Shaved ice, or ‘kakigori’, is one of the representative summer desserts in Japan. When temperatures start to soar during this season, the sweetest way to cool down is with one these delicious frozen treats.

While the kakigori seen at summer festivals are simple affairs flavoured with various syrups, some cafes and restaurants have made serving up shaved ice desserts into an art form, with thick, hand-made sauces and fresh, extravagant toppings.

This Osaka restaurant has announced some particularly eye-catching offerings, which could be described as some of the most aesthetic summer desserts this year. Each one has a fluffy milk ice base, a different flavour, and is inspired by a different dessert.

For example, the ‘Annou Imo Mont Blanc Milk Ice’ is inspired by the French dessert mont blanc, and it is flavoured with a specific type of sweet potato called Annou Imo. This variety of sweet potato is known for being unusually sweet with a yellow colour.

The ‘Strawberry Shortcake Milk Ice’ has a pastel pink strawberry cream topping and a fresh strawberry sauce hiding inside.

The ‘Pistachio Chocolat Milk Ice’ is served with a creamy topping, containing two types of pistachio. The topping has a very Instagrammable, cute pastel green colour. Nuts and chocolate are a classic combination so this dessert has a chocolate sauce added as well.

But these treats are only around for the summer season, so you'll have to be quick to catch them! They're currently on the menu at Bluebird, located in the Umeda area of Osaka.