Kyoto is home to some of Japan’s finest Matcha and Green Tea. The city has a long history of producing and consuming these unique teas. In addition to being a popular drink, Matcha, in particular, is also used in various culinary applications such as desserts, snacks, and even savoury dishes. 

From exploring picturesque green tea fields to sharing our top recommendations for Matcha sweet spots and cafés, discover where you can indulge in the best Matcha desserts and beverages near the hotel. Join us as we immerse ourselves in the world of matcha in the beautiful city of Kyoto!

Take a Day Trip to Wazuka: The Hometown of Green Tea

If you want to immerse yourself in Kyoto’s impeccable matcha and green tea culture, there’s no better way to learn more about its origins and production than by taking a day trip to Wakuza, a town in Southern Kyoto Prefecture. This town has an 800-year history of producing high-quality Uji tea. Uji tea leaves undergo a meticulous and intricate process from the farm to the cup to attain the necessary grade for Uji tea. Only the freshest and most vibrant tea leaves from the first harvest, known as “first flush,” are handpicked to ensure superior quality. Uji matcha powder is known to be the highest grade matcha in Japan as they use the youngest tea leaves for its production.  

Wakuza is also known as the Home of Green Tea. Picturesque tea fields span as far as the eye can see, but the most renowned of them all has to be the Ishitera Tea Field. These lush-green, perfectly manicured fields stay healthy and brimming with life as farmers tend to them daily to ensure a good harvest. Harvesting these teas is quite special as it happens only thrice in a year: once in spring, once in summer and once in autumn. 

Although visitors are not directly allowed on the tea fields, you can still visit Ishitera and explore around them while taking some memorable photos. If you want a closer look at the tea fields and climb up its slopes, you can join a day tour, where you will also learn more about its production and history. 

Tea-licious Travels: Must-Try Matcha and Green Tea Cafes Around Kyoto

A matcha-centric trip would not be complete without visiting a few sweet spots specialising in creating matcha sweets, desserts and beverages. Here are our top recommended matcha cafes and restaurants when visiting Kyoto:

Ippodo Tea: Preserving the Tradition of Providing High Quality Tea

Ippodo Tea is one of Kyoto’s most well-known tea shops, famous for consistently producing high-quality tea. Its tea is grown and cultivated between the hills of Uji and Kizo River basins in Kyoto, Nara, and Shiga Prefectures. It is popularly known for its distinct fragrance and umami flavour. Translated, Ippodo literally means ‘preserve one’. To Ippodo Tea, this means preserving its one tradition of providing high-quality tea. 

Ippodo offers approximately 30 brands of different tea categories – matcha, gyokuro, sencha, and bancha. Each type is created using a perfect blend of tea leaves until it produces the ideal flavour and fragrance. At Ippodo Tea, the more expensive brands showcase the lavish, refined richness and prominent flavours of the teas. At the same time, lower-priced teas offer a lighter taste. But rest assured, Ippodo’s teas are all delicious and leave a lasting impression.

Their matcha, in particular, is Uji Shimizu, a sweetened matcha. It is characterised by its rich green colour, distinguished fragrance and smooth, decadent flavour. It gets its sweetness from granulated sugar blended perfectly with matcha powder. At Ippodo, you can enjoy your matcha beverage prepared in your preferred manner. From basic usucha and koicha to cold-whisked matcha, matcha over ice or as a latte, they can do your favourite variation to ensure the best and most enjoyable matcha experience.

Visit their shop that is conveniently located only 15 minutes walking distance from Miru Kyoto Nishiki, along Teramachi Street. It is easily identified by its name boldly written on traditional Japanese Noren curtains. As you step through its curtains and inside the automatic doors, you’ll automatically notice its large counter and, above it, a list showcasing all of its available tea products. Choose to stay in or take home; either way, stop by Ippodo Tea on your next visit to Kyoto. 

Enjoying the Best of Matcha Desserts at Saryo Suisen

If you’re a matcha-lover looking to satisfy your sweet tooth, then look no further than Saryo Suisen. Its exclusive use of carefully selected, highest-grade thick tea from Uji sets Sargyo Suisen’s matcha apart from other cafes. When you first enter, you’ll be greeted by the elegance of a traditional Japanese tea room. In its calm and relaxing space, you can peacefully enjoy your choice of dessert and genuinely appreciate the deliciously rich flavours of matcha. 

Saryo Suisen’s sweets and desserts are also a cut above the rest. They are made using only the finest ingredients—the highest-grade matcha from Uji, bracken starch and wasanbon from Tokushima, and brown sugar sourced directly from Okinawa. Its matcha desserts range from rice cakes to parfaits, from mont blanc to lattes featuring impressive 3D art. Each dish and beverage has a distinct colour, aroma and taste, unique to carefully selected Uji matcha. Their patissier strives to let guests experience melt-in-your-mouth goodness no matter which dessert they order. They have achieved the perfect balance of sweetness and bitterness to give Saryo Suisen’s desserts their unique flavour profile. They aim to ensure that the first bite is as delicious as the last. 

On your next visit to Miru Kyoto, we recommend stopping by Saryo Suisen, only a 15-minute walk away from the hotel. Enjoy a peaceful moment while relishing the distinctive taste of delectable Uji matcha desserts only in Saryo Suisen. 

A Century of Flavor: A Journey to Rokkaku Chikiriya’s Matcha Heaven

If you’re looking for another cafe to visit in Kyoto, Rokkaku Chikiriya is definitely worth a stop. With over 100 years of history, this tea shop has established itself as an institution in the city. They take great pride in preserving the art of tea and producing unique flavours and fragrances that are also beneficial for your health.

Initially, Rokkaku Chikiriya sold tea and sweets in Tamakura-cho, but over time they transitioned to wholesaling tea and retailing confectionery at their current location on the eastern side of Rokkakudori Higashinotouin. Today, they are well-known for their specialty matcha drinks and desserts. Their dessert menu boasts an impressive selection of matcha-flavoured items, including different types of parfaits, warabi mochi, matcha floats, weiner matcha, and traditional matcha beverages that pair perfectly with their other sweets. 

When you visit Rokkaku Chikiriya’s main shop in Kyoto, please take a moment to explore their selection of both everyday and festive teas on the first floor. As you head up to the second floor, you’ll discover their sweets shop. You can enjoy your treats while sitting at the counter or at regular tables. With its charming decor and inviting ambience, this quaint cafe is the perfect place to unwind and indulge in its wide selection of teas and desserts. So, take your time and savour the flavours that Rokkaku Chikiriya has to offer.

Kyoto is a city that has a rich history and culture when it comes to matcha and green tea. From exploring picturesque tea fields to indulging in the best matcha desserts and beverages in various cafes and restaurants, the city offers a lot for matcha lovers. For a deeper understanding of the origins and production of tea, a day trip to Wakuza, the Home of Green Tea, is a must. Additionally, Ippodo Tea is a famous tea shop in Kyoto that offers high-quality tea preserved for generations. Finally, Saryo Suisen is the perfect place to satisfy your sweet tooth with the finest ingredients and the highest-grade matcha from Uji. And, of course, take advantage of the wide selection of delicious teas and matcha desserts Rokkaku Chikiriya offers. Kyoto is truly a matcha lover’s paradise; one must visit the city to experience it firsthand.