Kyoto is a matcha paradise. It is one of Japan’s most famous tea producing areas.
Uji is famous for producing a variety of tea types, such as matcha, sencha, and gyokuro (refined green tea).
In Uji, there are tea wholesalers that have been in business for more than 100 years. Not only wholesale and sales of tea leaves but there is a tea room where you can eat and drink delicious tea.
From long-established brands that continue to protect the traditional tea to popular shops that are photogenic, we will introduce popular matcha sweets of “Kyoto’s best-known store” you would want to eat when you go to Kyoto.
Specially selected matcha parfait @Itohkyuemon JR Uji Station Branch Sabo
Itohkyuemon has been spreading the value of Uji tea in Kyoto for more than 100 years.
Itohkyuemon’s Uji Matcha is made by carefully milling selected tea leaves with a stone mill to preserve freshness.
A specialty menu of a well-established shop that keeps the traditional tea culture of Uji is the “specially selected matcha parfait.”
There are many sweets unique to Uji, such as matcha roll cakes, tea dumplings, and warabi mochi.
You will be surprised by the gorgeousness and the volume but it is not too sweet and light so you will finish it in a moment.
In addition to the “specially selected matcha parfait,” there are limited edition parfait using seasonal fruits and meal menus.
| Store Name | Specially selected matcha parfait @Itohkyuemon JR Uji Station Branch Sabo |
| Phone Number | +81-774-22-0475 |
| Address | Umonji 16-1 Uji, Uji City, Kyoto |
| Map | |
| Opening Hours | 10:00am – 6:00pm（L.O.5:30pm） |
| Closed Days | None (except New Year’s Holidays) |
Assorted Heiankyo Koicha Ice Cream @FUKUJUEN Kyoto Flagship Store
FUKUJUEN, also known as the collaboration brand “Iyemon.”
FUKUJUEN Kyoto Flagship Store has shops, restaurants, cafes, and etc. so you can experience the Kyoto’s culture and Uji tea culture.
At the 2nd floor tea room, you can enjoy sweets and drinks using traditional Uji tea.
Assorted Heiankyo Koicha Ice Cream is a set that uses Heiankyo Koicha, which is sold exclusively at the Kyoto Flagship Store and allows you to compare all three types of ice cream with different concentrations of the matcha.
The harmony of the three types of matcha, “moegi,” which has a gentle sweetness, “senryoku,” which is rich in matcha flavor, and “shinpeki,” which you can enjoy the original taste of matcha, all has high-quality and luxurious flavor.
| Store Name | FUKUJUEN Kyoto Flagship Store “2nd Floor Kyo-no-Charyo” |
| Phone Number | 050-3152-2902 |
| Address | Shijo-dori Tominokoji-kado, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto |
| Map | |
| Opening Hours | 11:00am – 6:00pm (L.O.5:30pm) |
| Closed Days | Monday ~ Thursday 1/1 |
Matcha and Tamate box sweets @Chasen
“Chasen,” where you can enjoy a new cool matcha sweets.
The popular sweets that is getting attention with the luxurious performance on social media is the “Matcha and Tamate box sweets.”
By opening the lid of the large paulownia box, reminiscent of the Japanese fairy tale “Urashima Taro,” the steam rises from the box and there appears the assorted desserts like a jewelry box.
You can enjoy various kinds of sweets using matcha such as matcha parfait, matcha tiramisu, pound cake, and dessert pizza.
The matcha used in “Chasen” from “Maruri Yoshida-Meichaen,” famous for its high-grade Uji tea, are popular for its elegant and aromatic flavor.
| Store Name | Chasen |
| Phone Number | +81-75-352-3401 |
| Address | 10F Kyoto Bldg Kyoto Ramen Koji-nai, 901 Higashikoji-machi, Karasuma-dori Shiokoji-sagaru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto |
| Map | |
| Opening Hours | 11:00am – 10:00pm (L.O. 9:30pm) |
| Closed Days | Irregular Holidays |
Matcha ink @Matcha Republic
Matcha specialty store “Matcha Republic” located in Uji, a famous tea town.
It is a popular modern café that only handles matcha menu.
Among many matcha menus, “Matcha ink,” a drink in a bottle of ink, is the most instagrammable popular drink.
Cute drinks that you will want to post on social media by ordering separate drinks with family and friends since each drink’s green shade is beautiful such as the “matcha latte,” with rich flavor and “matcha shimizu,” with a transparent color.
In addition, you can enjoy original matcha menu such as matcha soda which is nice during hot summer and rock salt cheese matcha latte which the salt enhances the sweetness of the matcha.
| Store Name | Matcha Republic |
| Phone Number | 0774-39-8996 |
| Address | 26-2 Myoraku, Uji City, Kyoto |
| Map | |
| Opening Hours | 10:00am – 6:00pm |
| Closed Days | 365 days open |
Raw Tea Jelly @Nakamura Tokichi Honten (Uji Main Store)
Nakamura Tokichi Honten is a traditional and historical store that has been around for 165 years in the Japan’s leading tea production area Uji, Kyoto.
Raw Tea Jelly which is made from concentrated delicate tea is a must-try sweets when you visit Uji.
The scent of the freshly ground tea is rich, less bitter, full of sweetness and umami.
The scent of the tea is irresistible when eating the jelly.
It is said that freshly ground tea is very delicate and has a short expiration date, making it difficult to handle.
The technique of Nakamura Tokichi Honten which uses its own manufacturing method to confine the tea to the jelly without losing its characteristic is a masterpiece.
Main store in Uji contains not only jelly but matcha ice cream, red beans, and rice-flour dumplings.
The raw tea jelly inside a bamboo tube looks beautiful as well as a good match with ice cream and red beans.
| Store Name | Nakamura Tokichi Honten (Uji Main Store) |
| Phone Number | +81-774-22-7800 |
| Address | 10 Uji Ichiban, Uji City, Kyoto |
| Map | |
| Opening Hours | Sales / Café 10:00am – 5:30pm (L.O. 4:30pm) *varies by season *Depending on the situation, the closing time may be earlier. |
| Closing Days | 365 days open |
Uji Matcha Ice Espuma @Chatakumi Shimizu-Ippoen Kyoto Honten (Main Store)
Chatakumi Shimizu-Ippoen, a tea wholesaler directly managed cafe located in Higashiyama Shichijo.
“Uji Matcha Ice Espuma” which is sure to look good on social media is a popular dessert especially for female customers with its beautiful green color and creamy smooth mousse.
The thick green tea foamed in a special bottle and Wasanbon sugar (rare Japanese sugar) syrup has a foamy light taste.
Since red bean stew, condensed milk and rice-flour dumplings are on the side, you can mix it with the matcha mousse if you like.
Hojicha parfait is also popular. Delicious matcha selected from a tea wholesaler’s connoisseur and free refill roasted tea are also excellent.
During your sightseeing in Kyoto, why not take a break with the sophisticated Uji tea sweets?
| Store Name | Chatakumi Shimizu-Ippoen Kyoto Honten (Main Store) |
| Phone Number | +81-75-202-7964 |
| Address | 665 Honkawaracho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto |
| Map | |
| Opening Hours | Tuesday-Sunday 11:00am – 4:30pm |
| Closed Days | Monday / The next day if Monday is a national holiday / New Year’s Holiday |
Uji Matcha Parfait （Uji Homare） @Tsujirihei Honten (Main Store)
Tsujirihei Honten has continued to protect the Uji tea tradition as a tea wholesaler from 160 years ago.
In a residential area in Uji, there is a tea-ceremony room with a Japanese garden of the tea factory that has been partially renovated.
The popular menu at Tsujirihei Honten is “Uji Matcha Parfait （Uji Homare）.”
The matcha crunch, feuillantine, tencha jelly, chiffon cake as well as agar, rice-flour dumplings and Japanese chestnut truffles are all nicely decorated.
By using the matcha that matches with each ingredients, you can enjoy the different taste of the matcha.
This is a valuable shop where you can taste the specialty matcha sweets which you can only taste at the tea wholesaler.
| Store Name | Tsujirihei Honten (Main Store) |
| Phone Number | +81-774-23-1111 |
| Address | 41 Uji Wakamori, Uji City, Kyoto |
| Map | |
| Opening Hours | 10:00am – 6:00pm（L.O.5:00pm） |
| Closed days | Tuesday |
Matcha sweets are the one you definitely want to try when you go to Kyoto.
Be sure to visit the tea-ceremony room in Uji, a famous tea production area, and try the exquisite sweets you can only eat in Kyoto.
There is no doubt that the deep taste of Kyoto matcha will be addicting.
*The information herein is as of February 2020.
