Tousendo: Imabari’s Famous Kakigori (Shaved Ice) — Beyond the Legendary Strawberry
Imabari summers are hot and humid, and the local antidote is kakigori — Japanese shaved ice piled high and drenched in syrup. The city has two long-loved kakigori institutions, and Tousendo is one of them. A short trip from central Imabari at the Shikoku end of the Shimanami Kaido, it is the perfect cool-down after a summer ride or a day of sightseeing.
One of Imabari’s two great kakigori shops
When locals talk about kakigori in Imabari, two names always come up: Tousendo and Tamaya Saint-Honoré. Tousendo (formerly in Matsumoto-cho, now in Goshin’yashiki-cho) is beloved above all for the intensity of its fruit syrups. The shop is best known as a sweets maker, and these days it stays open through the year — kakigori in the warmer months, and Japanese confections in autumn and winter — but for many people, a bowl of Tousendo ice is the taste of summer.
The legendary strawberry — and what else to try
Tousendo’s signature is its strawberry kakigori, made with a rich, deeply flavoured strawberry syrup. The shop prepares the syrup by the ton each year, yet it is so popular that it can sell out before the season ends. If it is available, it is a must.
But the strawberry is only the beginning. A few favourites worth knowing:
- Iyokan milk — made with iyokan, a local Ehime citrus. Less sweet than the strawberry, with a bright, refreshing sweet-and-sour flavour; it comes with extra syrup so you can adjust the sweetness.
- Uji milk — proper Uji matcha, with a grown-up bitterness that makes it a favourite even among people who find shaved ice too sweet.
- Houjicha (roasted green tea) milk — the least sweet of the lot, with a wonderful toasty aroma. It even comes with a cup of hot houjicha on the side, so you get roasted tea two ways.
- Milk kintoki — a colourful Japanese classic of shaved ice with sweet azuki beans and milk; hearty and satisfying.
A nice touch: a regular bowl of kakigori here comes with a cup of green tea (sencha) on the side, which resets your palate between spoonfuls — while the houjicha bowl swaps in that hot roasted tea instead.
Why kakigori in Imabari?
Imabari sits on the Seto Inland Sea, where summers turn hot and sticky. The long-standing local answer is kakigori, and the city takes it seriously enough to support two shops famous across Japan. For a traveller that means a cheap, deeply cooling, very local treat is never far away — and unlike a quick convenience-store ice, these bowls are made with care and pride.
Good to know before you go
Is kakigori available all year? Kakigori is seasonal — generally from around late April into September, with individual flavours ending as their syrups run out. In autumn and winter the shop turns to Japanese sweets, so check ahead if you are visiting outside summer.
How sweet is it? It ranges from the rich strawberry to the restrained houjicha, so there is something whether you have a sweet tooth or prefer something lighter.
Ordering without Japanese. It is a casual local sweets shop; pointing at the menu works fine, and the flavour names above will help you choose.
When to go. Popular flavours can sell out on hot afternoons, so earlier in the day is safer if there is one you really want.
How to enjoy it. Japanese shaved ice is far lighter and finer than crushed ice, so it melts quickly — eat at a steady pace, and if you get the classic “brain freeze,” just pause for a moment. Sipping the tea that comes alongside helps too.
Takeaway. Bowls are available to take away as well, if you would rather enjoy yours in the shade nearby.
Make it a two-shop kakigori crawl
Because Imabari has two famous kakigori shops, the fun move in summer is to try both and compare. Tousendo leans into bold fruit and tea syrups; Tamaya Saint-Honoré is a long-established Western confectioner famous for an unusually fluffy texture and its signature “milk shake” ice. Pair a bowl with a plate of Imabari’s yakibuta tamago meshi for lunch, or a soak at the hot spring by the station, for a proper summer day around the Shikoku end of the Shimanami Kaido.
Getting there from JR Imabari Station
By taxi or bike: the shop sits a little inland from the city centre, in Goshin’yashiki-cho — about 7 minutes by car or taxi from JR Imabari Station, and an easy ride by bicycle. The nearest railway station is Iyo-Tomita, about an 11-minute walk away.
Map: Open in Google Maps (2-5-30 Goshin’yashiki-cho, Imabari)
For cyclists: a short detour off the city-centre grid — pin the map before you set off, and reward yourself with a bowl of that strawberry ice.
Shop information
Tousendo (登泉堂)
Address: 2-5-30 Goshin’yashiki-cho, Imabari City, Ehime
Tel: 0898-22-5735
Hours: 11:00–18:00 (last order 17:30); eat-in until 17:30
Closed: Mondays (the following Tuesday if Monday is a holiday)
Kakigori is seasonal; please check the latest information before visiting.
Original article in Japanese: 「登泉堂」かき氷のおすすめはイチゴだけじゃない
