In a Tokyo summer, it’s almost impossible to walk past a dessert shop display case without spotting a plastic replica of a dome of ice drizzled with colorful syrup.

Available year-round in Japan but coming to the fore only in summer, kakigōri (shaved ice) is a snowball toss of a riposte to the brutal heat now upon us. While similar dishes exist across East and Southeast Asia, Japan’s take stands out for the feathery texture of its ice, an effect achieved through the precision of ice-shaving machines.

A standard kakigōri is simply shaved ice with syrup, though some vendors offer various fillings or toppings, such as anko (adzuki bean paste), mochi and fresh fruit. It’s a refreshing combination of flavors that has earned the dessert a perennial spot as a cheap treat sold for a few hundred yen from yatai (food stalls) at matsuri (traditional festivals).