First visit to a Kyoto cafe for matcha. The matcha was standard in taste. The zenzai was delicious, with firm mochi. However, the mitarashi might have been heated too much, slightly affecting the flavor. Of course, this is just my own judgment. Ate too much at the cafe.

Kyosen-do Matcha Parfait 1100 yen Located in the shopping street from Gion Shijo to Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto, this matcha tea house is a gem. The matcha flavor is rich and enjoyable until the very end. I loved it! The cornflake topping allows you to fully enjoy the matcha without being overwhelmed. The cornflake part was actually matcha jelly. With four pieces of shiratama (rice flour dumplings), the parfait is quite voluminous for the price of 1100 yen, making it a great deal. I went on a Sunday afternoon and was surprised by how empty it was. Highly recommended for matcha lovers. Rating: Recommendation: ★★★★★ (for those who love rich matcha flavor) Taste: ★★★★★ Cost performance: ★★★★☆ Service: ★★★☆☆ Atmosphere: ★★★☆☆

Walking down Shijo Street on the left side from Yasaka Shrine, I stumbled upon Kyoto Sen-do. The aroma of freshly baked mitarashi mochi caught my attention, so I decided to try it. You can order starting from 2 pieces for 300 yen. As I enjoyed the mochi, I realized that it was quite different from the usual mitarashi mochi I've had before. The sweet soy sauce-based red bean paste was lighter and less sweet than usual, but it was delicious! It was a pleasant surprise and a tasty treat. Thank you for the meal!

I had a seasonal limited edition cherry blossom parfait. It was a satisfying parfait. It cost 1080 yen (maybe a bit different) and I think it was quite a good deal. The cherry blossom ice cream was made in a cherry blossom mochi style, which was cute. However, there were more salty cherry blossom leaves than I expected, so the parfait wasn't as sweet as I thought it would be. Overall, it was a parfait with a mild sweetness. The jelly and ice cream parts were also not too sweet, in fact, the cherry blossom ice cream was honestly a bit salty. I think it was probably due to the leaves. Personally, I found the small three-colored dango to be delicious. It's been a while since I've had dango that I liked so much. It's probably not anything special, but I really like it. The atmosphere inside the restaurant was nice too, with enough distance between tables to make it comfortable. There were a lot of female customers. By the way, there was only one cashier! Thank you for the meal.

■A shop in Gion Shijo that has been in business for 90 years, selling various rice crackers such as beans, sesame, and tea. I visited for the first time as they offer a rich matcha parfait on the second floor! While I have purchased rice crackers as souvenirs before, this was my first time trying their cafe. They have limited edition sakura parfait, matcha pudding parfait, chiffon cake, and more. ■Matcha Parfait 1,100 yen (tax included) - Tea leaf senbei - Matcha ice cream - Matcha whipped cream - Red bean - Shiratama (mochi) - Matcha shiratama - Matcha jelly This parfait features Uji matcha and is a matcha lover's dream! The matcha ice cream and cream have a strong bitterness characteristic of matcha, which pairs beautifully with the sweet red beans. Enjoying their signature tea leaf senbei with ice cream and cream is also delicious. The parfait allows you to savor the matcha until the last bite, and the surprising price of 1,100 yen is impressive. ■Store Information - Access: About a 3-minute walk from Keihan Main Line "Gion Shijo Station," about a 6-minute walk from Hankyu Kyoto Line "Kyoto Kawaramachi Station" - Business Hours: 11:00-18:00 - Closed on: No regular holidays - Seating: Table seating (2nd floor) - Parking: None (Coin parking available nearby) - Wi-Fi: Not available - Power Outlets: Not available

The place I originally wanted to go was really crowded, so I came here instead. It turned out to be a great choice! The tea and sweets were delicious, and the female staff members were really lovely, making me feel noticed and appreciated. This is what good service is all about! Whenever I want to take a break with some matcha in Shijo, I will definitely come here! Thank you very much! The Green Tea Hot with rice cracker was ¥700 including tax.

I had the matcha parfait and shiratama parfait with my wife. It was a 30-minute wait because it was a holiday. The matcha parfait had matcha ice cream, red bean paste, jelly, and shiratama, giving it a satisfying volume. The matcha ice cream tasted just like matcha. The vanilla ice cream in the shiratama parfait was also delicious. Truly a reputable establishment.

The manju is not like a manju, and the senbei is not like a senbei, with quite unique items on the menu, and delicious. In front of the store, there are mitarashi dango, with seating inside, and even a second floor, so it's quite fulfilling. Next time, I will come for a leisurely tea and sweets! It was delicious!

There was a shop that had a bit of a bad image associated with "Kyoto" and "matcha," so I visited with some doubt. I ordered a matcha parfait and shiratama azuki soft serve set, and to put it simply, it was "matcha heaven!" The parfait was filled with rich matcha flavor in the form of jelly and ice cream, unlike many parfaits where the bottom is just crispy or agar. It was "matcha heaven" until the very end. The shiratama azuki soft serve set was also delicious, with the matcha flavor being rich and the warabi mochi in the set being chewy and tasty. The mixed soft serve was also rich in matcha flavor, making it a happy treat. I was able to sit right away due to the timing, but it seems to be crowded usually. Overall, it was a satisfying shop for a matcha lover like me. I'll be buying some souvenirs on my way out!

We went to the Kanji Museum with our children and stopped by for a parfait on the way back. While Gion's cafes mainly offer matcha parfaits and shaved ice, this place has a wide variety of flavors like mango and strawberry, which is why we chose to come here. It's great for those who don't like matcha or are with kids. The spacious and clean second-floor interior, along with the excellent service, make it a wonderful place. And of course, the taste is superb. If you visit Gion in the summer, this is the place for snacks.

Matcha Parfait for 1,100 yen. Visited on a holiday afternoon. Luckily no wait, with the restaurant about 60% full. The parfait comes with matcha, shiratama, and strawberries, but the most popular is the matcha flavor! It is filled with plenty of matcha cream, matcha ice cream, silky matcha jelly, red bean paste, and shiratama (matcha and plain). The matcha is slightly bitter and not too sweet. Despite having it after lunch, I finished it all without any problem. A picturesque treat for tourists. Rating at the time of visit: 3.52

During the cherry blossom viewing season, everyone was enjoying their flower viewing when it suddenly became tea time. I entered the shop smoothly. In keeping with the cherry blossom viewing season, I wanted to order a set with sakura mochi, but I actually preferred a set with warabi mochi. It would be nice if there was a set where you could switch the tea to matcha.

Let's take a breath and take a break - the line was pretty long (it may depend on the time of day) and we waited for about twenty minutes to get in. The parfait looked delicious, so we ordered it. It was so impressive and tempting. The rich matcha ice cream was delicious and satisfying. It's worth the price, even if it's a thousand yen! Thank you for the meal.

On the way back from Hatsumode (first shrine visit of the New Year), I was craving for mitarashi dango and was searching for a shop to buy some. Unfortunately, many shops were already closed due to the late hour, and I was feeling disappointed. However, I just made it in time to this shop before it closed! Although the eat-in option was not available, I was planning to eat while walking. But then, a male staff member kindly offered to let me use the sales area and even served me tea! I was really touched by this gesture. Despite being just before closing time and causing inconvenience, they were so kind. I was so happy! I also bought a matcha chiffon cake as a souvenir, and both the mitarashi dango and the cake were delicious! I would love to visit again when the eat-in option is available next time. ☺️

I received some Kyoto sweets - a mix of beans in the form of senbei. There are sky blue bag of broad beans, purple bag of black soybeans, green bag of green peas, and yellow bag of peanuts. They are simple but all very delicious. My family divided into peanut lovers and green pea lovers, fighting over the yellow and sky blue bags (laughs). Personally, I find the black soybeans and green peas both have their own distinct flavors, making it hard to choose a favorite. These sweets perfectly match the image of Kyoto and I would love to enjoy them with some bitter tea. Thank you for the wonderful treats.

Located a 5-7 minute walk from Gion-Shijo Station, Kyoto Sen-Do Gion Honten is a traditional Japanese sweets shop. Situated along Hanami-koji Street, this shop offers a convenient location and you can also enjoy their sweets inside the store. Despite opening in 2005, it exudes a sense of tradition and Japanese ambiance, making it a great recommendation for tourists. I purchased the popular items, Mitsuba and Goma Miso Senbei. Both are filled with yuzu or chestnut paste, combining the moist sweetness of the paste with the soft texture of the senbei. It's a delightful treat for those who love traditional Japanese sweets! These sweets have a good shelf life, making them a great choice for souvenirs from Kyoto. Bon appétit!

I received Kyoto wagashi as a souvenir from Kyosen-Do, called "Nahouraku". The outer skin is moist, and the fillings include cherry blossom, matcha, sesame miso, trefoil, yuzu, etc. It feels more like a variety of Japanese cuisine rather than traditional wagashi. Before opening it, I was surprised by flavors like sesame miso, yuzu, and carrot, but all of them complement the sweet bean paste well. I was impressed by the unique flavors. Kyoto wagashi pairs well with strong tea.

This is a store located in front of Yasaka Shrine in Gion, a tourist spot and bustling area, so the prices are touristy. However, there is a relatively spacious space on the second floor, offering a variety of sweets from Mitarashi dango to matcha parfait. I think it's a good place to take a break.

This is a time-shifted post. The visit date may not necessarily match the posting date. I visited a traditional Japanese confectionery shop along the street in Gion. The first floor is for shopping, and the second floor is a cafe. The bill is settled on the first floor. I had the "Uji Ice" for 850 yen, which is matcha shaved ice topped with white dumplings. It's a great way to cool down on a hot day, but it gets really cold. The staff kindly brought warm tea, which was a nice touch. I also tried the "Green Tea Float" for 800 yen, made with Uji matcha and homemade ice cream. I preferred this over the shaved ice. It was a good place for a break and time adjustment. Thank you for the meal.

I had the most popular matcha parfait. I initially thought the topping was soft serve ice cream, but it turned out to be a rich and creamy matcha cream. It was delicious and surprising. The matcha jelly, red beans, and overall balance were excellent, showing why this place is so popular. The only disappointment was that they served cold tea. It's still March and eating a parfait makes you feel cold. I wished they offered roasted green tea instead. The roasted bean senbei I tried was a nice touch and tasty. I highly recommend this place.