JAPN Summer Food Japan: Kakigori, Cold Noodles and Festival Treats
Summer Food Japan: Kakigori, Cold Noodles and Festival Treats
Beating the Heat with Food
Kakigori (shaved ice) is the defining summer dessert, ranging from festival stall versions with neon syrups at 300 yen to artisan preparations using natural ice blocks hand-shaved to a snow-like texture and topped with fresh fruit, condensed milk, and house-made syrups at 800 to 1,500 yen. Hiyashi chuka (cold ramen) layers thin noodles with strips of ham, cucumber, egg, and tomato in a tangy sesame or vinegar dressing. Zaru soba and somen, both served ice-cold on bamboo mats with dipping sauce, provide quick cooling meals.
Nagashi somen (flowing noodles) is a summer activity where thin somen noodles flow down a split bamboo chute filled with ice water, and diners catch them with chopsticks as they pass. Unagi (grilled eel) on doyo no ushi no hi is meant to provide stamina against summer fatigue. Watermelon (suika), sold whole or in slices at fruit stands, is eaten on beaches and in parks. Edamame salted soybeans and cold beer form the classic summer evening combination at any izakaya.
Summer Drinks
Ramune, the marble-stoppered carbonated drink in a Codd-neck bottle, defines summer festival beverages. The opening technique of pressing the marble into the bottle is a skill children learn at their first festival. Mugicha (cold barley tea) appears in every Japanese refrigerator from June through September. Kakigori shops and convenience stores sell matcha, melon, and mango-flavored drinks. Beer gardens on department store rooftops and in parks operate from May through September with all-you-can-drink plans.
Beating Heat with Food
Japanese summer food centers on cold dishes and stamina-building nutrition to combat the oppressive heat. Kakigori (shaved ice) with flavored syrup and condensed milk at 300 to 800 yen appears at festivals, cafes, and specialty shops, with premium versions using natural fruit syrups and ice shaved to snow-fine texture. Hiyashi chuuka (cold ramen) serves chilled noodles with strips of ham, cucumber, egg, and tomato in a vinegar-soy dressing, available at ramen shops and convenience stores from June. Somen, ultra-thin wheat noodles served in ice water and dipped in mentsuyu sauce, is the quintessential home summer meal. Nagashi somen (flowing noodles) slides the noodles down a bamboo chute for diners to catch with chopsticks, a fun summer tradition at restaurants and festivals. Unagi (eel) consumption peaks on doyo no ushi no hi in late July, when eating grilled eel is believed to provide stamina against summer heat, a tradition dating to the Edo period. Cold tofu (hiyayakko), cold beer, and edamame form the standard summer izakaya order.
Beating the Heat Through Food
Summer in Japan brings specific foods designed to combat the debilitating combination of high heat and extreme humidity that characterizes July and August. Hiyashi-chuuka (cold Chinese-style noodles) appears on virtually every restaurant menu from June, with chilled ramen-style noodles topped with ham, cucumber, egg, and tomato in a sweet-sour sesame or soy-vinegar dressing. Zaru-soba (cold buckwheat noodles served on a bamboo tray with dipping sauce) and hiyamugi (cold wheat noodles) provide cooling carbohydrates with minimal cooking heat in the kitchen.
The Doyo no Ushi no Hi (midsummer Day of the Ox, typically in late July) tradition prescribes eating unagi (freshwater eel) to fortify against summer fatigue (natsubate). Unagi restaurants see their busiest day of the year, with kabayaki (grilled eel glazed with sweet soy sauce) served over rice as unaju (in a lacquerware box) or unadon (in a rice bowl) at 2,500 to 5,000 yen. Kakigoori (shaved ice) peaks in August, with specialty shops like Himitsudo in Yanaka, Tokyo (famous for its natural fruit syrup kakigoori at 1,000 to 1,500 yen) drawing lines of 60 to 90 minutes on summer weekends. Nagashi-somen (flowing noodles caught with chopsticks from a bamboo water slide) appears at festival events and some traditional restaurants as a playful summer dining experience.
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