A Tea-Centric Tour of Kyoto
Iyemon Salon Kyoto
Building 80 at Number 1000, First Floor
Tooru Sanzyou Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto
Tel: 075-222-1500
Open: Daily 8 am - midnight
Access: Kyoto Subway Karasuma-oike Station
This modern teahouse oasis serves a vast array of teas from Kyoto's
renowned Fukujuen tea company complemented by classic Japanese fare with a contemporary twist. The menu was created by one of Kyoto's most revered chefs, Kunio Tokuoka of Kitcho restaurant, (he catered this year's G8 Summit in Japan). It's located in the famous Chiso Kimono Building, where many of Japan's finest
kimonos are made, the Iyemon Salon gives visitors a serene experience of Japanese tea culture with perfect pairings of cuisine and tea, including the salon's namesake Iyemon Cha, a hugely popular bottled premium Japanese green tea. (For those who can't make it to Kyoto, Iyemon Cha was recently introduced in the US in San Francisco.)
The Iyemon Salon serves breakfast ($6 -$10), lunch (from $8), dinner
($7 -$18), and dessert (from $6). Visitors can enjoy menu offerings such as a traditional Japanese breakfast; seasonal Ochazuke, a Japanese rice dish made by pouring green tea over rice accompanied by savory toppings; green tea leaf fed-pork raised in the Kagoshima region, braised with tea leaves; and much more.
Fukujuen Uji Koubo Tea Studio
10 Ujiyamada, Uji-City, Kyoto
Tel: 774-20-1100
Open: 10am - 5pm *Closed on Mondays
Access: 6-minute walk from Keihan Line Uji Station / 15-minute walk from JR Uji Station
A tea-centric day in Kyoto continues with a visit to the 200-year-old Fukujuen tea company. Visitors can explore the making and production of authentic Japanese tea through tours and tastings. Guests can also learn about the traditional Japanese tea ceremony, roast their own tea, grind matcha (finely ground green tea), and even make their own ceramic teacups.
