Hello, international visitors to Kyoto! 🌟

Kyoto, Japan’s ancient capital, is a special place where over a thousand years of history and culture breathe life into the city. One essential experience in Kyoto is enjoying “matcha sweets.” With its vibrant green color, distinctive aroma, and profound flavor, matcha represents Japan’s traditional tea culture and captivates travelers from around the world. Today, I’ll introduce five carefully selected matcha sweet shops that you should visit in Kyoto. Please make sure to stop by these places in between your temple and shrine visits! 🍃

1. Kyohayashiya Kyoto Store – The Pioneer of Japanese Matcha Parfait Culture 🍨

A Venerable Establishment Preserving Japanese Tea Culture for 270 Years

“Kyohayashiya” is a long-established Kyoto tea house with an impressive 270-year history. This famous shop, which has supported and preserved Japanese tea culture for many years, was reborn as “Kyohayashiya Kyoto Store” in June 2024.

Inside the shop, where historical architecture meets contemporary design, you can purchase souvenirs and takeout items on the first floor, and enjoy café time in the calm, modern Japanese space on the second floor. With multilingual guidance available, international visitors can comfortably visit without language concerns.

Innovation That Created the World’s First Matcha Parfait

The greatest attraction of “Kyohayashiya” is undoubtedly the “matcha parfait.” Surprisingly, the matcha parfait loved worldwide today was born at Kyohayashiya in 1969! It emerged from an innovative idea that combined traditional Japanese matcha with the parfait trend of that era.

Even after more than half a century, its taste remains unchanged. The perfect balance between the rich, slightly bitter flavor of matcha and moderate sweetness is exquisite, and visitors from abroad praise it as “the taste of authentic matcha.”

The Ultimate Matcha Experience as a Souvenir

“Matcha Kuzu-neri” (matcha arrowroot jelly) is popular as both a travel memento and a gift for loved ones. This traditional confection embodies the age-old wisdom that “tea provides more nutrition when eaten rather than just drunk.”

The “Matcha Kuzu-neri,” handcrafted daily by skilled artisans, highlights the flavor of carefully selected stone-ground matcha—truly the taste of Kyoto. Since it keeps well, it’s also perfect as a souvenir to take overseas. Please taste this concentrated form of Japan’s traditional tea culture.

Shop Information

Kyohayashiya Kyoto Store
Address: 152-2 Takoyacho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City
Phone: 075-231-3198
Access: 5-minute walk from Hankyu “Karasuma” Station or Subway “Shijo” Station
*Please check the official website and social media for the latest information.

2. Enman Mochi Shop – Innovative Matcha Sweets to Enjoy with Arashiyama Scenery 🍡

New Sensation Sweets in the Tourist Hotspot of Arashiyama

Arashiyama is a popular Kyoto tourist destination known for its bamboo grove and Togetsukyo Bridge. “Enman Mochi Shop,” which opened in 2022 in the heart of this area, is a new type of Japanese confectionery shop that skillfully blends tradition with innovation. Its simple yet sophisticated modern Japanese interior has become a popular Instagram-worthy space among international tourists.

The shop’s most distinctive feature is its creative sweet called “Hineri-mochi®,” a unique dessert that can only be tasted here. It offers a new food experience that overturns conventional concepts of Japanese confectionery.

“Hineri-mochi®” Creating a New Matcha Experience

“Hineri-mochi®” is a Japanese confection where chewy mochi is generously coated with premium matcha from Kyoto’s long-established “Gion Kitawa Hanbei.” The unique texture, distinctly different from typical Japanese sweets, harmonizes beautifully with the rich aroma and deep flavor of matcha.

While using traditional Japanese ingredients like mochi and matcha, this creation offers a completely new taste, providing a valuable opportunity to experience the depth of Japanese food culture. The way of eating it—directly with your hands instead of using chopsticks—is also appreciated by foreign tourists as a fresh experience.

Japanese Aesthetic Reflecting the Four Seasons

“Enman Mochi Shop” features seasonal limited-edition flavors. Spring brings cherry blossom, summer offers matcha, autumn introduces chestnut, and winter presents genmaicha chocolate, allowing visitors to taste Japan’s four seasons. Many customers return to enjoy different flavors depending on when they visit.

You can either take a break during your Arashiyama sightseeing or enjoy “Hineri-mochi®” as takeout while admiring the beautiful Arashiyama scenery. English menus are available, so you can order with confidence.

Shop Information

Enman Mochi Shop
Address: 35-40 Sagatenryuji-tsukurimichicho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto City
Phone: 050-5600-2086
Access: 1-minute walk from Randen Arashiyama Station
*Please check the official website and social media for the latest information.

3. Eirakuya Main Store – Authentic Matcha Parfait in Kyoto’s Downtown 🍨

Traditional Delicacies in the Heart of Kyoto

“Eirakuya Main Store” is a long-established Japanese confectionery shop located at the intersection of Kawaramachi and Shijo, in the heart of Kyoto. Despite its convenient location in the busy downtown area, stepping inside transports you to another world. The space, which preserves the traditional wooden architecture, conveys the image of old Kyoto to the present day.

The second-floor tea room is particularly spacious with high ceilings, allowing you to feel the warmth and dignity unique to historic wooden buildings. It’s an ideal hidden spot for taking a break during shopping or sightseeing.

Enjoying Layers of Matcha World

Eirakuya’s signature menu item is the “Raku Matcha Parfait.” This visually beautiful parfait contains layers of various textures and flavors, including Uji matcha jelly, fresh cream, chunky sweet red bean paste, vanilla ice cream, and special Uji matcha sauce.

The top is garnished with handmade gyokuro (high-grade green tea) ice cream, special shiratama (rice dumplings), black honey, and kinako (roasted soybean flour), creating a feast of Japanese ingredients. The recommended way to eat it is to insert your spoon all the way to the bottom to taste all the layers at once. The complex flavors created by the combination of Japanese ingredients will be a continuous new discovery for international visitors.

Commitment to Carefully Selected Ingredients

The sweets served at Eirakuya reflect a commitment to quality ingredients. The Uji matcha used is particularly flavorful and carefully selected, the azuki beans are from Hokkaido Tokachi, and the kuzu (arrowroot) is from Yoshino in Nara Prefecture—all premium ingredients from across Japan.

The first floor sells tsukudani (food simmered in soy sauce) and sweets, and is popular among locals as “Kyo no Amakaraya.” Packaging is available in multiple languages, making it perfect for selecting souvenirs for overseas friends.

Shop Information

Eirakuya Main Store
Address: East side, above Kawaramachi-Shijo, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City
Phone: 075-221-2318
Access: Right outside exit 3 of Hankyu Kyoto Line “Kawaramachi Station”
*Please check the official website and social media for the latest information.

4. Sabo Isehan – A Hidden Matcha Gem Loved by Locals 🍵

A Heartwarming Sweet Shop Near Kamogawa River

“Sabo Isehan” sits in a corner of Demachi Shopping Street, bustling with locals, near Kamogawa River and Kyoto Imperial Palace. Marked by a cute plover bird sign, this sweet shop is a hidden gem frequented by locals and rarely featured in tourist guides.

Under the heartwarming concept of “warming both body and soul with sweets,” every menu item is prepared with genuine care. By enjoying sweets alongside local regulars, you can have a special experience that feels like peeking into Kyoto’s everyday life.

High-Quality Japanese Sweets Highlighting Artisanal Skills

“Sabo Isehan” is characterized by its thorough commitment to ingredient selection. They use only Tanba Dainagon beans from Kyoto Prefecture, each grain carefully sorted by the artisan’s eye and slowly simmered for two days.

The matcha comes from “Ryuokuen Chahō,” a long-established tea shop that serves the head families of the three tea ceremony schools (Urasenke, Omotesenke, and Mushanokojisenke). The taste created by these premium ingredients can truly be called the authentic flavor of Kyoto.

The Signature Special Anmitsu

The “Special Anmitsu” that captivates many regular customers is a visually stunning dish. The warabi-mochi (bracken-starch dumplings) made with generous amounts of matcha releases a characteristic aroma the moment it enters your mouth. The Dainagon red beans, simmered with restrained sweetness, harmonize perfectly with the accompanying soft-serve ice cream.

This is an exceptional item where you can enjoy the world of traditional Japanese sweets in their purest form. The warmth of the staff, who gladly respond to orders in English, is also one of this shop’s charms.

Take-Out Options for Your Kamogawa River Stroll

Isehan also offers takeout menu items such as “anmitsu” and “soft-serve ice cream.” Enjoying these sweets, perfect for rejuvenating your tired body after Kyoto sightseeing, along the nearby Kamogawa River walkway will create a truly Kyoto-like experience.

Please visit to taste authentic matcha sweets that can only be enjoyed here. Create special memories at this off-the-beaten-path spot with fewer tourists.

Shop Information

Sabo Isehan
Address: 242 Seiryu-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto City
Phone: 075-231-5422
Access: About 5 minutes on foot from Keihan Electric Railway/Eizan Electric Railway “Demachiyanagi Station,” about 1 minute on foot from Kyoto City Bus “Kawaramachi Imadegawa”
*Please check the official website and social media for the latest information.

5. Marukyu Koyamaen Nishioin Store, Tea Room “Motoan” – The Ultimate Matcha Experience Proposed by a Distinguished Uji Tea Producer 🍰

Uji Tea Professionals with Over Three Hundred Years of History

“Marukyu Koyamaen” is a venerable Uji tea establishment founded during the Genroku period in the 1680s. The tea making started by the founder, Koyama Kujiro, in Uji-Ogura has preserved the spirit of “quality first” even after more than 300 years.

Its direct tea room “Motoan” is located in a quiet residential area near Nijo Castle, a World Heritage site. The interior, a renovated traditional Kyoto townhouse, embodies the traditional Japanese aesthetic of “wabi-sabi,” providing international tourists with a valuable space to experience Japanese culture with all five senses.

Supreme Matcha Sweets Created by Tea Professionals

The signature item of “Motoan,” crafted by tea professionals, is the “Matcha Roll Cake.” The fine, moist cake perfectly harmonizes with Marukyu Koyamaen’s special matcha cream and fresh cream.

The exquisite balance between bitterness and sweetness fills your mouth with deep matcha aroma and rich flavor with each bite. Created by Uji tea professionals, this sweet that maximizes the original taste of matcha is acclaimed as “the best matcha dessert I’ve had in Japan.”

Deeper Japanese Cultural Experience in an Authentic Tea Room

The charm of “Motoan” is not limited to sweets. The shop includes an authentic two-tatami-mat tea room that guests can easily use. Although there are no formal tea ceremony procedures, the experience of enjoying matcha sweets on tatami mats will deepen your understanding of Japanese culture.

The shop also sells Marukyu Koyamaen’s tea leaves, allowing you to purchase Japan’s world-renowned matcha as a souvenir. With comprehensive English explanations available, you’ll be able to enjoy matcha properly even after returning home.

Shop Information

Marukyu Koyamaen Nishioin Store, Tea Room “Motoan”
Address: West side, below Nishioin-dori Oike, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City
Phone: 075-223-0909
Access: About 6 minutes on foot from Kyoto City Subway Karasuma Line/Tozai Line “Karasuma Oike Station,” about 6 minutes on foot from Kyoto City Subway Karasuma Line/Tozai Line “Nijojo-mae Station”
*Please check the official website and social media for the latest information.

One of the delights of traveling in Kyoto is experiencing the local food culture. Matcha sweets, in particular, are one of the most appealing ways to taste Japan’s traditional culture. At these five shops, you can experience Japanese aesthetics and craftsmanship with all five senses, going beyond mere sightseeing. Please take time to enjoy Kyoto’s matcha culture in between visiting temples and shrines. It will surely become an unforgettable memory! 🍵✨