The refreshing icy goodness we know today as shave ice is such a signature element of the Hawaiian culture that it’s hard to imagine Hawaii without it. It would be like trying to think of Hawaii without leis or hibiscus. When our family first visited Kauai in 2017, we saw cute little shave ice stands pretty much everywhere. But it got us wondering, how did it get so popular there? Where did shave ice come from?
It turns out, modern Hawaiian shave ice as we know it owes its roots to the thousands of Japanese immigrants who came to Hawaii during the middle of the 1900s to work on sugar plantations.
The Origin Of Hawaiian Shave Ice – Kakigōri
Hawaii doesn’t have much natural ice, but Japan does. Back in the 11th century, Kakigōri was first made using blocks of ice (which had been saved during the winter months) where thinly shaved and covered with sweet syrups. Instead of being the sort of low cost dessert we imagine shaved ice as today, Kakigōri at that time would have been available to the aristocracy and ruling elites.
It wouldn’t be until the mid 19th century that modern refrigeration would allow Kakigōri to become more economically accessible to the rest of society during the summer months. By that point, it was a big hit.
The modern Kakigōri shaved ice we know and love today is thought to have been invented in Yokohama Japan in 1869. Called Kakigori, it became so popular that by the 1920s and 30s it could be found commonly found throughout Japan.
Kakigōri Arrives In Hawaii
So that’s the story. Native Hawaiians haven’t been funneling syrups onto ice for thousands of years or anything because, how could they? With the exception of the peak of Mauna Kea, Hawaii’s tallest mountain, there’s not a whole lot of snow In Hawaii. You need modern refrigeration technology for shave ice.
Just like how sushi is a pretty modern invention in Japan, shave ice is a fairly recent addition to Hawaiian culture. Both have become hugely iconic parts of the culture of where they’re from, but haven’t been around for all that long.
