Evolving shaved ice made from natural ice, including local specialties and limited time offerings

It is about a 15-minute walk from Shimo-Imaichi Station on the Tobu Railway. The main store of Shougetsu Himuro, a natural ice wholesaler established in 1894, is located in an area that prospered as Imaichijuku on the Nikko Kaido Road. Visitors are constantly coming to the store to taste shaved ice made from natural ice all year round.

Among the many items on the menu, the most popular is the "Fresh Strawberry Premium" (800 yen, tax excluded). Tochigi Prefecture boasts the largest production of strawberries in Japan. Fresh, sweet and fragrant strawberries from the prefecture are used generously in the sauce and filling.

The other is the "Melomelo Melon Earl's Melon" (1,300 yen, excluding tax). Half of a high quality Earl's melon is used in this dish, and the seeds are hollowed out to make a bowl. The fresh melon flesh and condensed milk are a perfect match. To top it off, you can pour soda water into the melon bowl and enjoy a melon soda while scraping off the pulp.

Each menu item has a large serving of shaved ice, but you will never get tired of eating it until the very end. It never gets too cold in the mouth. This is the result of the use of natural ice.

What is the difference between natural ice and ordinary ice?

What exactly is natural ice?
Masao Yoshira (nicknamed "Masa-san"), the fourth generation owner of Shougetsu Ice House, told us.

Unlike ice in a freezer, which freezes quickly, natural ice is formed by slowly freezing in the middle of winter. After about two weeks of drawing mountain spring water into the ice pond, hard natural ice with few impurities is created."

I see, high purity = hard ice, which is why it is hard to melt and fluffy even when shaved into small pieces. During the ice-making period, of course, but also during the rest of the year, cleaning and environmental maintenance are essential. After all, we are freezing and tasting nature as it is!

Shaved ice professionals gather at the place where natural ice is born

Early February 2018. We were able to witness the cutting of the natural ice. We headed for Shirasawa Pond, a 10-minute drive from the main store. A large ice pond (54m long x 22m wide) was spread out in a quiet mountainous area, and ice was forming all over the pond. Located in the shade of the mountain, where it does not receive direct Nikko even on sunny days, the stone wall on the mountain side was hand-piled by the first generation in the Meiji era and is still in use.

The ice is poured into the ice pond, which is about 330 tsubo in area, with limpid spring water from the mountains. On the day of the event, owners of shaved ice shops in the Tokyo metropolitan area who love Matsuki Icehouse's natural ice came to help out.
They were very proud of their work, saying, "Knowing the roots of the ice we serve at our stores makes us feel secure, and Guest/customers are also happy.

The ice is cut into pieces using an electric ice cutter in accordance with the vertical and horizontal lines drawn on the surface of the ice. The ice is then placed on bamboo rails and manually slid across the surface. Each piece of ice weighs about 40 kg, and 10 to 12 blocks of ice (one block weighs about 3.75 kg) can be produced. The annual production volume is about 5,500 sheets (220 tons).

The one-story wooden ice house is a vintage structure dating back to prewar times. The pillars are made of Japanese cypress, which is less prone to deviation, and the interior is made of chestnut, which is resistant to water damage, and the ice is covered with cypress sawdust as a cooling agent. The ice in the icehouse is said to last until summer without melting, and the wisdom of our ancestors is always interesting.
The basics of natural ice production have not changed since the Meiji era. That is why we can use the same Property and old tools that were used by the first generation," says Masashi.

Travel souvenirs for adults! On the rocks at home!

Natural ice is said to have appeared in the "Pillow Book" of the Heian period (794-1185). After the introduction of machine-made ice from overseas in the early Meiji period (1868-1912), the number of ice producers declined dramatically from its peak in the Taisho period (1912-1926), and it became a rare treat.

Currently, there are only seven ice producers in Japan (Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture; Karuizawa Town, Nagano Prefecture; Nagatoro-cho, Saitama Prefecture; Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture; and Kawaguchiko Town, Yamanashi Prefecture). Of these, three are located in Nikko, and Shougetsu Ice House is the oldest. With the unprecedented natural ice boom, the demand for high-quality natural ice is only increasing.
However, because it is handmade, there is a limit to production. We want to sell our rare natural ice to people who will take good care of it," says Masashi.

He says, "I like to buy and sell face to face," and does not sell over the Internet. The ice is sold as a single block of ice (950 yen, tax excluded). In addition, rock ice and shaved ice to-go are also available. It would be great to get some natural ice as a travel souvenir and enjoy it with whiskey on the rocks at home.

In addition to the two major types of shaved ice mentioned above, the main store offers a wide variety of shaved ice with homemade syrups and seasonal fruit flavors.
In addition to shaved ice, the Daiyabashi branch, a 15-minute walk from the main store, now sells crepes with sweets and salads.

Shaved ice made from natural ice is evolving. Now, shaved ice is not just for summer.
Shaved ice from Nikko Natural Ice is a time capsule. You can enjoy the delicious natural ice created by Nikko's winters all year round," says Masashi. How romantic! Be sure to visit Nikko, the town of natural ice!

Matsuzuki Ice Shop Main Store

• 379 Imaichi, Nikko, Tochigi MAP
• 6 min. walk from Imaichi Station, 9 min. walk from Shimo-Imaichi Station
• 11:00-18:00 (L.O.17:30) *Shorter hours in winter
• Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a national holiday)
• 0288-21-0162
• Free of charge

Shougetsu Ice House, Otani-bashi Branch

• 1527 Imaichi, Nikko, Tochigi MAP
• 8 min. walk from Kamiimoichi Sta.
• 11:00-17:30 (L.O.17:00)
• Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a national holiday)
• 080-7840-8719
• Free of charge