Simple Guide on Tea in Kyoto

Where to buy tea in Kyoto

If you have the craving to take what you learned during your tea ceremony experience back home then here are some places to pick up all the tools and matcha you need to become a tea ceremony master.

 

1. Ippodo Tea Kyoto Main Store

This is a store that has been in the business since the year 1717 and is much loved throughout Japan. It has a connection to a huge variety and supply of tea leaves. Guests are welcome to taste the different teas to pick out which one they want to take home. 

 

2. Yamadashiya

Located at the lively Nishiki Food Market, which is known as the Kitchen of Kyoto, this is a Japanese tea specialty store that sells fresh, fragrant tea leaves by the gram. 
Their most popular-selling product would include the freshly roasted bancha (green tea put over a strong fire), which attracts customers thanks to its delicious aroma. Be sure to spend a little time exploring the offerings as the variety they have here (and its quality) is sublime.

 

3. Fukujuen Kyoto Main Branch

In business since 1790, Fukujuen is a popular store with a lot to offer. As well as an excellent tea to purchase, here they also launched an event where you may experience how to brew delicious matcha under the supervision of an instructor. Also, if you reserve ahead of time, you may be able to secure an English speaking instructor.
This store offers original matcha green tea that you may find only here, which if you show your passport, you may purchase tax-free.

 

4. Kanbayashi Shunsho Main Store

Kanbayashi Shunsho Main Store is a branch with a history of 450 years! It handles and sells blends of specially-selected tea leaves from all over the country, with Kyoto-made ones as the focus. It's traditional Kyoto tea culture at its finest.

 

5.  Nakamura Tokichi Uji Main Store

The first owner of Nakamurafujiyoshi’s father, Rokubei was born as a son of a sheet and metal maker. However, he was adopted and became a thatcher. After he moved to Uji, he met a famous tea master, Hoshino Shouji. After Hoshino died, Rokubei took over his position. Finally, the second son of Rokubei became a tea manufacturer and started his own business as Nakamura Fujiyoshi. Located near Uji station, they renovated a factory and created a cafe where people can enjoy their original sweets. 

 

Top five places to enjoy tea in Kyoto

1. Kouroan

Kouroan honcha is a Japanese tea store next to Daitokuji. 
Roan out of Kouroan means good tea. In order to make the best tea, the owner has its own farm and committed to using pesticide-free tea leaves. Not only green tea but also they are producing high-quality sencha, a kind of Ryokucha. Kouroan honcha also provides experience such as grinding tea and tea ceremony. 

 

2. Ippodo Tea Room Kaboku

Ippodo, one of the oldest tea shops in Kyoto, is not only selling tea but they have a tearoom to enjoy different kinds of tea. In order to let many more people know good tea, they also lecture customers on how to make good tea from a teapot. Around 300 years ago, Watanabe Ribei, who was from Omi in Shiga prefecture opened a store selling tea, tea tools as well as pottery. Their reputation rapidly spread by word of mouth and finally, a relative of the emperor acknowledged its quality and ordered them to only dedicated to selling tea products.

 

3. Gion Tsujiri Gion Main Store

You can always see a long queue in Gion Tsujiri, a famous shop dedicated to only Uji tea. Eat-in and take away is available for a variety of matcha products, such as green tea, ice cream, and so on.
In 1860, Tsujiri Uemon started a tea store in Uji. The third owner, Miyoshi Tokuzaburo expanded his business into Taiwan. Uji tea and U-ron tea were very famous among Taiwanese people. After retreating from Taiwan due to WWⅡ, The fourth owner, Miyoshi Masao opened a store in Gion. Gion attracts a lot of people as they have Yasaka Shrine. His wife thought that Gion is a great location for selling tea products to those visiting the shrine. After the fifth owner opened Charyo Tsujiri, it became popular among Maiko or Geiko san. Nowadays, it was loved by people both inside and outside of Japan.

 

4. Nakamura Tokichi Main Store 

Nakamura Tokichi is one of the most famous green tea product companies in Kyoto. Their main store located on the way to Byo-do-in is always crowded with tourists. Not only you can try green tea sweets, but also you can enjoy a light lunch. Additionally, you can buy a lot of green tea sweet products which are right next to the cafe.

 

5. Ito Kyuemon Main Store

Ito Kyuemon is one of the oldest and well known green tea sellers in Uji. The history goes back to the Edo era, which is about more than 400 years ago. Since then, they have been committed to producing high-quality tea. Not only standard sweets using matcha, but also they have unique products such as matcha sake, matcha curry, etc. They opened the first foreign branch in Taiwan and their tea has been enjoyed by Taiwanese people. 

 

Top seven places to enjoy matcha in temples in Kyoto

1. Sanzenin Ohara Area

Originally a Buddhist monk, Saicho built Sanzenin at Hieizan Toudo in Shiga prefecture. During the Meiji era, it was moved to Ohara, Sakyo ward in Kyoto. There are two beautiful gardens inside of the temple.
You can enjoy looking at an impressive garden while having delicious green tea and sweets. In fall, you can observe the contrast between moss green carpet and autumn leaves.

 

2. Hosenin Ohara Area

Hosenin is located a bit away from Sanzenin, famous for what is called ”picture frame garden”. You can enjoy a breathtaking view from inside of the building. Inside the temple, there is a newly built garden called “Hourakuen”. Rakuen means paradise in English. They are expressing the world of Shinto and Buddhism using nature such as stones, flowers, and sands. There are also 700 years old’s a pine tree in the garden, recognized as a natural monument of Kyoto city.

 

3. Shorenin Monzeki Higashiyama Area

When Saicho, known as the founder of Tendai religion, a sector of Buddhism, built a temple, he made several houses for monks. Shorenin was one of them. During the Heian era which is about more than 800 years ago, the emperor Toba embraced the religion. Shorenin was officially recognized as Monzekigiin. Monzekigiin is a temple where a chief priest is a relative of the Imperial family. That is why it is regarded as a prestigious temple. In contrast with its historical background, once you enter the temple, you can see the contemporary colorful drawing in fusuma, a Japanese sliding door. In both spring and fall, you can enjoy walking in an illuminated garden, which is also worth visiting. 

 

4. Nanzenji Higashiyama Area

Around 710 years ago,  Mukanfumon built this temple. Nanzenji is known as one of the zen temples. Furthermore, it is known as the first Chokuganji in Japan. Chokuganji is a temple built with the hope of protection of a country as well as the prosperity of the imperial family. Indeed, during the time, Genkou, located in current Mongolia, attempted to invade Japan. However, it is said that the emperor at the time can overcome the difficulty by praying for God and accumulating good deeds at the temple.
Sanmon, the entrance gate is called Tenkaryumon. The view seen from the second floor of the Sanmon is impressive enough to appear in one of the famous works of Kabuki, a Japanese play. It is also registered as a national important cultural property.

 

5. Myoshinji Taizoin Kinkakuji Area

Around 600 years ago, Muinsouinzenshi built Myoshinji Taizo-in. At the time, Shogunete, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu oppressed the temple as the doctrine of the religion was different from those of what the government-supported. As Muinsouinzenshi had accumulated carma, he was asked to become a chef monk Daitokuji. Nevertheless, he stuck to his belief and never allowed himself to get along with a person in a position of authority for his entire life. 
One of the best parts of this temple would be ”Motonobu's garden". As the name suggests, the garden was created by a famous artist in the Muromachi era, Kanou Motonobu.
This is one of the most extinguished Karesansui gardens. Karesansui garden is the one depicting the wave using sand and stone. ”Motonobu's garden is recognized as "Special Place of Scenic Beauty and Historic Site.

 

6. Torinin Kinkakuji Area

In 1531, famous Samurai, Hosokawa Ujitsuna built this temple for his father. Tourin-in is famous for having Sal trees, which originated in India. Sal tree is one of the three sacred flowers in Buddhism. It is believed that the Buddha reached enlightenment and died between twin sal trees. This tree also appears in a Heike clan. It is a story representing the uncertainty of life.

 

7. Jizoin Kinkakuji Area

In 1367, Hosokawa Yoriyuki invited Sukyo Zenshi as a chief priest and built the temple.  This temple is called the bamboo temple in order words as the temple is covered by bamboo forests. The garden is called “jurokurakan no niwa”. Juroku means sixteen in Japanese. Rakan is a shortened word of  Arahan, arhat in Sanskri. It means the person who reached enlightenment. Therefore, jurokurakan indicates 16 superior apprentices of Buddha.