In this article, I’d like to introduce shime parfaits, which is part of a relatively new food culture in Japan. If you’re a fan of sweet things, why don’t you finish off the night with a beautiful delicious parfait? Even if you don’t like them very much, you can still enjoy it because the taste of shime parfaits’ is a little different from parfaits served at cafes and restaurants. And, for alcohol lovers, I recommend eating it with your favorite alcohol at shime parfait shops like at a stylish and cozy bar. Eating it might become one of your most memorable food experiences from your stay in Japan. In particular, there are a lot of shime parfait speciality shops in Sapporo.
What is a shime parfait?
Have you ever heard the Japanese words ‘Shime’ 締め（しめ）, ‘Shimeno’ 締めの（しめの）, or ‘Shimeru’ 締める（しめる）? The meaning of ‘Shimeru’ is to finish, and ‘Shime’ and ‘Shimeno’ mean “finishing” or “final”. For example, Japanese people call a closing remark ‘Shimeno aisatsu’ 締めの挨拶（しめのあいさつ）in Japanese. As another example, it’s common in Japan to eat ramen after drinking, and we call it ‘Shimeno ramen’締め（しめ）のラーメン. Shime parfaits are a kind of Japanese food culture for adults of eating parfait after drinking or dinners at night. Some people also call it a yoru (night) parfait.
History
Nowadays there are a lot of shime parfait speciality shops open until the middle of the night all over Japan. Have you heard that shime parfaits originated in the nightlife district of Sapporo, Susukino?
Originally, It was common for people in Hokkaido to enjoy ice cream or parfait in warm rooms or cafes even during the cold winter because every building and house is equipped with heating. However, the word, ‘shime parfait’ wasn’t used initially. In 2015, one of the cafes which served parfait at night focused attention on this unique local habit. Then, the cafe called other cafes for corporations, and the Shime Parfait Promotion of Sapporo was launched for the purpose of development and promotion of shime parfaits. With this as a trigger, the word ‘shime parfait’ started being familiarized in Susukino,Sapporo, and this food culture had spread nationwide through social media. More shime parfait shops have opened, and now there are a few dozen shops in Sapporo.
Features
Please let me explain about some features of shime parfaits in Sapporo.
1 Ingredients
Shime parfaits are made with fresh dairy products from Hokkaido. They also have a variety of fruits and baked sweets instead of a lot of whipped cream and corn flakes. And most baked sweets are home made. All the ingredients are mostly listed on the menu, so please check them and order the parfait you’d like to try! You won’t get tired of the taste because you can enjoy different flavors and textures until you finish eating.
2 Taste
The taste is not so sweet but very sophisticated. It’s made considering that customers would eat it after drinking or eating dinner. It has a relatively light taste so that you can enjoy it after dining.
3 Appearance
One of the features of the shime parfait is its beautiful and instagram-able appearance. It looks like an elaborate art work because it’s made by layering various ingredients. You might be hesitant to eat right after it’s served because you might want to look at it for a while. Please enjoy watching it and the taste by mixing ingredients.
４Seasonal offers
Lastly, as some of you know, Japanese people really love time-limited offers. You can also enjoy seasonal ingredients by eating shime parfaits because most shops serve seasonal ones.
What are shime parfait shops like?
Most of the shops are open from around 6 pm until the middle of the night. They serve not only parfaits but also a variety of alcohol. They have a cozy atmosphere with relaxing music and soft lighting. A few of the shops open around noon, so you can try shime parfaits even during the day.
Conclusion
I would be happy if you could learn about one of the attractive food cultures of Japan through this article. Why don’t you try a shime parfait instead of eating ramen or going to karaoke? I hope you have a great food experience in Japan. You might come across the most incredible parfait you have ever eaten!
I was born and raised in Hokkaido. I live in Sapporo with my family. I love doing yoga, visiting cafes, going on trips, and learning English.
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