Welcome to the Vibrant World of Japanese Tea

Uji City in Kyoto Prefecture is one of the most famous tea towns in Japan. The road leading from JR Uji Station to Byodo-in Temple is lined with many Japanese tea stores and Japanese tea cafes.
There are also stores dotted around the Uji River where you can enjoy and buy Uji tea at your leisure. Many visitors come here to enjoy delicious Uji matcha, Uji sencha, and matcha sweets.

1. Tsuen 

Tsuen is located near Uji Bridge on the Uji River in Uji City.  It is said to be the oldest teahouse in Japan, with a history dating back to the Heian period in 1160. In the past, famous figures such as Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu also enjoyed tea at Tsuen.

A wide range of products is sold at the storefront, from everyday tea to high-quality Gyokuro and Matcha, rare varieties of tea, and organically grown tea.
They also handle teas selected as “Premium Uji Tea” under the certification system by the Kyoto Prefecture which guarantees the high quality of Uji tea.

The cafe space allows you to enjoy tea while overlooking the Uji River. Recommended items include Matcha sweets made with freshly ground Matcha and Cha Soba with Matcha.

Details
Address: 1 Uji Higashiuchi, Uji City, Kyoto
Phone: 0774-21-2243
Opening hours: 9:30am-5:30pm 
Open seven days a week
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2. Horii shichimeien

Horii shichimeien is a long-established Japanese tea specialty store founded in 1879. They handle everything from tea cultivation to manufacturing and sales in-house.

Their products mainly consist of high-quality Uji tea, including Matcha, Gyokuro, and Sencha. During the Muromachi period, there were seven tea gardens in Uji certified by the third shogun, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, as official suppliers to the shogunate known as the “Uji Shichimeien” (Uji Seven Tea Gardens). 
Among these, Horii shichimeien owns the only surviving tea garden called Okunoyama Tea Garden, which played a significant role in the development of Uji tea. They continue to cultivate tea in that garden to this day.

Their signature product, Matcha Narino, is the result of 20 years of dedication from this historic tea garden. It is a high-grade Matcha known for its rich aroma and smooth flavor. Their Gyokuro Okunoyama is also born from the Okunoyama Tea Garden. It offers a unique, fragrant aroma and a rich sweetness typical of Gyokuro.

Details
Address: 84 Uji myoraku,  Uji City, Kyoto
Phone: 0774-23-1118
Opening hours: 8:30am-5:30pm 
Open seven days a week
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3. Kyoto Uji Sabo Yamamoto Jinjiro

Kyoto Uji Sabo Yamamoto Jinjiro is a specialty store in Uji that focuses on Tencha (raw material for Matcha) production. It is operated by Jinjiro Yamamoto, who cultivates Tencha within Uji City.

Jinjiro Yamamoto is the sixth generation of a farming family with a lineage dating back to the Edo period. The store offers Tencha and Matcha products made from tea leaves cultivated in their own garden. Since Tencha is mostly processed into Matcha, shops that sell Tencha in its original form are rare. Yamamoto is one of the few producers who practice the traditional Tencha cultivation method called Honzu cultivation, which has been passed down in Uji for 400 years.

In Tencha cultivation, it is common to use black synthetic fibers as covers to shade the tea garden from sunlight. However, in Honzu cultivation, only natural materials such as straw and reed screens are used as covers, providing a unique aroma and color to the tea leaves due to the different degrees of light shielding compared to synthetic fibers.

At the store, you can enjoy tasting the carefully crafted Tencha by Jinjiro Yamamoto while listening to his stories about tea production. Currently, they also accept reservations for visits, so it is recommended to make a reservation in advance if you are interested.

Details
Address: 36 Uji myoraku,  Uji City, Kyoto
Phone: 080-8520-5059
Opening hours: 12am-5pm 
Open on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays
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4. GOCHIO cafe

GOCHIO cafe is a Matcha cafe located about a 3-minute walk from JR Uji Station. It is produced by Chaen Shimizuya, a tea farm in Uji that has been operating since the Edo period.

They manufacture and cultivate Tencha (raw material for Matcha) using the traditional method of covered cultivation, which has been passed down through generations. The Tencha produced on the same tea farm is referred to as a single-origin of a single cultivar. The harvest is meticulously done by hand-picking once a year.

At GOCHIO cafe, you can casually enjoy drinks and sweets made with their own self-produced Matcha, which is carefully crafted with great attention to detail. They use hand-picked premium Matcha abundantly in their menu. The most popular item is the Rich Matcha Parfait, which allows you to savor the intense flavor of Matcha.

Details
Address: 36 Uji myoraku,  Uji City, Kyoto
Phone: 0774-25-3335
Opening hours: 11am-4:30pm 
Closed on the spring harvest season 
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5. Tea Shop Kanbayashi

Tea Shop Kanbayashi is a long-established Japanese tea specialty store in Uji with a history of over 400 years. It is run by the Kanbayashi family, who were tea masters responsible for providing tea to the Tokugawa Shogunate during the Edo period. They offer high-quality Uji tea backed by a history and tradition of over 400 years. 

They also handle Sencha and Gyokuro which have been selected for the Premium Uji Tea certification system by Kyoto Prefecture. Their signature Sencha is called Tsurezure. It is a well-balanced Sencha with a harmony of sweetness and astringency, and it is highly regarded by many customers. 

On the second floor, there is a tea cafe where you can leisurely enjoy Uji tea along with seasonal Japanese confectionery. The store also has a tea room called Kofuan on the premises.
They offer experiences such as grinding matcha using a stone mill and participating in a tea ceremony. Additionally, there is a tea processing factory on the premises where you can observe the finishing processes of Sencha and Gyokuro.

Details
Address: 43 Uji myoraku, Uji City, Kyoto
Phone: 0774-22-2514
Opening hours: 9am-6pm 
Closed on New Year’s Day
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6. Masuda Chaho

Masuda Chaho is a specialty Uji tea store established in 1912. It is located in front of the main gate of Byodo-in Temple, a famous tourist spot in Uji.

Their recommended item is the Uji Matcha ice cream generously topped with freshly ground Matcha. In the cafe space inside the store, you can enjoy their carefully selected Uji tea.
Next to the store, they have opened a casual tea stand. They offer various drinks including matcha lattes, cappuccinos, sodas, and cocktails made with Uji tea, showcasing the stylish packaging design. 

In the retail space, they sell tea products such as sencha and gyokuro with attractive packaging, as well as items like cappuccino stick made with Uji matcha and Uji hojicha.
The store also offers an experiential menu for making matcha lattes. You can prepare your own matcha by whisking it and mixing it with milk to create a canned matcha latte. You can even write a message on the can, making it a popular souvenir for Uji travel.

Details
Address: 21-3 Uji renge, Uji City, Kyoto
Phone: 0774-21-4034
Opening hours: 9am-6pm 
Open seven days a week
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7. Terashimaya Yahei Shoten

Terashimaya Yahei Shoten, located on Byodo-in Omotesando Street that leads from Uji Station to Byodo-in, is a long-established Japanese tea specialty store founded in 1827.

The stores interior exudes a sense of historical charm, as if you have traveled back in time a hundred years. The impressive tea boxes and tea bags add to the atmosphere. They offer around 100 different brands of Uji tea at their storefront.

They change the teas they sell according to the seasons. At the counter, you can sample recommended teas. I encourage you to enjoy the experience of searching for tea while engaging in conversation with the shopkeepers.

Details
Address: 40-1 Uji renge, Uji City, Kyoto
Phone: 0774-22-3816
Opening hours: 9am-6pm 
Closed on Tuesdays 
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8. Matcha Republic Main Store

Matcha Republic Uji Main Store is a matcha cafe located in Uji. The concept of the cafe is to share a new way to enjoy Uji matcha by bringing surprises and delights.

Their matcha menu exclusively uses Uji matcha made from the first-picked tea leaves, ground with a stone mill. They offer unique drinks and sweets that highlight the charm of matcha.
The signature product is the Matcha Ink. It is a matcha drink served in a bottle designed like an ink bottle. The matcha latte inside offers an authentic taste, where you can experience the aroma and richness of Uji matcha within the smoothness of milk. 

They also offer other variations such as Rock salt cheese matcha latte, and seasonal limited edition matcha lattes. In addition, they have matcha desserts such as matcha panna cotta and matcha tiramisu served in a teapot-shaped bottle and matcha soft ice cream, which are highly recommended.

Details
Address: 26-2 Uji myoraku, Uji City, Kyoto
Phone: 0774-39-8996
Opening hours: 10am-6pm 
Open seven days a week
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9. HOHO HOJICHA Uji Main Store

HOHO HOJICHA Uji Main Store is a specialty hojicha (roasted green tea) shop in Uji, which is rare in the area. It is located about a 6-minute walk from JR Uji Station.

At this shop, you can enjoy various types of hojicha, including high-quality hojicha made from the first harvest of Uji tea leaves that have been roasted. They also offer flavored hojicha varieties, such as blends with yuzu (citrus) or white peach, as well as hojicha lattes.

One of their featured products is the award-winning original hojicha called Yorokobi no hojicha , which won the Platinum Award at the Nihoncha Award 2021. This is supervised by a tea master from Kyoto and is made by blending selected stems from tencha (raw material for Matcha) sourced from all over Japan.
They also serve hojicha-based sweets such as parfaits, panna cotta, ice cream. One popular item is the Premium Hojicha Castella(sponge cake) , which uses roasted hojicha from gyokuro ( shade-grown green tea) and is made by a long-established castella shop in Kyoto.

Details
Address: 51-2 Uji myoraku, Uji City, Kyoto
Phone: 0774-22-0977
Opening hours: 10am-6pm 
Open seven days a week
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10. Uji Cha Dojo Takumi no Yakata 

Uji Cha Dojo Takumi no Yakata is an experiential facility for Uji tea operated by the Chamber of Tea Association of Kyoto Prefecture. It is a spot where you can casually enjoy Uji tea while overlooking the Uji River in front of you.

The tea menu offers gyokuro, sencha and matcha. Japanese tea instructors will provide detailed explanations for each type of tea. Uji Cha Dojo Takumi no Yakata also offers fascinating tea experiences.
One of the experiences they offer is a nodate (outdoor tea ceremony) experience. You can borrow tea utensils and enjoy a tea ceremony in your preferred location around their facility.

In the tea brewing class, you can learn how to brew delicious matcha, gyokuro, and sencha, which are representative of Uji tea. The class is conducted in an enjoyable manner, incorporating discussions about the history and manufacturing methods of tea.
Additionally, you can enjoy a tea-tasting game, where you can test your ability to discern different flavors and characteristics of tea.

Details
Address: 17-1 Uji mataburi, Uji City, Kyoto, Japan
Phone: 0774-23-0888
Opening hours: 11am-5pm 
Closed on Wednesday 
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11. Nakamura Tokichi Uji Main Store

Nakamura Tokichi Honten is a long-established specialty Japanese tea shop founded in 1854. Nakamura Tokichi Honten Uji Main Store is located just a 2-minute walk from JR Uji Station.

The store has renovated a charming building designated as a national Important Cultural Landscape. Inside the store, you can enjoy Uji tea and matcha sweets.
Furthermore, the store offers a well-stocked retail corner where you can purchase a variety of tea.

Details
Address: 10 Uji ichiban, Uji City, Kyoto
Phone: 0774-22-7800
Opening hours: 10am-5:30pm 
Open seven days a week
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12. Nakamura Tokichi Honten Byodo-in Store

Nakamura Tokichi Honten Byodo-in Store, located on the bustling Byodo-in Street where many tourists pass by, reopened in September 2022 after renovation. The building, exuding the charming atmosphere of Uji, has been designated as an Important Cultural Landscape, just like the main store.

The two-story interior of the shop offers an open and tranquil space. There are also river-view seats where you can enjoy a panoramic view of Uji River and the surrounding scenery. 

The menu includes exclusive parfait and drinks available only at the Byodo-in Store, as well as a variety of takeout options.

Details
Address: 5-1 Uji renge, Uji City, Kyoto
Phone: 0774-22-9500
Opening hours: 10am-5pm 
Open seven days a week
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13. Baisa Nakamura

Baisa Nakamura is a specialty Japanese tea shop that opened in Uji in October 2022.

Inside the shop, they have installed tea processing machinery commonly found in tea factories. Using these machines, you can enjoy freshly processed rolled sencha on the same day.

They offer various teas, including those sourced from Minamiyamashiro Village and Wazuka town in Kyoto, as well as teas from Kagoshima. One recommended option is the Nitro Green Tea, a refreshing cold sencha with a creamy foam, a mild taste, and a delightful aroma.

The tranquil atmosphere, where you can feel the warmth of the wood, is another charming aspect of the shop. It provides a calm and inviting space to relax and enjoy your tea without any worries

Details
Address: 5-1 Uji renge, Uji City, Kyoto
Phone: 0774-22-9500
Opening hours: 12am-6pm 
Closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays 
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14. Tsujirihei Honten

Tsujirihei Honten is a Japanese tea cafe operated by a long-established Uji tea company founded in 1860.

The interior of the cafe has been renovated from a building that is over 100 years old. It offers a variety of seating options, including sofa seats and table seats, where you can enjoy a leisurely tea time while overlooking the garden.

The menu features a selection of specialty matcha sweets that showcase the luxurious use of Uji matcha. You can indulge in items such as matcha parfaits, jelly desserts, and daifuku (sweet mochi filled with red bean paste) that are meticulously crafted with a focus on matcha.

Details
Address: 41 Uji Wakamori, Uji City, Kyoto
Phone: 0774-29-9021
Opening hours: 10am-6pm 
Closed on Tuesdays
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Please see this article for information on Japanese tea cafes and Japanese specialty stores in Kyoto City.

Best Japanese Tea Cafes in Kyoto City