Matsumoto Shave Ice is a North Shore institution that endured recessions, pandemics, and fads triggered by social media.
It is the simplicity of sheared, feathery ice drizzled with house-made syrups that has brought comfort to generations over the past 75 years.
The story begins in Hawaii in 1908, with the birth of founder Mamoru Matsumoto, son of Japanese plantation workers.
Growing up in Hiroshima, Mamoru returned to Hawaii in the 1930s, working odd jobs with the vision of opening a general store.
Facing post-war challenges of securing a loan, he found support from the community, which pooled enough seed money to open a small Haleiwa shop in 1951.
To offset sluggish sales, he took a customer’s suggestion of serving Japanese-style shave ice. Importing a Japanese machine retrofitted with a motor to keep up with spurred demand, Mamoru shaved the way to his rainbow-flavored American dream.
Today, Mamoru’s son Stanley continues the legacy with genuine aloha.
As preferences shifted toward natural or sugar-free syrups, Stanley and his wife Noriko evolved to accommodate.
The roster of handcrafted syrups expanded from 10 to 40, incorporating flavors free of artificial coloring such as yuzu and lilikoi.
Looking back, Stanley fondly recalls his siblings helping with the store, as mom cooked out back and dad drove around a 1948 panel truck to sell goods at town gatherings.
He warmly embraces that sense of family, along with a resolve to give back to the community when times are hard. Stanley’s conservatism augmented by his wife’s business savvy propelled Matsumoto Shave ice into modern times without sacrificing
tradition.
Now entering its 75th year with a series of commemorative products and promotions, Stanley and Noriko look to their expecting daughter Ai to perpetuate the small family business. Their mantra is to keep the memories alive, keep quality the same, and just keep going—one comforting bite of shave ice at a time.
-This article is based on an interview and photoshoot conducted on November 22, 2025.
