(Photo by Yurika Usui/Stripes Okinawa)

The summer heat is here and the temperature isn’t being so kawaii to us here in Japan. But did you know there is a small snack perfect for this temperature that’s found at store ice cream freezers? It’s called Icebox and it’s a simple flavored ice treat sold around Japan convenience stores and some supermarkets that is perfect for this season.

The first time I had this snack, it was a recommendation from my wife last year when the weather was in the high 30s (Celsius or around 86 degrees Fahrenheit). Icebox comes in a plastic tube in a variety of flavors including grape, lemon or lychee.

At first, I was very skeptical about this cup, because I thought it was just a tube of ice. However, my mind changed when I finally tried the lemon Icebox. Especially in Japan’s overbearing heat, I really appreciated the cool down it provided and the nice cold lemonade flavor.

Prices for this refreshing treat vary by store, but you can usually get it for around 120 to 180 yen. If you are ever out and about in this heat and need a small snack to cool down, I would highly recommend grabbing an Icebox!