Musashi Koyama is a classic Tokyo shotengai, or shopping street, located in the Shinagawa ward. At an amazing 800 meters long, Musashi Koyama Shopping Street Palm is actually the longest covered shopping arcade in the whole of Tokyo and is home to over 200 shops and restaurants. These sell everything from clothing and stationery to electronics and games, plus of course plenty of delicious Tokyo street food – including what might just be the biggest parfait you’ve ever seen!
Join your host Shizuka Anderson as she explores this charming locale that manages to combine a nostalgic atmosphere with a contemporary shopping and eating experience.
3.5kg Giant Parfait & Street Food in Musashi Koyama
Musashi Koyama has a long history dating all the way back to the Edo period, and in 1944 was unfortunately severely damaged by bombing during the Second World War.
Luckily in 1947, a cooperative of local residents formed to revive the area, and in 1956 the first 470-meter-long arcade was completed. This was then added to over the years, and Musashi Koyama is now a fantastic 800 meters of bustling retail spaces, eateries, and Japanese street food vendors.
Shizuka starts her tour at Komine Bakery, which is best known for its impressive range of anpan (buns filled with sweet bean paste).
With a wide variety of flavors including chestnut, yuzu, red bean paste, and white bean paste, there is a wealth of interesting treats to try. Check out the video to see what Shizuka thinks of the sweet uguisumame bread and nostalgic amashoku she picks!
Next up is a yakitori stand which serves a variety of juicy, freshly-grilled meat, seafood, and vegetables on skewers.
Then, it’s time for the main event: the King Parfait.
This giant parfait from rustic restaurant King and Strawberry in Musashi Koyama weighs in at a massive 3.5kg and is a staggering 60cm tall! A literal tower of soft-serve ice cream, it comes topped with Pocky sticks and cornflakes for crunch, plus generous helpings of your choice of sauce.
What’s especially lovely about this parfait is not only how delicious it is, but also the story behind it. The owner of King and Strawberry wanted to create a dessert that was both unique and would also bring a smile to the faces of his customers – and if you take a look at Shizuka’s face when she sees the parfait, you’ll see that he’s definitely achieved this aim!
Join a Japanese Street Food Tour
Want to explore local neighborhoods in Tokyo and beyond, plus taste plenty of delicious authentic foods along the way? Join a Japanese street food tour!
From Tokyo and Kyoto to Hiroshima, Osaka, and Nagoya, there are exciting foodie adventures to be had all across Japan, including food market tours, nighttime tours, vegan tours, tea tours, bike tours, and LGBT tours. Which one will you try first?
