The small and flimsy Naniwa cafe is located on Tengonakazakidori, one of my favorite ²õ³ó¨­³Ù±ð²Ô²µ²¹¾± shopping streets in Osaka. Compared to the neighboring Tenjinbashisuji Shotengai, which stretches for 2.6 kilometers, Tengonakazakidori Shotengai is a short stroll. What it lacks in length it makes up for with its eclectic mix of shops and restaurants, including a cat cafe, a freshwater fish bar and a cramped sushi joint where the jokes are served in abundance. Naniwa is in good company.

Though Naniwa serves °ì²¹°ì¾±²µ¨­°ù¾± (shaved ice), which is as much a part of summer in Japan as the relentless shrieking of cicadas, the cafe is best known for its fish-shaped taiyaki hot cakes. These are baked the traditional way, with a filling of sweet bean paste that oozes out as you bite in.

Naniwa does a lively trade in take-out orders, but there¡¯s a small seated area inside where you can dig into their desserts. The best-seller is the ujikintoki, a small mound of shaved ice piled into a plastic container and smothered with green tea syrup and a dollop of sweet red beans. Other flavors include milk syrup, strawberry syrup and brown sugar syrup.

Eating °ì²¹°ì¾±²µ¨­°ù¾± is all about indulging and treating yourself. If you want to exercise some restraint, however, you can order the smaller-sized option. It¡¯s ?100 cheaper, and will leave just enough room for you to fill up on taiyaki.