramics themed kakigōri experience

Water is served in a special kind of Tokkuri (Traditional Sake Serving Bottle) called "Uguisu Dokkuri", with a tiny bird - a Japanese bush warbler - on top that will chirp after you have poured the water into the cup. It's not a coincidence that fine porcelain is used. Marumo Takagi Touki Century, the company running the shop, is operating Japan's largest ceramics showroom a five minutes drive from the café. The showroom is for industrial buyers only, but individuals are welcome to visit the ceramics shop next doors to the kakigōri café. The shop, Utsuwa no Mise Takagi, is unmanned, so you will need to use the phone at the front to call for the staff.

Tajimi Kakigōri
Opening hours: The café is open until October 8, 11.00 - 17.00, Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Location: See map here.