Japan’s ancient capital Nara emerges as shaved-ice hotspot

Nara, Japan's ancient capital, has transformed into a popular destination for shaved ice enthusiasts. The city's ice-making history stretches back 1,600 years, with storage facilities called "himuro" used to preserve winter-made ice for the imperial court. Today, Nara boasts over nine times more shaved ice shops than a decade ago, drawing tourists from far and wide.

Housekibaco, a beloved shaved ice shop, offers specially crafted ice that allows consumers to savor the dessert longer. Shop co-owner Keiko Okada expresses her desire for shaved ice to become an integral part of Nara's culinary culture.

Maiko Taki, a visitor from Tsu in Mie Prefecture, came to Nara to experience the dessert during a sweltering July. "It's been unbearably hot every day, so I used my annual leave to drive here," she said, praising the shop's peach-flavored shaved ice as "delicious." Nara's history of ice production is deeply rooted, as evidenced by the shrine's Himuro Shrine, which has reconstructed a himuro for ice extraction rituals and hosts an annual festival in May.

Inspired by Nara's ice-making legacy, local entrepreneurs have organized a shaved ice festival, and in 2015, co-owner Okada established Housekibaco and published a Nara Shaved Ice Guide to sustain the trend.

Despite the city's enthusiasm, challenges remain. Rising electricity prices have dampened profits for businesses like ice-maker Hinode Seihyo, whose president, Takahito Naka, hopes to expand the company's reach beyond Nara Prefecture. The number of shaved ice shops in Nara Prefecture has grown to 42, with 19 clustered within a short distance of Kintetsu Nara Station.