10 teahouses

Kyoto

Tea Room

Tearoom Toka / Gallery Nichinichi

Quiet ceramics gallery and tatami tea room near Karasuma.

Quiet teahouse and ceramics gallery hybrid run by tea master Nichinichi. Seasonal Japanese tea pairings served on antique and contemporary teaware in a tatami room near Karasuma Oike.

Kamigyo$$$
Tea Shop

Ryuoen Tea Store

On Teramachi Street since 1875, five generations of tea.

Tiny historic tea shop on Teramachi street since 1875. Family-run by the same household for five generations, selling premium Uji matcha, gyokuro and sencha milled to order.

Teramachi$$
Tea Shop

Horaido Tea Stall

A Teramachi tea stall since 1803, famous for serious matcha.

Tiny family tea stall on Teramachi-dori since 1803. Specialises in shaded Uji teas, particularly gyokuro and tencha. The shopfront is unchanged for decades and the matcha is famously serious.

Teramachi$$
Tea Room

Mandaracha

Slow contemporary tea sessions in Higashiyama.

Quiet contemporary tea room in Higashiyama focused on rare Japanese single-origin teas with extended hand-brewed service. Minimal seating, slow tasting menus, very personal.

Higashiyama$$$
Tea Shop

Bikouen 美好園

A central Kyoto family merchant for daily Uji sencha.

Long-running family tea merchant in central Kyoto carrying carefully chosen Uji teas. Quiet shop with a small in-store tasting counter, beloved by Kyoto locals for daily-drinking sencha.

Shimogyo$$
Tea Shop

茶ノ路 Road of Tea

A neighbourhood tea shop near the Philosopher's Path.

Quiet specialty tea shop in the Jodoji area of Sakyo-ku, near the Philosopher's Path. Carefully sourced Japanese teas in a small neighbourhood setting.

Sakyo (Jodoji)$$
Tea House

Tsuen Tea Main Branch

Founded 1160. Japan's oldest tea shop, by the Uji bridge.

Located in Uji (listed under Kyoto). Founded 1160, considered the oldest tea shop in Japan and run by the same Tsuen family for 24 generations. Beside the Uji bridge with traditional tea service and Uji matcha sweets.

Uji$$
Tea Shop

Yamamoto Jinjiro 山本甚次郎

Stone-milled Uji matcha and shaded gyokuro near Byodoin.

Located in Uji (listed under Kyoto). Historic Uji tea merchant specialising in stone-milled matcha and shaded gyokuro. Quiet shop a short walk from Byodoin temple, with on-site tasting.

Uji$$
Tea Shop

Baisa Nakamura 売茶中村

Named for Baisao, the wandering monk who taught Japan sencha.

Located in Uji (listed under Kyoto). Specialist Uji tea house named after Baisao, the wandering monk who popularised sencha in 18th-century Japan. Carefully chosen Uji teas served with quiet attention.

Uji$$
Tea Shop

Matsusakaya 松阪屋

A long-running Uji merchant for matcha, gyokuro and sencha.

Located in Uji (listed under Kyoto). Long-running Uji tea merchant offering carefully sourced matcha, gyokuro and sencha from local producers.

Uji$$