Summer Foods: Kagoshima’s Mango Kakigori

Although it’s mostly shaved ice and flavored syrup, Kakigori is one of the treats I anticipated in summer. It’s quite refreshing to have especially when you are walking around during hot weather. So, when I discovered Mango Kakigori during my trip to Kagoshima last July, I knew I need to taste it!

Kagoshima's Mango Kakigori

Mango is one of my favorite fruits and the Philippines has the sweetest mango in the world, which is why it’s in the Guinness of World Records. That’s the reason why I have a high standard when it comes to mangoes. Japan, on the other hand, is not abundant in mangoes. The only place I know that grows them in Japan is somewhere in Kyushu because some parts of it have a subtropical climate.

Most of the mangoes I see in the supermarkets here are imported from different countries and sadly they are not as good as the mangoes from home. However, this does not stop me from trying out what Japan has to offer. That’s why I was quite excited to try out the Mango Kakigori in Kagoshima. I was hoping it’ll be good.

Where to get it?

The Kakigori I tried out was in a shop nearby Nishi-Oyama Station in Ibusuki, Kagoshima.

The southernmost station in Japan

I didn’t research it before going to that place. I actually expected that there aren’t any single stores in that station because it’s kind of in the middle of nowhere. A lot of people that go there just want to have a quick photo of the Kaimon-dake Volcano. Some just get off the train very quickly to take a quick snap and go back in, hence the train gives the passengers a couple of minutes to marvel at the said volcano.

The beautiful view of Kaimon-dake Volcano with the iconic yellow mailbox

Thus, I was quite surprised to see that there is one and they were selling some souvenirs and snacks. Since I wanted to leisurely take some photos and I needed to wait an hour for my train, I decided to check out the store.

Because it was summer, I knew that it’ll have Kakegori and it did!

The Verdict

That store nearby the Nishi-Oyama Station offers 3 sizes of Kakegori--- small, medium, and large. The one I ordered was the medium one, which cost about 300 yen. It was quite huge and I thought I won’t be able to finish it, but it was pretty easy to eat.

The ice melted softly on my tongue because the ice was finely shaved. Moreover, it has mango syrup and bits of mango. The syrup was sweet but not too overpowering. The mango bits were tasty and didn’t have a medicine aftertaste, which most mangoes that I had in Japan have. I’m not sure if the mango that was used was from Kagoshima (sorry, I didn’t ask).

Anyways, I’m pretty glad that I was able to try out! It was not pricey and it was a great treat, so it’s definitely worth it. That is why if you happen to visit Nishi-Oyama Station, don’t just take a photo of Kaimon-dake Volcano, try out the Mango Kakigori, and chill.

What’s your favorite Japanese summer food? Comment it down below.

Follow me:

TRAVEL: @saunteringboots

ARTS & CRAFT: @lykishbella