Kakigori is Japanese shaved ice, enjoyed since the 11th century; and where better to taste it than a café that is equally authentic? Located near the famed Sunset Stairs in Yanaka Ginza, Himitsudo chefs actually make your order with retro hand-cranked machines. With a menu of 132 syrup flavours, a seasonal variety of fresh toppings, and a nostalgic canteen seating, Himitsudo has gained much fame among local dessert lovers, drawing long queues, especially in the summer. Recommended picks include the Ichigo Milk (strawberries + cream), Uguisu Zakura (green tea + cherry blossom), and Satsumano-Cream Caramel (sweet potatoes + caramel cream). How to get there: a 4-minute walk from Nishinippori Station.

Taiyaki fish-shaped pancake is a Japanese special, created at this very shop since 1909. Naniwaya Shohonten still uses the traditional sea bream mould-pan to cook their famed Taiyaki. Thin, crispy batter packed with delicious red bean paste, savoured and praised by locals, tourists and food critics alike. The paste is cooked for 8 hours to give the perfect texture and sweetness that will leave you craving for more. The shop also serves shaved ice, red bean soup and fried noodles. How to get there: 6-minute walk from Akabanebashi Station. Look for the signature Noren curtains at the entrance.

In front of the massive Ueno Park stands the Mihashi Honten. An old-school dessert parlour with 70 years of history, specializing in Anmitsu: smooth red bean paste, fruits, peas and agar jelly, topped with fine honey. But that’s just the basic description. Mihashi Honten serves many styles and variants of this popular treat in its cosy café interior. Recommended picks include the Cream Anmitsu with soft ice-cream, Anzu Anmitsu with apricot, and Fruits Anmitsu with seasonal fruits. An ideal hangout after exploring the many beautiful sights of Ueno Park. How to get there: a 4-minute walk from Ueno Station.

Kuzumochi isn’t real mochi, which is glutinous rice cakes. Instead, it is translucent jelly made from Japanese arrowroot starch and shares a similar springy texture as mochi. Cooling but plain on its own, Kuzumochi is savoured with powdered soybeans and black honey syrup – a specialty of Ikedaya café along the path to the historical, five-storey pagoda-like Honmonji temple. The café has a traditional façade and wooden floor decor. Pots of black honey syrup sit on the tables, ready for your enjoyment. Ikedaya also serves Kinako Kuzumochi with black sesame, for a sweet and uniquely complex flavour. How to get there: a 7-minute walk from Ikegami Station.

This cold desserts café is best known for its non-fat Ogura ice-cream, made with Azuki red beans, sugar and water; served with shaved ice, or in Anmitsu topped with brown sugar syrup. The recipe was invented by shop founder, Toyo Shimada in 1915. Rather than let her excess red beans go to waste, she put them in her ice-cream machine, and thus created the refreshing dessert. Today, Mitsubachi is one of the most popular cafés in Tokyo and continues to serve a rich variety of kakigori, dessert soups, and lovely ice-cream treats. How to get there: a 4-minute walk from Yushima Station

Takemura is a time capsule wonder: Insta-worthy old-style structure wedged between modern buildings at an alley corner of Kanda-Sudacho; complete with a stone lantern, shrubs and bamboo palisade. Built in 1930, Takemura is a Tokyo heritage that remains in full operation since the day it opened; serving authentic desserts to happy patrons. The must-have here is the Age Manju, homemade bun with bean paste filling, fried to crispy perfection in sesame oil. Shiruko is another house favourite, a winter soup of crushed mochi and azuki beans; paired with Umeboshi pickled plums or dried seaweed. Come for the sight, stay for the sweetness. How to get there: a 3-minute walk from Awajicho Station.

On the second floor of the Tokyu Plaza Ginza, a shopping mall is a classy café that serves a parfait you won’t find elsewhere. Matcha powder artfully sprinkled on a white chocolate plate to resemble a Japanese sand garden atop a traditional masu box. Crack the crunchy chocolate for the Matcha ice-cream underneath, filled with Matcha-infused mascarpone, sweetened chestnuts, agar jelly and Warabimochi (bracken-starch rice puffs). The multi-layered textures and heavenly flavours will give you goose-bumps from pure awe and satisfaction. A truly unforgettable dessert. How to get there: a 1-minute walk from Ginza Station