In addition, the number of ice traders, who handle block ice called kaku gori (literally, square ice) weighing one kan (approximately, 3.75 kilogram) has been decreasing, and it became difficult to obtain and producing kaku gori took a long time.
加えて重さ一貫（約3.75キロ）の角氷と言われるブロックアイスを扱う氷商も減少傾向にあることから、長い時間をかけて空気を抜きながら凍らせた角氷の入手は難しくなってきている。