Kakigori – Shaved Ice

Few things are more Japanese than the Kakigori, or shaved ice sweetened by variously colored syrups and creams. I have never enjoyed it though, as tasty as it looks few things are better at creating havoc in you stomach than half a pound of ice on a hot summers day! While enjoying (or trying to, it was just too hot for words) a rather long walk through the historic areas of Odawara town last weekend I was lucky to find next to my path a resotored 18th century road side inn, staffed and run by the local tourism NPO. Naturally I leapt into the cool shadow of the house and inquired of their refreshments. “Kakigori, 200 yen, three choices in flavor” was the short answer and as I was very nearly pushing it for second heat stroke in less than a month I plonked a 500 yen coin on the counter and asked her to hit me with two, melon and lemon, you know me, being a fan of anagrams and all that. I figured a ruined stomach would be far prefferable to death by boiling brain so I bravely gulped them both down less time than it took me to write this blog so far. Sorry for the terrible quality of the photos, I am neither a fan of eating or shooting them. They sure look tasty in real life though! I wonder if it will be another ten years until I try one the next time?

Unrelated to this is an anecdote I will be happy to unload on you dear readers. My friend and I was at a sea side restaurant (more like a hole in the wall with chairs) a few years ago run by a very nearly 100 year old lady. My friend ordered a milk syrup flavored kakigori. When the old woman delivered it she disappeared on some errand and left us in the quiet little restaurant wondering whether to lock up after us and how to redress the problem with the syrup, for you see, in the twilight of her faculties the old dear had forgotten to add the syrup. My friend very bravely finished his half pound of pure, unadultered ice. I still tease him about it when given the chance.