There is no better way to beat the Tokyo heat in the middle of the day than with an ice-cold sweet. This suika (watermelon) mizore at Toraya Cafe in Omotesando Hills hits the spot. What caught my attention to this when I first spotted it on a friend’s facebook page was that it comes with a rum syrup.

The bottom of the glass has a not too sweet kuromitsu (brown sugar) and rum syrup. It was a little thick so I am guessing that it had a little bit of Toraya’s famous An Paste (a creamy azuki paste that I love on toast).  On top of the watermelon ice was some azuki beans as well as some soy milk ice cream. This is part of a summer promotion and is only available in August.

Toraya Cafe is perfect if you are by yourself. It’s also a great place to visit with a friend. While Omotesando and Harajuku can be filled with people I find this is usually a tranquil spot to relax over Japanese sweets. The cafe also serves a light lunch but it is the wafu sweets that make this a special place for me. This online menu has great photos of their menu.

There is also a counter that sells some of their most popular items. Toraya Cafe also has branches in Roppongi Hills and in Aoyama.

Toraya Cafe

Shibuya-ku, Jingumae 4-12-10, Omotesando Hills B1