Showa-style Japanese Strawberry Milk 昭和の苺ミルク (2024)

Ichigo Milk or Japanese Strawberry Milk is a timeless dessert and snack first popularized in Japan during the Showa era (circa 1960). Simply mash sweet, fresh strawberries in a bowl with a special strawberry spoon and pour chilled milk on top. So easy, so delicious!

As you know, I create most of my recipes with inspiration from my mother’s cooking, reader requests, or dining through travel. Today’s recipe is quite unusual, as it‘s the first one inspired by cutlery—special Japanese strawberry-shaped spoons, to be specific! When I found these spoons at my family home in Japan, I knew I had to bring them back to the US and share them with you.

So, here we are! Today’s post is about this unique cutlery born in Japan with the bonus of a simple and nostalgic dessert recipe.

What is a Strawberry Spoon?

The strawberry-shaped spoons are called ichigo spoon (イチゴスプーン) and were invented in 1960 (Showa 35) in Japan.

At that time, strawberries were trending in Japan. Imported strawberries were quite sour, so people mashed them with a teaspoon, sweetened them with sugar, and stirred in milk to make the tart berries more palatable. However, the rounded bowl of a teaspoon was not optimal for mashing this fruit. Hence, the strawberry spoon was invented!

What makes it a strawberry spoon?

• Spork shape: This special utensil is actually a spork, with short tines at the tip that help you spear and cut the fruit.
• Flat bottom: The bottom of the spoon bowl is flat, making it easier to press and smash the strawberries.
• “Seed” texture: The flat bottom is textured with dots that look like stawberry seeds to help you get a better grip on the berries.
• Strawberry tops imprint: Sometimes, the spoon bowl is even decorated with a strawberry tops motif to resemble the fruit.

As Japanese farmers started growing strawberries domestically, consumers could get sweeter strawberries. This means it was no longer necessary to add milk and sugar, and strawberry spoons eventually became less common in Japanese households.

Despite this, the “strawberries-and-cream” pairing remains a timeless classic that the Japanese enjoy to this day. This simplest of recipes makes a healthy after-school snack or easy dessert!

Ingredients for Japanese Strawberry Milk

• Strawberries – Select sweet, ripe, and medium-firm fresh strawberries. I found strawberries imported from Korea at my local H-Mart (Korean supermarket). They look quite similar to Japanese strawberries and taste alike, too. These are slightly smaller, less sour, and have more strawberry flavor than American strawberries.
• Milk – You can use any type, including plant-based milk.
• Sugar – Optional, and you can skip it if your strawberries are sweet enough.

How to Make Japanese Strawberry Milk

1. Rinse the strawberries very well under running water.
2. Hull them with a sharp knife. I cut them in half and put them in individual bowls.
3. Mash the strawberries with a strawberry spoon.
4. Sprinkle sugar (optional) and pour milk on top. Enjoy!

Recipe Tips for Ichigo Milk

• You can elevate this very simple recipe with good-quality strawberries and milk and cute glass bowls to emphasize the fresh and chilled dessert.
• Look for bright red strawberries with their green caps still in place. The fruit should have a noticeable strawberry scent, a medium firmness, and no mold. If the strawberries are hard and partly white, then they are not ripe yet.
• You can find strawberry spoons on Amazon, Walmart, or another on Amazon.

Other Delicious Strawberry Recipes

• Japanese Strawberry Shortcake
• Chocolate Covered Strawberries
• Strawberry Mochi (Ichigo Daif*cku)

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