Find out if these limited-edition sweets uphold the family reputation for quality and creativity.
If you’re a Studio Ghibli fan in Japan, one place you should definitely put on your list of places to visit is Shirohige’s Cream Puff Factory. Currently owned and run by the nephew of Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki, Shirohige’s has two stores in Tokyo – one in Kichijoji and one in Daita near Shimokitazawa – but the main Daita location is where fans are flocking to right now, because it’s the only place in Japan where you can get Totoro Shaved Ice.
▼ Only available for a very limited time, there are three varieties to choose from: Strawberry, Peach, and Matcha, priced at 2,000 yen (US$12.58) each.
We headed to the store to try the new desserts, and when we arrived at about 10:00 a.m., roughly half an hour before opening, there were already around 30 people in line ahead of us. It was a hot day, but staff showed a great deal of care for everyone outside, providing customers with cups of cold water and tea. Hayao Miyazaki’s younger brother, who ran the shop with his wife for many years before recently handing over the reins to son Yosuke, was also present, kindly handing out mosquito repellent to everyone in line, so the wait to enter the store didn’t seem too long at all.
▼ We placed our order inside, above the store’s signature Totoro cream puffs…
▼ …and were given two cards for our order – one peach and one matcha.
Artistic talent clearly runs in the Miyazaki family, as the menu and cards were beautifully illustrated. Creative touches can be seen throughout the store, and even outside, where the banner marked with the kanji for “ice”, commonly hung outside stores that sell shaved ice desserts in Japan, had been personally embellished.
This sweet message, penned and drawn by Miyazaki’s brother, shows the Catbus from My Neighbour Totoro being carried by Spirited Away’s Yu-Bird in fly form. Alongside it is the traditional summer greeting “暑中お見舞い申し上げます” (“shochu omimai moshiagemasu”), which expresses well wishes for the hottest time of year.
After admiring all the little details, it didn’t take long for staff to call out our order numbers and hand over our delectable-looking Totoros, which looked even cuter in real-life than they did in the pictures.
Starting with the peach version, which also happens to be the staff favourite, we were immediately impressed by the freshness of the white peaches and the beautiful hue of the syrup, which is made by simmering nectarines and plums.
Each shaved ice dessert comes with a beautiful white Small Totoro on the side, which is designed to sit between the larger Totoro’s ears, on a mint leaf.
▼ The Small Totoro is made using the same traditional nerikiri technique used to create moulded wagashi sweets.
It almost seemed a shame to interfere with such a work of art, but things were beginning to melt fast under the sunlight.
With the larger Totoro’s ears starting to disappear, the big eyes of the Small Totoro seemed to widen, as if imploring us to hurry up and eat it.
▼ Grabbing the spoon, we took a chunk out of Totoro’s stomach.
The ice was firm yet crumbly, creating just the right amount of texture to keep the structure sturdy and upright, giving us enough time to enjoy the accompanying ingredients.
▼ The peach was delicious – perfectly ripe with a fruity, refreshing sweetness.
The ice cream had a very pronounced taste of vanilla, as if it had been homemade, adding a lovely touch of richness to the sweetness of the peach.
▼ The bite-sized kanten pieces glistened in the dappled sunlight.
Kanten is a traditional type of agar, made from red seaweed, which is commonly used to make firm jellies and desserts in Japan.
▼ These were firm and smooth, with just the right amount of bite to help carry the flavour of the syrup.
The syrup really is the star of the show here, imparting a sweet-yet-tart fruity accent to the entire dessert. You could tell it had been carefully prepared, with the slow simmering process creating the perfect balance between flavours, and with just the right amount to take you through to the very last mouthful.
▼ Feeling refreshed from the fruity iced dessert, we were now keen to try the matcha variety.
This Totoro is surrounded by the same ingredients you’d see in anmitsu, a popular traditional Japanese dessert.
Setting it apart from other desserts, however, is the Totoro factor, with the large Totoro adding extra coolness to the already refreshing combination of ingredients.
▼ The mini Totoro wagashi adds a subtle sweetness and chewiness to the mix.
It’s the matcha that steals the show, though, with both the ice cream and syrup made with a generous amount of fragrant Uji matcha.
▼ The syrup pairs well with the anko bean paste, which retains a lot of the beans to give it a lovely coarse texture.
It’s also a good match for the kanten in the dessert, which consists of both plain and matcha varieties, adding greater depth and richness to match the bold flavours.
▼ Shiratama dumplings add another textural accent, and taste particularly good with a generous serving of matcha syrup.
Even when combined with the shaved ice, this remains a very rich dessert, filled with luscious, traditional flavours.
▼ Though the icy treat looked cute to start with…
▼ …it somehow remained cute right to the end, as the mini Totoro took a tumble and wound up looking as if it was swimming in matcha.
The Totoro in our peach dessert also dove into the syrup and ended up losing an eyeball, but still managed to look cute all the same.
Both desserts were absolutely delicious, and although we weren’t able to try the third flavour, strawberry, judging by the cries of delight from people who tried it nearby, it was just as good as these two.
Made with quality ingredients, the attention to detail in these desserts reflects the quality you’d expect from a place that bears the Miyazaki name.
The Totoro Shaved Ice is one of the cutest and best-tasting desserts you’ll find in Japan at the moment, but it won’t be around for long. Available on just six days, 21-23 and 28-30 August, the shaved ice is only being made in limited quantities so be sure to get there early to avoid missing out.
Cafe information
Shirohige’s Cream Puff Factory / 白髭（しろひげ）のシュークリーム工房
Address: Tokyo-to, Setagaya-ku, Daita 5-3-1
東京都世田谷区代田５-３-１
Open 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m., closed Tue ( or Wed if Tue is a public holiday)
Website
Images: ©SoraNews24
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