Nobunaga’s edible ambition.
Although it’s been destroyed and rebuilt several times over the centuries, Osaka Castle remains a specular landmark in the middle of Osaka City. It was also a critical location during the Sengoku Period of Japanese history as warlords vied, supported, and betrayed each other in an attempt to unite the country under their own leadership.
When staying in Osaka, the DoubleTree by Hilton Osaka Castle hotel offers some of the best views of the castle, and starting 1 July will also be serving some edible history to go with its view. What better way to battle the brutal heat of a Japanese summer than with some shaved ice warlords on your side?
▼ Osaka Castle (left) and the DoubleTree by Hilton Osaka Castle (right)
Shaved ice might sound like a chintzy menu item, but in Japan, it’s sometimes done in the form of haute cuisine as is the case with these three offerings. First, Oda Nobunaga was the first of the great generals to attempt to unify Japan and came within reach of succeeding had he not been ambushed in Kyoto and driven to commit seppuku there.
▼ Uji Matcha Azuki Nobunaga (3,500 yen [US$24])
So perhaps it’s fitting for Nobunaga’s shaved ice to be based on the region of his last stand with a matcha flavoring from Uji, Kyoto Prefecture. Matcha, along with its common companion of sweet azuki beans, as well as some raspberry cream, condensed milk, shiratama rice dumplings, and a chocolate ornament all come together to represent the legendary leader’s armor with a distinctively Japanese taste.
While Nobunaga laid much of the groundwork for the unification of Japan, it was Toyotomi Hideyoshi who picked up where he left off and continued the mission further west. He successfully unified Japan for a time and settled in Osaka, building Osaka Castle to be the strongest fortress in the country. However, he died of natural causes shortly after and passed his position on to his son Toyotomi Hideyori.
▼ Mango & Cider Hideyoshi (2,500 yen)
Hideyoshi’s shaved ice has been given a rich flavor of mango and Osaka-style blue soda. In honor of his work to create Osaka Castle, the treat has a towering white-and-gold look topped with a candy sword resting on a cloud of foam and a candy paulownia leaf resembling a halo.
The power vacuum left by Hideyoshi was then seized by Tokugawa Ieyasu, who eventually saw Hideyori as a threat and stormed Osaka Castle in 1615 to remove him from the equation, thus securing his control over all of Japan for centuries.
▼ Whole Melon Ieyasu (5,000 yen)
Ieyasu’s armor was decorated with a fern leaf motif as a symbol of longevity and prosperity, as is his shaved ice, featuring ferns crafted from cream puffs and chocolate sitting atop flakes of ice and melon scoops all inside an entire half melon with black tea jelly inside. It also comes with melon ice cream, melon syrup, and foam on the side.
It isn’t necessary to stay at the DoubleTree by Hilton Osaka Castle hotel to enjoy these high-class desserts. One only needs to head up to the Lounge & Bar Sen on the sixth floor where a nice view of the castle can also be enjoyed.
They’ll only be available for the summer until 30 September though, so be sure to try some before they’re history.
Restaurant information
Lounge & Bar Sen / ラウンジ＆バー SEN（舟）
DoubleTree by Hilton Osaka Castle
ダブルツリーbyヒルトン大阪城
Osaka-fu, Osaka-shi, Chuo-ku, Otemae 1-1-1
大阪府大阪市中央区大手前1丁目1番1号
Hours: 11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Website
Source, images: PR Times
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