Matcha, quiet, and four hundred years of patience

In the lantern-lit lanes of Gion since 1624, we whisk each bowl by hand, following rituals passed down through twelve generations, while the moss garden outside breathes with the rhythm of the seasons.

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Close-up of hands preparing matcha tea with traditional Japanese utensils

A Practice Rooted in Stillness

Every detail here is an invitation to slow down, from the stone path you walk to the last froth on your bowl.

Ceremonial Grade

We source Uji matcha directly from family farms in Uji, grinding each batch stone-milled at our tea house every morning.

Garden Views

Our moss garden, designed in the Edo period, frames every seat. Seasons shift the palette from emerald to crimson without lifting a finger.

Seasonal Wagashi

Our confectioner crafts sweets that mirror the calendar (sakura in spring, chestnut in autumn), using recipes unchanged for two centuries.

From the Menu

Simple offerings, executed with devotion. Everything is prepared tableside, bowl by bowl.

Hands whisking ceremonial matcha with a bamboo chasen

Ceremonial Matcha

Stone-ground Uji matcha whisked tableside in a hand-carved chawan. Pure, unadulterated.

¥1,200
Matcha served alongside traditional wagashi sweets

Matcha & Wagashi Set

A bowl of koicha paired with three seasonal sweets shaped like cherry blossoms or maple leaves.

¥1,800
Matcha being prepared in a quiet tea room

Evening Matcha Flight

Three bowls of usucha, koicha, and cold-brew served beside a small tasting of nerikiri.

¥2,200
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Our History

Four Centuries of Quiet Craft

In 1624, a tea master named Sen no Sadashige established a modest tea room in the hills above Kiyomizu-dera. His intention was simple: create a place where travelers could pause, drink a proper bowl of tea, and remember what they were searching for.

Twelve generations later, the house sits tucked behind a cedar fence on a side street in Gion, invisible to hurried footsteps but unmistakable to those who know to look.

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View from a traditional Japanese tea room in Kyoto

What Our Guests Say

"I came to Kyoto expecting crowds and noise. A local recommended this tea house, and it changed the entire trip. Sitting in that garden, watching the light shift through the cedar leaves, drinking matcha that tasted like the earth itself. I understood why people travel thousands of miles for something like this."

Portrait of Yuki Tanaka

Yuki Tanaka

Travel writer, Tokyo

"As someone who has visited dozens of tea houses across Japan, I can say without hesitation that this is among the most authentic experiences I have had. The matcha is extraordinary, vibrant and bitter with deep umami notes. And the wagashi are works of art. Come early and ask to sit in the garden."

Portrait of James Mitchell

James Mitchell

Tea sommelier, London

"We celebrated our anniversary here. The tea master personally prepared a private ceremony for us, something we never expected. He explained every bowl, every utensil, every gesture. It felt less like a meal and more like a gift. We will return every year."

Portrait of Elena Marsh

Elena Marsh

Visitor, Melbourne

Traditional Japanese temple rising above tiled rooftops in Kyoto Pond and pavilion in a tranquil Japanese garden Sunlit wooden sliding doors of a traditional Japanese room Seasonal wagashi presented on pine leaves in a wooden box

Reserve a Seat in the Garden

We welcome walk-ins, but garden seating and private ceremonies are reserved in advance. Tell us when you are coming, and we will have the water ready.

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