Local tells Top 5 best Places to Have Matcha(Green tea) in Uji, Kyoto!

Hi,I’m Keiko from Osaka!

Matcha is powdered green tea leaves that are specially grown and processed.

Usually it is grown in shades for a while before its harvest to increase the amount of amino acids thus the depth of flavors and sweetness.

Matcha is usually used for tea ceremonies and now also have been consumed as latte or sweets all over the world.

Did you know that Uji is one of the most famous matcha producing regions in Japan?

This time, I will introduce you top 5 places where you can have matcha.

These traditional tea shops offer both the traditional matcha or modern take of matcha drinks and sweets that everyone can enjoy.

Local tells Top 5 best Places to Have Matcha(Green tea) in Uji, Kyoto

1.Nakamura Tokichi Honten/中村藤吉

This is a beautiful tea shop with the great history.

Nakamura Tokichi has established his tea business in Kyoto at the exact location of this Honten (main shop) from 1854.

The shop has been registered as one of the Important Cultural Landscapes in Japan, thus the exterior beauty is not to be missed.

Through your visit to this tea shop, you will learn about the history of green tea and the culture that it supported in Japan.

At the main shop, you can enjoy various types of green teas.

You will be amazed how the production or processing method can affect its taste differently.

At their cafe, you can enjoy their matcha as well as various matcha related sweets.

The popular items include matcha cheese cake as well as namacha (fresh tea) jelly.

You can also experience matcha ceremony at Nakamura Tokichi Honten in the traditional and historical environment.

The shop will also allow you to stone grind your own matcha for ¥4,320, for which the reservation is required.

2.Itoh Kyuemon Honten/伊藤久右衛門 本店

　
Itoh Kyuemon has developed the tea production culture since the edo era.

It has been offering the highest quality matcha as well as original sweets and other modern green tea related drinks so that the youth will be accustomed to drinking green teas.

The cafe reflects such ideal and thus offers creative tea products that continue to attract the locals and the tourists.

You can enjoy a great cup of matcha and seasonal sweets for ¥780.

The shop offers various seasonal parfaits that are also very popular.

Currently, the café is having the hydrangea festival, and the very colorful hydrangea parfait is available.

Pairing with a bowl of matcha, it is ¥1,580.

3.Tsuji Rihei Honten/辻利兵衛本店

This is a tea company started by Tsuji Rihei in 1860, who purchased the tea farm at the age of 17 during the time when the tea farming was going down.

He was known to be responsible for improving Gyokuro is a special tea grown in the shades for around three weeks before its harvest, which yields the high amounts of amino acids and umami flavor.

Gyokuro is now known to be the highest quality green tea.

The main shop is a renovated old tea processing plant, which is extremely beautiful with its white wall.

The cafe has seats from which customers can enjoy the small garden, and relax.

You can have your favorite matcha choosing from various kinds ranging from ¥900 to ¥2200.

For this upcoming summer, try the cool shaved ice made of 3 tea flavors to cool off.

The main shop is located around 300m from Uji Staiton on JR Nara Line.


Next,let’s go to the tea shop with a long history in Uji,Kyoto!

4.Mitsuboshien Kanbayashisannyu Honten/三星園上林三入本店

This is a specialty tea store of Uji tea with the long history.

It is known to be originated in 16th century, supplying tea to shoguns.

Their main shop will be a great place for you to visit and learn about Uji tea as it is equipped with a small library.

After learning about the tea and its culture, you can have a relaxing time sipping various tea.

You can choose matcha and sweets set of either ¥550 or ¥850.

You can also experience the stone grinding of matcha tea for ¥800 (¥1,600 if only alone), which comes with a seasonal sweet.

The main shop is around 10 minutes away from either Uji station on Keihan Line or JR Line.

5.Fukujuen Uji Kobo/福寿園宇治工房

This is almost like a theme park of Uji tea.

It has a library, production area where you can experience making of matcha tea, cafe, an authentic tea room, and a souvenir shop.

You can rent a tea room for ¥20,000 -¥30,000 to do a traditional tea ceremony.

Also more casually, you can have a bowl of matcha along with a seasonal sweet for ¥900 at their cafe.

You can participate in various workshops here such as tea making, stone grinding, pottery making, or matcha ceremony manner workshop (¥2,000).

Summary

Top 5 best Places to Have Matcha(Green tea) in Uji, Kyoto

1. Nakamura Tokichi Honten・・・Nakamura Tokichi has established his tea business in Kyoto at the exact location of this Honten (main shop) from 1854.
2. Itoh Kyuemon Honten・・・ Itoh Kyuemon has developed the tea production culture since the edo era.
3. Tsuji Rihei Honten・・・This is a tea company started by Tsuji Rihei in 1860, who purchased the tea farm at the age of 17 during the time when the tea farming was going down.
4. Mitsuboshien Kanbayashisannyu Honten ・・・This is a specialty tea store of Uji tea with the long history.
   
5. Fukujuen Uji Kobo・・・It has a library, production area where you can experience making of matcha tea, cafe, an authentic tea room, and a souvenir shop.

I hope you enjoy the best Matcha in Uji,Kyoto!



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