Matcha spree in Uji

2/10/2026

While we were in Kyoto, we made a day trip to Uji, a region renowned for producing some of Japan’s finest green tea.

The Main Street is only about 5 minutes from Uji Station. On our way, we stopped for lunch at a Ramen shop, Menya Inoichi on the way. Most of the customers were tourists, but surprisingly their ramen noodles were very good and highly recommended if you are in Uji.

Basic Ramen comes with egg, nori, chashu topping

We started our tour in Uji with a tea grinding experience at Mituboshien Kanbayashi Sannyu Tea shop. The owner claims that they are one of the oldest tea shop in Uji, which first started in the Tensho Era. (16 C) Along with the long history and tradition that it inherited, the store is known as the master of tea ceremony for the Shogunate.

After the tea grinding experience, you can taste their matcha with some sweets. A bit disappointed that we didn't drink what we ground, but it the tea was good.

They have a museum on the 2nd floor. The owner who is the 14th generation　Kanbayashi, kindly gave us a tour and explained to us of their history of making tea. They only sell in Uji as their tea is 100% from Uji, that's why I didn't know them. (Since the tea farm is limited and cannot produce mass quantities, most of the mass produced tea, which claims to be from Uji, many not be 100% from Uji)

The museum displays the history and tools used for tea farming

There are several places you can experience matcha tea grinding, but most places require you to book in advance. To book an experience, please visit the following websites:
Mituboshi Kanbayashi Sannyu Tea shop
Fukujuen Uji Kobo
Nakamura Tokichi
Chazuna (Historical Park of Tea and of Uji Town)

After a shopping spree in Mitsuboshi Kanbayashi, we stopped at Nakamura Tokichi Tea shop on the same street.

Nakamura Tokichi is a historic tea shop founded in Uji, Kyoto in 1854, For over 170 years, the shop has preserved Uji’s tea-making traditions while offering exceptional matcha, hojicha, and tea-based sweets. Today, it is especially loved for its beautifully crafted desserts such as matcha parfaits and seasonal wagashi, Too bad we didn't have time to visit their cafe,

Entrance to the shop and cafe for Nakamura Tokichi

After visiting the Byodoin Temple, (Which is the temple engraved in the 10 yen coin),
we headed out to visit Marukyu Koyamaen Tea shop. It is located in the next station, Ogura, near the Nintendo Museum, a short taxi ride from Uji (or it is about 10 min. walk from Ogura Station) They have an interesting factory tour, but it has to be booked at least 1 week in advance. Maybe next time!

Since it is a small shop, they only allow a certain number of customers at once, so you may be required to wait outside with a number card. They also restrict the qty of matcha you can buy at once.

The small shop in the premises of the factory

We then took a break at the Cafe run by Morhan, which is a major tea manufacturer in Japan. They specialize not only in green tea but also, English tea and coffee.. They have a place called Tea square Morihan where you can shop and eat their sweets. Apart from the cafe there is also a take away counter where you can enjoy the sweets in a room with tables and chairs.