It's so hot this summer (2023). I walked around Yanaka Ginza looking for delicious shaved ice. I immediately spotted "CHAYA Matsuo," a shop with a Japanese-style facade. The compact shop can fit about 8 people. Today, I ordered the strawberry shaved ice and a highball for myself. My companion wanted coffee, but since it's a tea house, they only had Japanese drinks. They ended up ordering cold matcha. Here is what we ordered: - Strawberry shaved ice 800 yen - Highball 600 yen - Cold matcha 500 yen The shaved ice was really good. The ice texture was different and the syrup had a nice touch. The amount of condensed milk was just right and it was evenly distributed throughout the shaved ice. I was completely satisfied with what is likely my last shaved ice of the year.

As I was strolling down the street after watching the sunset gradually, I was drawn by the smell of burnt soy sauce and decided to casually step into the restaurant. The realistic cat figurine caught my eye, and the menu highlighted Uji Kinjito shaved ice. However, being a tea house, I opted for dango instead. The eat-in option was a one-drink minimum, and I chose a cold matcha and two skewered dango. The dango, grilled with soy sauce, were irresistible. The matcha was not overly sweet, catering to a more mature palate. Although offered to sweeten it, I declined, preferring the adult flavor. The service was polite, although lacking in experience, and I enjoyed a leisurely time there. Thank you for the meal.

I heard that "Chaboushou Matsuo," located in front of Yushima Tenjin Shrine, has opened a new store in Yanaka, and I went to try it out. "Chaboushou Matsuo" has been very popular for their three-tiered afternoon tea set, but they decided to open a new store for a more casual dessert experience. As I walked down the Yuuyake Dandan street, I found "CHAYA Matsuo" about 100 meters away. The lovely proprietress of "Chaboushou Matsuo" greeted me with her usual smile. I tried their recommended "Fresh Fruit Anmitsu" and "Cold Matcha." The "Fresh Fruit Anmitsu" had two cute cats on top - so adorable! It really fits the atmosphere of Yanaka with cats and sweets. The cats are made of crispy monaka wafers, filled with fruits and sweet bean paste. The bean paste here is delicious! The fresh fruit varies depending on the season, and on this day, it was Shine Muscat grapes. The combination of the sweet bean paste and the slightly tart sweetness of the grapes was amazing. While I was eating at the counter, I noticed that all the customers were foreigners. Yanaka seems to be a popular town for tourists from overseas. The lady next to me, who was visiting from Oklahoma, USA, had a cat on top of her shaved ice too! She was taking lots of photos with great excitement. She must be planning to post them on Instagram. Oh, lady from Oklahoma, your shaved ice is melting! Maybe next time, we should try the shaved ice together.

I found a small but stylish and trendy tea house called CHAYA and took a break there. I ordered cold warabi zenzai. I thought zenzai was called oshiruko in Tokyo, not Kansai. But I enjoyed it deliciously.