Matsumoto Shaved Ice in Hawaii
Posted on 23. Mar, 2012 @ 7:22 am by harvey in Food, Travel Views: 2,706
I took a vacation to Hawaii and was surprised at all the Japanese people, language, and culture thriving on the island! Many signs are bilingual English-Japanese, and there are even shops that accept Japanese yen in Waikiki. A few nights ago we went to a karaoke shop that had more Japanese songs than English on the menu.
Another point of Japanese influence is the popularity of “shaved ice,” or, かき氷 (kakigoori).
There is one shaved ice shop in particular that is unbelievably famous – Matsumoto Shaved Ice!
Matsumoto Shaved Ice is up on the North Shore and seems to be a must try for tourists and locals alike. The line was out the door when we arrived at about 3pm on a weekday.
The ice itself is tasty. It’s very sweet and surely is loaded with sugar, but my wife loved it, and I enjoyed more than a few bites as well. Can’t beat that rainbow colored sugar-water! Yum yum.
Now there tons of shaved ice shops in Hawaii, but Matsumoto’s claims to be the first. The website shows that the shop was opened in 1951. Check their website for more information about Matsumoto’s amazing history.
If you’re ever in Hawaii, be sure to visit!
Matsumoto Shaved Ice official Website
Another photo of some shaved ice in Japan from vintage JapanNewbie.
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