When Tokyo Met Port Vila: Kakigori, Rum, and the Spirit of Finding a Way

On 19 May, 83 Islands Distillery had the honour of welcoming Mr. Yoshinori Nishigaya, CEO and Kakigori Producer of Vinefru Ginza in Tokyo, for a very special Kakigori tasting at our distillery in Port Vila.

A Master's Craft

Kakigori is Japanese-style shaved ice: delicate, refreshing, and incredibly expressive when prepared by a master. In Japan, it is much more than crushed ice and syrup. At its best, it is a balance of texture, temperature, flavour, and presentation — a dish that feels simple at first glance, yet reveals great precision in every detail.

Mr. Nishigaya brought that precision to Vanuatu, creating a series of Kakigori topped with rich, fluffy mousse sauces made from a variety of ingredients. Each creation had its own personality: light, cold, generous, and beautifully layered. Around 30 guests joined us for the tasting, discovering a dish that feels at once deeply Japanese and perfectly suited to the tropical rhythm of Vanuatu.

A First for All of Us

For Mr. Nishigaya, this was his first visit to the Pacific, despite having demonstrated Kakigori in many countries around the world. We were proud that Vanuatu, and 83 Islands, could be part of that journey.

For us, this event was also a first step. We worked with the ingredients available to us and without all the specialist equipment normally used to create Kakigori at this level. But that is often how things begin in Vanuatu: you adapt, you learn, and you find a way.

And what we discovered was exciting.

A Natural Fit for the Tropics

Kakigori is a superb fit for a tropical environment. It is light, cold, elegant, and refreshing — exactly the kind of dish that makes sense under the Port Vila sun. Enjoyed alcohol-free, it is already a beautiful experience: delicate, cooling, and full of texture. But when you add 83 Islands Rum, it becomes something else entirely.

The contrast is what makes it special. The ice brings freshness. The mousse brings softness and body. The flavours unfold slowly as the dish melts. Then the rum adds warmth, depth, aroma, and structure. It becomes cold and warm, delicate and deep, Japanese technique meeting the wild spirit of Vanuatu.

A New Canvas

This is what interests us most. Kakigori gives us a new canvas to explore local fruits, island ingredients, tropical flavours, and our own rum in a way that feels unexpected, but completely natural here. It can be served alcohol-free and enjoyed by everyone, or transformed with rum into a more layered tasting experience.

Kakigori is a beautifully accessible dish, but like many simple things, the details matter. Our first trial showed us the importance of having the right tools, especially to create the light whipped covering that helps protect the ice and gives Kakigori its signature finish. Over the next few weeks, we will bring in what is needed to serve it regularly at 83 Islands, with the hope that other shops in town may also embrace this affordable, refreshing dish that suits Vanuatu so perfectly.

Honouring, Not Copying

Our aim is not to copy Japan, but to honour what we learned from Mr. Nishigaya and translate it through our own place: our climate, our ingredients, our hospitality, and our way of making things work at the edge of the Pacific. Just as our rum is shaped by Vanuatu's sugarcane, heat, rain, and patience, our Kakigori will be shaped by the islands around us.

With Thanks

A heartfelt thank you to Mr. Yoshinori Nishigaya and Vinefru Ginza for sharing the art of Kakigori with us, to Ms. Mai from GnR Co., Ltd., our Japanese distributor, for helping make this connection possible, and to First Secretary Toshikazu Nohara and the Embassy of Japan in Vanuatu for joining us and supporting this meaningful moment of exchange between Japan and Vanuatu.

This event was a small but beautiful symbol of growing people-to-people and business ties between Japan and Vanuatu. It brought together craft, curiosity, hospitality, and the simple pleasure of sharing something new.

At 83 Islands, we have always believed that great ideas do not need to arrive fully formed. Sometimes they begin with a conversation. Sometimes with a visitor from far away. Sometimes with a bowl of shaved ice melting slowly in the tropical air.

Kakigori is coming to 83 Islands — island style, rum optional, experience guaranteed.