Downtown Fresno shop offers unique Japanese treat to help cool off

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- It's hot outside and many are craving cool and sweet treats.

Blocks of ice are being shaved at Kogetsu-Do Confectionery in Downtown Fresno for the perfect Hawaiian shaved ice.

"Nice cool treat," customer Robert Lee said. "A good way to cool down inside for a little bit."

Firefighters are enjoying the cool dessert, but they're not the only ones craving the cold.

"This morning about 8 a.m., one gentleman came by," Lynn Ikeda with the store said laughing. "He said he was thinking about it yesterday."

Ikeda is a third-generation owner of the confectionery located on F Street.

"It started with my dad's parents, my grandparents. They started in 1915," she said. "They were originally on Kern Street, and in 1920, they moved over here."

The business will have been open for 102 years in September. One of their cool and unique treats is handmade mochi.

"This is all hand-done," Ikeda said. "There is no machinery."

It takes several hours for Ikeda to make a batch of mochi from start to finish. The Japanese rice cake is filled with a variety of ice cream flavors.

"When they try that and then find out that I have it here," Ikeda said. "I hate to say it, but they love mine. Maybe because of the size and the way it tastes. But that makes me really, really happy."

It's a labor of love she puts in each treat. Ikeda says she is the only known confectionery that makes the Japanese treat in the San Joaquin Valley, and she also makes other Japanese treats.

While her grandfather started the shop selling candies, and she's happy to be continuing his legacy. And with summer officially here, Kogetsu-Do is hoping to keep people all summer long with their sweet treats and handmade mochi."