Tucked away on a quiet backstreet near Nippori for its traditional °ì²¹°ì¾±²µ¨°ù¾± (shaved ice).
Inside the shop, a crystal-clear block of ice from the mountains of Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, is loaded into a hand-powered ice shaver. As the machine¡¯s crank is turned, blades begin to spin around the block of ice. Fluffy pillows of snow-white flakes begin to fall into a waiting bowl, piling into a small mound. Before the ice has time to melt, a sweet, bright-red syrup is ladled over the top along with some condensed milk. This is how Himitsudo makes its most popular flavor of °ì²¹°ì¾±²µ¨°ù¾±, Himitsu no Ichigo Miruku (secret strawberry milk).
Koji Morinishi, a 48-year-old former kabuki actor and the owner of Himitsudo, has good reason for doing things by hand. ¡°Motorized °ì²¹°ì¾±²µ¨°ù¾± and hand-shaved °ì²¹°ì¾±²µ¨°ù¾± are very different,¡± he says. ¡°The speed and rotation frequency is not adjustable with a motorized machine. When we make it by hand, the taste changes depending on the person shaving the ice. This creates a story within the bowl, it keeps people from becoming bored.¡±
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