Strawberry cream flavor snow cone (Photo: Lynda Hogan)

Korekaki Shaved Ice Specialty Cafe

For the best snow cones in Kawagoe

Strawberry cream flavor snow cone (Photo: Lynda Hogan)
Lynda Hogan   - 2 min read

Korekaki Kore ga Kakigori, hereafter called Korekaki, is a shaved ice and snow cone specialty cafe in the tourist and historic town of Kawagoe. Shaved ice is very popular in Japan, commonly served from a food van between the months of April and September. You could also get it as a dessert in several restaurants. However, a few years ago, cafes dedicated to serving the frozen treat all year round opened up around Japan.

Korekaki is still relatively new at almost two years old. It wasn't the first shaved ice cafe to open in Kawagoe, but it soon became the most popular. During the summer months, it is not uncommon to see long lines form outside the cafe. The cafe isn't particularly large, but they have a selection of eleven flavors at any given time, with at least one "limited edition" flavor, too.

They are not cheap with prices starting from 900 yen. A snow cone in a family restaurant or food van will cost half that. But Korekaki's portions are very generous. I personally couldn't finish one myself and usually share with one of my children. Korekaki uses real fruit pieces for the toppings and natural ice that is especially prepared for the cafe. The most popular flavor is mango, though strawberry cream is my personal favorite.

The cafe is quite small, so the vast majority of people take out. There is a small seating area outside or you can walk and eat as many people do in the Kawagoe tourist area. If you are dining in, the tatami seating area is a good spot. It has a view of the small garden.The cafe is located on one route that links Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine to the main tourist district with the old storehouses. It is a great spot to stop for a rest and cool down while touring Kawagoe in the summer months.

Getting there

By car: There is no car park at Korekaki, but there are several coin parking lots nearby. The closest one is the large one you can see beside the cafe, but that is for city hall and is quite expensive. If you drive past that parking lot (the cafe on your right hand side), you will find even more coin parking lots that are more reasonably priced.

By bus: Several of the Kawagoe city and Kawagoe tour buses pass close to the cafe. Alight at the bus stop for the Kawagoe City Hall.

Lynda Hogan

Lynda Hogan @lynda.hogan

Lynda has been in Japan for 20 years and blogging about Saitama on her personal blog insaitama.com for 14 of them.  Despite its central location, just North of Tokyo, Saitama is still quite unknown to the international tourist, but frequented by domestic travelers. It is a great place to experien...