Hoshino Resorts hot spring ryokan brand KAI is offering guests the opportunity to explore different regional shaved ice desserts that are served with delicious regional syrups and toppings. Shaved ice is a traditional summer dessert that was even mentioned in the famous work The Pillow Book, which was written by Sei Shonagon during her time as Empress Consort Teishi's court lady during the 990s and early 1000s of the Heian period.

The concept of KAI expresses both originality and the thirst for experimenting to make something new. The event offers a range of original flavours, embracing the Japanese tradition of eating flavoured shaved ice to battle the heat of summer. From wine-flavoured shaved ice in Nagano, to Hydrangea shaved ice at Hakone, this is the perfect opportunity to try a range of shaved ice desserts that are full of vibrant colours. These regional flavours are sure to spark your curiosity for discovery in that region. 

Wine Shaved Ice: Hoshino Resorts KAI Matsumoto (Asama Onsen, Nagano)

The cone-shaped region of Kikyogahara, which is located next to Matsumoto city, is well known for its wine production. This area produces around 50 different kinds of Kikyogahara wine. The flavoured syrup for this shaved ice comes from concord grape wine sourced from Kikyogahara. Each porcelain bowl for the dessert is handmade. Customers can enjoy the smooth, rounded feel of the grape pattern on the bowl as they dig into their dessert. As the alcohol is burned out of the dish, even those who do not like alcohol can enjoy this mature dessert. From the carefully prepared wine syrup to the handmade bowl, you will be able to feel all the hard work put into the making of these luxurious desserts. This is the perfect way to cool off after a hot day.

Hydrangea Shaved Ice: Hoshino Resorts KAI Hakone

Due to the altitude differences at Hakone, you can enjoy the beautiful hydrangeas for an even longer time than other areas of Japan. There is a Hydrangea train (Ajisai Densha) that runs up the mountains providing passengers with the beautiful view of blooming flowers, creating the perfect summer memories. Observing the large groups of flowers in full bloom fills you with such a refreshing feeling. Their beautiful colours are expressed in the colour of this hydrangea shaved ice.  

Strawberry Shaved Ice: Hoshino Resorts KAI Nikko (Chuzenji Onsen, Tochigi)

Tochigi prefecture has been Japan's no.1 producer of strawberries for 50 years straight. This shaved ice is served in a strawberry-shaped bowl and is served with sweet yet slightly sour strawberry syrup and a topping of bittersweet matcha sauce. Here, you can enjoy a cool evening up 1,300 metres high overlooking beautiful scenery from inside the establishment whose spectacular interior that boasts Tochigi's traditional art of Kanuma Kanoko craft. 

Tomato Flavoured Shaved Ice: Hoshino Resorts KAI Aso (Sonomoto, Oita)

As tomatoes thrive during the summer, this tomato shaved ice is the perfect way to cool down. This shaved ice is sweet and slightly sour and the vibrant red colour is enough to refresh you. Tomatoes are low in calories and contain an abundant range of healthy nutrients. They are also high in vitamin C which is good for your skin and is known for helping prevent illness. Tomatoes are also a good supply of vitamin E, which is good at slowing the effects of aging. Take a seat on the terrace and enjoy your shaved ice as a refreshing breeze rolls by. This is the perfect way to enjoy a cool summer with a healthy and delicious dessert. 

Neputa Shaved Ice: Hoshino Resorts KAI Tsugaru (Owani Onsen, Aomori)

The Neputa Shaved Ice represents the Hirosaki Neputa Festival that takes place in the summer at the old castle town of Hirosaki. To represent Tsugaru Vidro coloured glass, which is an important part of Tsugaru culture, red, blue and green coloured jelly pieces decorate the top of the shaved ice. These colours also represent the vibrant colours of Neputa festival. This Instagram-worthy dessert shows off the best of the fresh colours of Tsugaru. 

The bustling Kyoto Prefecture is located in the Kansai region of Japan, adored for its historical architecture and richness in traditional Japanese culture for which it brings in tourists every year both Japanese and foreign.   Summertime in Kyoto is renowned for being very hot. We've compiled a list of 3 must-visit locations where you can cool down during the summer heat―each of which have beautiful sights―and how to get to them.  

Explore the Caverns of Shizushi Limestone Cave Park

The only limestone caves in Kyoto Prefecture, Shizushi Limestone Cave Park offers an exciting mix of outdoor activities from cave exploration to camping, bird watching and much more. The caves are a designated national monument of Kyoto Prefecture. Many fossils have been collected from the caves that date back to before the Permian period (which ended 252.2 million years ago) including fusulinida and crinoids. The temperature of the caves sits between 12℃-15℃ throughout the year making it a very popular spot for cooling off during times of hot weather.   ▼Shizushi Limestone Cave Park Address: Shizushi, Kyotamba, Funai District, Kyoto Access: Board a JR bus from Sonobe Station (JR Sagano Line) bound for Enpuku (園福線) and get off at Hinokiyama (桧山). Change onto a Choei (町営) bus. Get off at the Shizushi Limestone Cave entrance (鐘乳洞口) and walk for 5 minutes. Opening Hours: 9:00-17:00 Website: http://www.kyotamba.org/質志鐘乳洞公園/    

Beach Swings and Sunsets at Yuhigaura

Yuhigaura sits on the coast of Kyoto's Tango area and is known for its iconic sunsets. Every year during summertime, giant swings made from driftwood and other materials are placed onto the beaches. Sitting on these during the evening sunset make for an incredibly picturesque scene. And this year they're serving an original drink called the "Magic Hour" for a limited time.   ▼Yuhigaura Address, 390 Aminocho Hamazume, Kyotango, Kyoto Prefecture Access: Board the Limited Express Hashidate (特急はしだて号) train at Kyoto Station and get off at Yūhigaura-Kitsu-onsen Station (夕日ヶ浦木津温泉) Homepage: http://yuukan.com/news/17/?view_oft=0    

Amanohashidate Sandbar Illuminations

Last year's illuminations at the Amanohashidate sandbar brought in over 30,000 people. The sandbar is one of Japan's three scenic views. The illumination event is held annually with this year's running from July 13 to September 1. The lights turn the sandbar into a truly magical spectacle. A special bar is also open for the light-up where you can get drinks along with several other exciting events surrounding it.   ▼Amanohashidate Light-Up Address: Monju, Miyazu, Kyoto Running: July 13, 2019 - September 1, 2019 Event Details:  https://www.facebook.com/amanohashidate.machiakari/     Stay cool this summer in Kyoto by hitting up one of these tourist hot spots!

Kyoto is renowned for its historical architecture and richness in traditional Japanese culture, but did you know it's also home to some extremely cute and delicious desserts? Their sweets and desserts are actually pretty popular, some of which contain motifs and little nods to the city.   Today, Instagrammer meme takes us on a tour in Kyoto to try out 4 popular desserts.   JEREMY&JEMIMAH JEREMY&JEMIMAH is a shop selling cute and colourful cotton candy. Their staple Wata-Hako cotton candy comes in 10 different flavours! In the photo we have yuzu, rose and matcha flavours. Of the two branches of the store, there is one along Furukawacho Shopping Street where you order your cotton candy for takeout, and another in Yasaka that serves cotton candy on long sticks. We picked up a few different ones since there are so many flavours and designs. It was fun lining them up to take a picture.   We took them home to eat and they stayed nice and fluffy the whole way back. The yuzu one tasted a little herbal, like it was healthy for you.   ▼JEREMY&JEMIMAH (Furukawacho Shopping Street Branch) Address: Furukawacho Shopping Street, 444-3 Hachikenchō, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto Opening Hours: 11:00-17:00 Official Website: http://www.jeremyjemimah.com/     ROCCA & FRIENDS TRUCK At ROCCA & FRIENDS TRUCK, you can order these iced dessert matcha and houjicha lattes which are topped with yatsuhashi―a confection sold in Kyoto―shaped into various sights across the city including Kyoto Tower, Hōkanji Temple, Daimonji, a Torii gate, and more.   I ordered the matcha latte. The drink itself isn't sweet at all so you can enjoy the full original rich and bitter flavour of the matcha. The fresh cream however is quite sweet so you can mix it into the drink as much as you want to get your desired flavour. There are lots of great spots in the area such as the Hōkanji Temple pagoda and Yasaka Shrine so  you can snap some great sightseeing photos♡   ▼ROCCA & FRIENDS TRUCK Address: 370 Yasaka Kamimachi, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture Opening Hours: 9:00-18:00 Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rocca.truck/     Jumondo We also visited Jumondo which sells Kyoto-style dango, or "sweet dumplings." We shared three different orders amongst three people: Danraku (団楽) which comes as a set with a drink, Dandan (だんだん) which comes with matcha, and Zenzai to Aburi Kuri Kinton (ぜんざいと炙り栗きんとん).   Once you order, the dango are made fresh so are served hot and chewy. Each dumpling is on the small side so are nice and easy to eat.   The Danraku comes with five different dumplings including sweet soy glaze, mashed sweet bean paste, soy sauce and black sesame seed, fried, and white miso. The Dandan comes with three types of your choice and a wafer filled with mashed sweet bean paste. The Zenzai to Aburi Kuri Kinton with mashed sweet potatoes with sweetened chestnut dango. The final one comes with matcha which can be served hot or cold.   Everything was tasty but my personal favourite was the yuzu flavoured white miso dumpling. The one that everybody raved about was the Zenzai which is a thick soup that the dango are placed into. These dumplings are bigger, not too sweet and light. The soup went really well with the dango, it was super tasty.   ▼Jumondo Address: 76 Tamamizuchō, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto TEL: 075-525-3733 Official Website: http://jumondo.jp/index.html     Kyo Yasaka Pudding Yasaka is a particularly popular tourist spot in Kyoto, and that's where the cute purin shop Kyo Yasaka Pudding is located. Purin is a type of custard purring sold in Japan. The first pudding we picked up was the store's recommended option named after the store itself, the Kyo Yasaka Pudding. It contains a transparent lemon and honey flavoured jelly inside which there are small and colourful agar agar balls and mango jelly balls.   It has an enjoyable texture and a refreshing sweetness that I've never experienced before with other purin. It's very tasty!   There are five flavours to choose from, the others being hard, smooth, matcha and black soy bean, and houjicha black soy bean. All are served in tiny cute jars. Not only do they look great, they taste amazing too. Each is made with ingredients sourced in Kyoto including the milk, Uji matcha, houjicha, and black soy beans. They also sell soft serve ice cream topped with candy balls, very Kyoto-like! You can choose from vanilla, matcha, or a mix of both. I think it'll be really fun if you can snap a photo of your ice cream with one of Yasaka's stylish locations in the background! Speaking of which, there was a cute illustration on the wall of the store so we took our photo there.   Be sure to pay a visit to Kyo Yasaka Pudding to pick up your own pudding whether as a souvenir or for yourself.   ▼Kyo Yasaka Pudding Address: 87-4 Hoshinochō, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture TEL: 075-533-8338 Official Website: https://kyo-yasaka-pudding.co.jp/     Kyoto is full of shops selling desserts and sweets perfect to walk around and munch on while you walk its ancient streets, or to take home as a souvenir. Enjoy all the tasty things you can during your visit to this beautiful city♡   --- Photos/Text: memeTranslation: Joshua Kitosi-Isanga

Battle the summer heat with a luxurious icy experience at specialty chocolate shop Bonnel Café located in Jujo. For a limited time only, they will be selling cake-like kakigori (shaved ice desserts) that has everyone's mouths watering. Watch as they lay a long luscious strip of luxurious chocolate over your kakigori, or cover your dessert in fresh chocolate mousse right before your very eyes.  These desserts are only available from April 20 to the end of September.   Out of the four kakigori flavours for your ice, choose from the three standard flavours or treat yourself to the limited edition flavour. Next, pick from the selection of 18 toppings to enhance your kakigori. Unlike other kakigori shops, you can mix and match whatever you like, giving you the power to make your own original kakigori dessert.  

Bitter Chocolate Cake: ￥800 ＋ Ganache Strip: ￥300 (prices after tax)

Out of all the toppings, we recommend the ganache strip topping (Nama chocolate) which was incredibly popular last year. A single 25 cm-long strip of luxurious ganache stretches over your kakigori and gently melts in your mouth. If you love chocolate, you just won't be able to resist!  

Bitter Chocolate Cake: ￥800 + Chocolate Mousse: ￥300  (after tax)

The chocolate mousse topping is new to this year. Watch your kakigori become shrouded by a thick cloak of fresh chocolate mousse before your very eyes. The moment you take a bite, you will discover the unique flavour and texture of the fresh chocolate mousse, which dissolves immediately on your tongue with a lingering luxurious and rich chocolatey flavour.   The chocolate used in this kakigori is 100% high-quality couverture chocolate. As a chocolate shop, Bonnel Café serves only the finest kakigori desserts. Customers not only take pictures, but also videos as their tongue-tantalizing desserts are carefully crafted before their very eyes.      Come indulge all of your senses in a whole new kakigori experience!

Hi everyone, this is Midori from MMN's Editorial Department.It's really feeling like summer right now in Japan and as it gets hotter, more and more places are starting to sell one of Japan's most beloved summer desserts; Kakigori (flavoured shaved ice, usually with delicious and luxurious toppings).   Today I'm going to tell you about new Kakigori flavours that are out this summer. ♪   Kori Yuki to Natsu (Ikejiri-Ohashi) Last year, Kori Yuki to Natsu opened in Nishi-Ogikubo. This year, there's a fresh new shop in Ikejiri-Ohashi which is close to Shibuya. The ingredients used at Kori Yuki to Natsu are specially selected and the kakigori is carefully made. The shop in Nishi-Ogikubo is a great hit so there 's no doubt the new shop is going to be just as popular.   ▼Kori Yuki to NatsuAddress: Crimson one5F, 2-16-26, Ohashi, Meguro, TokyoOpen from: May 3rd 2019 Opening hours: 11 am ー 4:30 pm (last orders:) No regular holidaysFor more information on their opening hours, please check them out on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/k_yuki_to_natsu/ Rich Shaved Ice (Hotel Gajoen Tokyo)At Hotel Gajoen, you can enjoy a luxurious shaved ice dessert that is aimed at adults. Here, melons and pineapples are scooped out, transforming them into bowls which are then filled with fruit and shaved ice. These immensely aromatic desserts can also be enjoyed with champagne as part of a set meal. Melon and pineapple are the two available varieties of this shaved ice treat.   ▼ Rich Shaved Ice Available: Saturday 1st June ー Sunday 1st September Purchase from: Hotel Gajoen Tokyo’s Cafe & Bar YuianOrders accepted Weekdays 2:30 pm  – 9:30 pm (L.O)Weekends/ national holidays: 3:00 pm – 5:00 (L.O)Reservations (TEL ): 050-3188-7570 (General restaurant enquiries: 10:00 – 19:00)※ Both dessert are in limited supply. ※※ Customers who spread the word about these desserts on social media will receive a cup of peppermint tea or oolong tea on the house.Hotel Gajoen, TokyoAddress: 1 Chome-8-1 Shimomeguro, Meguro City, Official Website: https://www.hotelgajoen-tokyo.com/     Afternoon Tea Kakigori Parfait (Afternoon Tea: LOVE & TABLE)Afternoon Tea: LOVE & TABLE serves fluffy ice coloured with fruit and syrup. Not only do some of the parfaits contain lemon and strawberries, but there are also parfaits that take on the appearance of red bean jam covered in syrup. They looks and tastes so refreshing. There are four different flavours to choose from so you absolutely must try one!   ▼Kakigori ParfaitPlease refer to the Official Website to check availability: https://www.afternoon-tea.net/   Adult-Oriented Shaved Ice (Omotesando Hills) You can enjoy adult-oriented kakigori at 11 restaurants located in Omotesando Hills. At  Fratelli Paradiso located on the 3rd floor, you can enjoy a hearty serving of Italian-style kakigori with Granita. Frangelico hazelnut liqueur seeps into the bitter espresso granita for a very luxurious taste. Besides this, there are many other kakigori flavours that adults just cannot resist. Other toppings and flavours include tapioca pearls and espresso, too. These adult-oriented kakigori desserts are available for a limited time at Omotesando Hills only.   ▼ Omotesando HillsAddress: 4-12-10 Jingumae, Shibuya, TokyoOfficial Website: https://www.omotesandohills.com/   So, how about it? Refresh yourself this summer with these delicious kakigori shaved ice desserts. ♪