Cool and Delicious, Hot Summer Sweets! 6 Choices of Shaved Ice in Nagoya

Another hot summer has arrived! The continuous heat wave is making our bodies and minds exhausted.

At such times, we have an irresistible craving for shaved ice. Did you know that "shaved ice", a classic summer sweet consisting of softly shaved, cool ice topped with sweet syrup, has evolved over the years?

These days, there are many specialty stores that sell shaved ice with unique flavors, with many of them being particular about not only the ice, but also the syrups and toppings! In addition, people who love shaved ice are called "gorā" (shaved ice lovers), and social networking sites are filled with posts of a wide variety of shaved ice by these "gorā."

[Takaoka] Kanmidokoro Aioi

Kanmidokoro Aioi is located an 8-minute walk from Takaoke Station on the Sakuradori Subway Line. The large signboard and old-fashioned-looking entrance curtain mark the store. This is a long-established sweet shop established in 1954.

Aioi's shaved ice is a unique sweet shop shaved ice with a layer of shaved ice covered with Mizore syrup and stuffed with anko (sweet bean paste). The current menu offers a choice of two types of shaved ice: "Ice Azuki" and "Ice Shiruko." This time, I had the "Ice Shiruko" with Koshi-an (smooth sweet red bean paste)!

Topped with additional milk and vanilla ice cream. Each topping can be added only for +100 yen!

Using natural ice, the ice is light, fluffy, and easy to eat despite its size. The Mizore syrup is refreshingly sweet and goes well with the milk! The milk is not unnecessarily sweet, but only creamy.

When you get to the bottom of the bowl, you will find Koshi-an! This Koshi-an is just delicious. It is so smooth and well mixed with the ice that it is almost like eating cold Shiruko. When combined with the additional ice cream topping, it tastes just like a cream Zenzai.

The shaved ice of “Kanmidokoro Aioi” is loved by many people for its taste that has not changed since long ago. In the summer, it is so popular that people line up to get in. The shaved ice that you can enjoy in a nostalgic and relaxing atmosphere is the best!

[Kanmidokoro Aioi]
Address: 3-1-6 Izumi, Higashi Ward, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture 461-0001
Business hours: 12:00-16:00 (LO 15:30)
Closed: Irregular holidays (check the website)
Website: https://aioi.cc/

[Nakamura Nisseki] Shizuku

About 10 minutes on foot from Nakamura Nisseki Station on the Sakura-dori Subway Line, there is a matcha and snack shop "Shizuku".

Run by Houmyouen Tea Shop, a Japanese tea store that has been in business for 80 years, Shizuku offers shaved ice all year round, including regular shaved ice made with matcha and tea, as well as seasonal shaved ice that changes with each season.  

"Jyo-usu-cya Ice" is Shizuku's signature menu item. It is a beautiful looking shaved ice with matcha green tea made to order and poured over ice.

It is served with white syrup. When you put it in your mouth, the flavor of green tea spreads softly, and it passes through your nose. The ice is soft but does not melt immediately and remains soft and fluffy until the end of the bowl. The slightly sweet white syrup enhances the matcha flavor. It is an elegant and delicate shaved ice, both in appearance and taste.

This is "Lemon Olive Yogurt Ice," a seasonal menu item. The cute visual is very attractive. The lemon syrup, yogurt, and milk are topped with EX virgin olive oil!

The double acidity of lemon and yogurt blends well with the milk, and when olive oil is added, it instantly becomes Italian. The combination of water and oil is a perfect match. It is a delicious shaved ice that you can enjoy until the end.

Shizuku is available by reservation only. Reservations are taken as soon as they are available, and are often filled up. Please check the store's Instagram for reservation methods and business days!

[Shizuku]
Address: 6-8 Taiko-dori, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture 453-0811
Opening hours: 12:00-18:00
Closed: Wednesdays and Thursdays (may be temporarily closed)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shizuku_no_ma/

[Sakurayama] Bois Vert Terre 

Bois Vert Terre is located about a 4-minute walk from Exit 4 of Sakurayama Station on the Sakuradori Subway Line, and is marked by its cute light blue exterior. Nearby is the Nagoya City Museum, and it is located in a corner of the Mizuho-dori shopping street.  

The café is attached to a general store, and unique shaved ice can be enjoyed throughout the year. The atmosphere and décor of the store are cute and popular among women.

Among the many choices on the menu, we chose the "Cherry Cherry" this time! It will be served with the recommended "cherry espuma" topping.

The visual was so cute that it captured the heart of a lady in a big way. The soft shaved ice with a gentle flavor of cherry blossom-based syrup melted in my mouth like melting snow, leaving my mouth watering.

The additional topping of cherry blossom espuma gives the shaved ice an even richer cherry blossom flavor!

As we continued eating, a cherry compote and black tea jelly came out from the inside. This is also very delicious! You can compare two kinds of cherries, fresh and compote. You can eat it without getting tired of it until the end!

The shovel-like spoon is another cute point! It is exciting and fun to use this spoon to dig out what is inside the large bowl of shaved ice.

Be sure to visit Bois Vert Terre for shaved ice that is cute, tasty, and sweet, and that matches the store's cute atmosphere!

[Bois Vert Terre]
Address: 1-32 Mizuho-dori, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-0806
Business hours: 11:30-17:30 (L.O 17:00)
Closed: Mondays and Tuesdays (Mondays only in July and August) Temporarily closed
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bvt.official/

[Sakurayama] Side Yummy Sakurayama

"Side Yummy Sakurayama," a shaved ice specialty shop that requires reservations, is about an 8-minute walk from Sakurayama Station on the Sakuradori Subway Line.

This is a new location that just opened in January 2022. It is a permanent branch of the popular shaved ice store "Shaved Ice Craftsman Yummy" in Toyota City.

At Side Yummy Sakurayama, you can enjoy luxurious and high-quality shaved ice that is carefully made one by one by craftsmen.

This time, we had this "Corn Milk".

The corn milk spreads all over your mouth, and the taste is so impressive that you can't help but say "wow"! The black pepper topping is a perfect match for the sweetness of the corn. The corn kernels on top are also crunchy, giving the dish a different texture.

Inside is mascarpone cream and burnt caramel!

The creamy mascarpone and bittersweet caramel added to the sweet corn milk makes for a very elegant taste. It gives the taste a change of pace. You will not be able to hide your surprise at the deliciousness you have never tasted before.

Corn shaved ice? If you are surprised to hear this or think it is an unorthodox idea, please try it for yourself. It will surely change your mind. You will want to repeat the experience again and again.

The shaved ice at Side Yummy Sakurayama is of a higher quality than you can imagine. Why don't you enjoy this special shaved ice that you will want to eat as a little reward for yourself?

[Side Yummy Sakurayama]
Address: Heart Inn Kikuzono-cho, 7-29-3 Shiotsuke-dori, Showa-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture 466-0022
Closed: Irregular holidays (check Instagram for business hours)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/side_yummy_sakurayama/

[Aratamabashi] Suria coffee

Suria Coffee is located about a 3-minute walk from Aratamabashi Station on the Meijo Subway Line. You can enjoy shaved ice in a spacious and relaxing atmosphere. The cafe offers a year-round shaved ice menu.

One of the features of suria coffee is the large number of items on the menu. There are various types of shaved ice, from fruit-based to tea-based, and even different types of shaved ice. It is very exciting to choose your favorite shaved ice from among the many choices!

We chose "Zunda Salted Nuts" from the popular Zunda series. Salted milk is used as a base, peanut sauce is poured over it, and finally, plenty of zunda and whipped cream are added.

Various flavors are mixed, but the saltiness of salted milk is the accent, and it tightens the whole shaved ice. The sweetness and saltiness of the zunda are a perfect match, and you won't be able to stop eating it.

You can also add spices to make it taste weird. Especially when cardamom is added, it transforms into a refreshing flavor, so it is recommended to use it in the second half! Spices and shaved ice go surprisingly well together.

If you ask the staff, they will give you a warm plum kelp tea for free. It will warm up your shaved ice-cold body, so please be sure to order it with your shaved ice.

Suria coffee offers a wide variety of shaved ice flavors, from classic favorites to unique and unusual ones, including cocktail shaved ice made with alcohol for adults, so both children and adults can enjoy the shaved ice together!

[Suria coffee]
Address: 2-1-1 Suyama-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture 467-0066
Business hours: Weekdays 11:00-21:00
Saturdays, Sundays and holidays 11:00-18:00
Lunch 11:00-14:00
Closed: Irregular holidays (Check Instagram)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suriacoffee_2010/

[Nagoya Daigaku] Cafe&bar drawing

“Cafe&bar drawing” is located about 10 minutes on foot from Nagoya Daigaku station on the subway Meijo Line.

This cafe & bar offers shaved ice all year round, made with the owner's specialties, which he has been making for many years. Open until 10:00 p.m., it is one of the best places to enjoy shaved ice at night!

The shaved ice menu is very extensive! From seasonal fruits to Hojicha (roasted green tea), black sesame, and more, there is a tempting array of shaved ice.

We can't narrow it down to just one because we wanted to try them all. For those who can't decide on just one, we recommend ordering a smaller size, which can be ordered with a 200 yen discount. You can enjoy the two flavors you are interested in at once in just the right amount!

This time we had the "Blueberry Milk".

The blueberry sauce on top of the fluffy ice is so plentiful that it almost spills over. It looks cute and will tickle your heart.

These blueberries are so soft that you don't even need to chew them. As soon as you put it in your mouth, it will get entangled in the shaved ice and create the best harmony. Sweet milk and sweet and sour blueberry sauce are very delicious!

The ice is also fluffy and light, so I finished it off in an instant. I could have ordered another smaller sized shaved ice and it would have gone down a treat. 

The plate with the color that matches the shaved ice and the bowl with the illustration of the cat are also cute.

The inside of the store was full of fun conversations with regulars and local customers, and the space was cozy. Shaved ice is the main dish, but there is also a meal menu and alcohol for dinner, and it can also be used as a bar. It would be great to have a light meal and drink, and finish off with shaved ice.

Cafe&bar drawing is a warm place that makes you wish there was a cafe like this near your house. Please visit there for a taste of the owner's specialties and delicious shaved ice!

[Cafe&bar drawing]
Address: 〒466-0804 34 Miyahigashi-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi Press Inn Minamimotoyama 1F
Business hours: 12:00-16:00/18:00-22:00 (irregular and subject to change)
Closed: Mondays and Tuesdays (open until 16:00 on Sundays)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cafebar_drawing/

How did you like these 6 shaved ice shops in Nagoya?

At first glance, shaved ice may seem like a simple dessert, but it actually has a lot of depth to it. The shaved ice, which is packed with the store's unique commitment, is a special dish that cannot be tasted anywhere else. By all means, let's become a "gorā" and eat up delicious shaved ice this summer!

In recent years, more and more stores are requiring reservations or opening during reduced hours in order to prevent COVID 19. Please check the official website or SNS before visiting a store.