CHIMOTO

Quality Japanese Sweets and Noodle Dishes
[updated August 2022]

Chimoto is a quiet and sophisticated cafè in the Asagaya Pearl Center, specializing in wagashi, Japanese sweets.
The main feature of Chimoto is its special kakigori, shaved Ice, made from water from a natural river in Karuizawa, in Nagano Prefecture. High quality natural ice combined with typical Japanese flavours, like ichigo (strawberry) or green tea and red beans.
Their recommended tennengori kakigori (natural shaved ice) is the one with Uji green-tea flavor and red bean jam: you’ll feel the bitter taste of the matcha on the top and the sweet taste of anko bean jam on the bottom, so it’s good to eat it vertically, mixing together the matcha, shaved ice and red beans. The natural ice is more “gentle” so it doesn’t cause a cold-headache and better absorbs the strong matcha or other flavors that make it especially delicious.

Chimoto Sohonten offers also many other types of Japanese sweets such as different types of Anmitsu, Mochi and cute wagashi sweets. Is also possible to order and take out such Japanese sweets.

Other than sweets and shaved ice, Chimoto serves also a good variety of udon and soba dishes, hot or cold and with a great choice of toppings. The udon dishes also have a delicate and soft taste, with a perfect balance often found in Japanese cuisine. The noodles are soft and tasty and you can feel the freshness of all the ingredients.

The atmosphere is also nice and relaxing, with wooden interior, huge windows and paper lamps, and koto music in the air. Chimoto is popular due to its natural shaved ice and exquisite noodle dishes, so depending on the time sometimes you might need to wait a while for the seat. Just write your name in the book at the entrance and wait your turn. It’s absolutely worth it!

ACCESS

Writer/Photographer: Michela