Ryuoen Tea Store

Even in the context of world class Japanese service this place is next level.

Best quality green tea in Japan (as voted by me and some of Japan’s finest restaurants.)
I was doing some research for a friend, and the tea master could not have been more helpful.

The tea master was busy with another customer when i arrived but was kind enough to ask for cup of green tea to be served to me while i looked round and waited.
Despite my lack of knowledge on the subject the master then had all the patience and generosity with my basic questions.
I will be back in the future, great find.
… and when I came back all my gifts were packed and gift wrapped in beautiful style and class (I mean outside the standard gift set)

The tastiest and most genuine l gyokuro green tea and hojicha also amazing matcha powder I have ever tasted. No silly marketing. The best Japanese tea in Kyoto and yet so affordable.

Different to those retails and supermarket brand. This is a hidden gem and authentic! I bought an interesting Saturday Hochicha today!

Fabulous selection of traditional matcha tea - but English here is limited.

At 150 years old, this is one of the oldest and best regarded matcha stores in Kyoto. We accidentally stumbled in because we were looking for a tea tasting.

While this store only sells matcha (tea ceremonies here), the owner generously gave us an incredible matcha sample of his higher end variety. This sample was the smoothest and least bitter matcha our group had ever tried — truly something special. The owner was very patient with our spotty Japanese and use of Google translate, as we asked him about the process of purchasing matcha.

We learned that with high quality enough matcha, one can prepare it by mixing 5g matcha with 200ml cold water and shaking the mixture together in a jar. No whisk needed!

Definitely swing by if you’re looking for affordable and high quality matcha (at least compared to the US prices). We paid $14 for the midrange container.

Kyoto has a lot of old tea shops. This is one of the highest rank. Price is a bit expensive but high quality. Especially the hojicha which they only sell on Saturday. Also the bancha which has a unique flavor. I have tasted many bancha but this shop has the best.

A great place to come and try teas. They are friendly and communicative and have a huge selection. The environment is also authentic - they have motars in the shop to prepare matcha powder

I really love their matcha. It has the right balance between sweetness and umami (savory). Most customers that come here know what they want, so there’s not a lot of guidance to help you out.
Most people choose matcha according to the tea school they study at. There is not a whole lot of difference, if any, between matcha of the same price range, so I recommend you choose by feeling.
Matcha is expensive, but the higher price ones are totally worth what you pay for them.

Currently in Kyoto and looking for some really good green tea? And want to buy it in an old fashioned japanese tea store? Then there's almost no way you can avoid Ryu'oen near Teramachi-Marutamachi.
The shop keepers are really nice, but japanese language skills are really recommended.
Take a look inside with Google Street View, it's worth it.

Our favourite tea shop in Kyoto.

Best tea shop in Kyoto.

While looking for different tea companies and shops around Kyoto I stumbled upon this shop. While it may not have the same Instagram effect as others on main streets, this family owned business serves tea and provides service that is one par if not above the others. Be sure to stop by of you are in town and support them.

普段寄るお茶屋さんが休みだったので、他にいいとこないかなと思い探して見つけたこのお店。全く知らなかったのですが、ものすごい老舗のお茶屋さんなんですね。接客も京都らしいとても丁寧なもので、お茶を１杯頂きながら説明を聞き茎のほうじ茶を選択。みなさんこの雰囲気ぜひ味わってほしい。日本人であることを再確認できます。

京都市役所の近くにある、1875年創業の日本茶専門店です。茶道の各家元御用達の抹茶を扱っていて、常連の方などは愛用の缶を持ち込んで抹茶だけを詰めてもらってる。昔ながらの畳敷きに商品が陳列してあり、商品をのぞき込んでいると店員さんがサービスのお茶を運んできてくれるという流れ。この一杯の煎茶「朝日」があまりに美味しくて毎回衝動買いしてしまいます。
各流派の家元から銘を賜ったという、ちょっとよくわからない高級抹茶がズラリと陳列。それらはまるで美術品のように近寄り難いけど、大丈夫！普段使いできる煎茶から番茶まで、お値段もピンキリで揃っているから。今日は店員さんがすすめてくれる前日に入荷したばかりの「宇治新茶」といつもの「朝日」、そしてほうじ茶の「香悦」を購入。茎の部分を焙煎したというかりがねほうじ茶は決して高級茶じゃないけど、過去体験したことがないくらい味と香りが濃くて美味。鳥獣戯画が描かれたマットゴールドのパッケージもかわいい(缶も購入)です。

素晴らしい味わいのお茶を扱うお店
店頭出だされた煎茶は煎茶はこの様に淹れる見本のような味わい。大変に美味。
畳敷きの店口を持ち古い茶入れが配され、抹茶煎茶あらゆる日本の伝統的なお茶が揃う。
茶筅茶杓も種類が豊富。
茶道、煎茶道の専門家も買い求める名店

2024.5　山脇りこさんのご本に紹介されており、気になり訪問。

お店に入るとお茶を一杯だしてくださり、楽しくお茶のお話をさせていただきました。

おいしいと評判の香悦、鳥獣戯画のパッケージも可愛く、香り高くとても美味しかったです。
せっかくなので表千家御用達の薄茶も購入しました。
抹茶はこちらで挽いているとのことです。

외국 관광객 많은곳 이지만 차는 맛있고 구매도 쉽게 되어있습니다.

お抹茶はこちらでひいておられますので香り高く大変美味しいです。もちろんお煎茶も素晴らしいです。

Einen wunderbares Teefachgeschäft, wo man sehr gut beraten wird.
Vor dem Kauf kann man die Teesorten probieren. Der Tee stammt aus verschiedenen Teegärten rund um Uji. Es wird auch Englisch gesprochen, aber Google Translator ist hilfreich.
Dieses Teefachgeschäft ist sehr zu empfehlen!!

和懂茶的人一同前往，茶舖主人熱心交流並介紹每種茶的不同之處。對於愛茶人來說，這裡值得花時間好好體驗一下。