Shirasu ice cream at top Japanese tourist spot terrifies some, delights others

Can ice cream sweeten the deal of eating dozens of baby sardines as their eyes stare at you?

One of the top tourist sites along the popular Tokyo-to-Kyoto route is a seaside town called Enoshima. Located a little less than two hours by train from downtown Tokyo, in the neighbouring prefecture of Kanagawa, this town is famous for its beaches and shrines…and baby fish called shirasu.

These baby fish, or whitebait (baby sardines), can be found in a lot of dishes in the area, mostly eaten in the traditional way, on a bed of rice in what’s known as “shirasu don” (whitebait rice bowl”).

▼ One of the best places to try whitebait is Shirasu Donya Tobiccho (“Shirasu Wholesaler Tobiccho”).

This restaurant serves up super fresh shirasu, making it a popular dining spot, but those looking to try something a little more adventurous will want to check out the ice cream menu, where you can find…

▼ …shirasu ice cream!

Called “Shirasu Soft“, this soft serve is pretty pricey at 550 yen (US$3.69), but it’s worth it for the novelty, because when you see it, it’ll make your eyes pop as there are…

▼…dozens of tiny eyes staring back at you.

This ice cream makes a strong visual impact, but how does it taste on the palate?

Well, the only thing more surprising than the look of the ice cream is the taste, because it’s actually delicious! The sweetness of the soft serve matches the salty taste of the shirasu, creating a remarkably well-rounded, balanced flavour.

The true identity of the grey hue in the ice cream remains a bit of a mystery as it’s a simple vanilla ice cream. It does match the shade of shirasu, so we wouldn’t be surprised if whitebait is actually mixed into the vanilla ice cream to give it its distinctive colour. Either way, it’s a great mix of flavours, and green tea lovers will be pleased to know there’s a Matcha and Vanilla Shirasu Soft on the menu as well.

If shirasu ice cream is a bit too out-there for you, then you can always try one of the whitebait rice bowls. Outside of the fishing season, from December to March, the popular Nama Shirasu Don (Raw Shirasu Rice Bowl) may not be available, but if that’s the case, the Kamaage Shirasu Don is highly recommended.

▼ “Kamaage” means “lightly boiled”, which helps to bring out the delicate flavour and soft texture of the fish.

Another perk of eating at Tobiccho is the fact that it’s close to Katase-Enoshima Station, which has become something of a tourist site in itself, due to its beautiful station building.

▼ The building is designed to resemble Ryugu-jo (“Dragon Palace“), a mythical underwater castle from the Japanese folktale Urashima Taro.

A trip to Enoshima is a great way to soak up the Japanese seaside, and if you can muster up the strength to try the shirasu soft serve, you’ll be well prepared to move on to eating sushi crepes.

Restaurant information
Shirasu Donya Tobiccho / しらす問屋 とびっちょ
Address: Kanagawa-ken, Fujisawa-shi, Enoshima 1-6-7
神奈川県藤沢市江の島1-6-7
Open 11:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. (last orders 8:00 p.m.)
Website

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