Shaved ice from a summer-only specialty shop, best enjoyed while still fluffy.

Koridokoro Sayuri

Owner Sayuri got her start after tasting a bowl of shaved ice at a famous shop in Tokyo. Captivated by just how delicious shaved ice could be, she bought a commercial ice-shaving machine even before she had any plans to open a shop. In the end, encouraged by an acquaintance, she opened a summer-only shaved ice specialty shop at her current location. What she makes reflects her own preference: light, delicately textured shaved ice. The ice comes from "Koriya no Hashi-san," which happened to be located diagonally across the street — pure ice, frozen slowly over 48 hours, free of impurities and perfectly clear. Sayuri keeps this ice at just the right temperature and shaves it thin and carefully, creating that signature fluffy texture.

Both the syrups and the condensed milk are entirely handmade, prepared fresh each day before opening. The condensed milk is made without heavy cream, for a lighter finish. The syrups use no preservatives or artificial coloring, made instead with whatever fruit — strawberry, plum, peach — happens to be at its best that season. The most popular flavor is strawberry milk, a luxurious syrup made by soaking unheated strawberries and folding in fresh fruit flesh at the end. Non-fruit syrups have their own loyal following too — many customers order the same uji matcha, espresso, or black sesame flavor every time. Whether you're a shaved-ice enthusiast or not, this shop, likely to become the spark behind Sapporo's next shaved-ice boom, is well worth a visit.