Where to buy matcha powder in Japan

In Japan, I try to eat or drink something with matcha every single day — a matcha latte, ice cream, tiramisu, you name it. I love this Japanese tea, so I always bring a few jars of matcha powder home with me. In this article, I’ll tell you where to buy matcha in Japan so you can continue enjoying the best matcha lattes at home.

The famous matcha tiramisu from Maccha House

Of course, there are many stores in Japan that sell matcha. I always try to find high-quality matcha. For example, the matcha from Don Quijote really isn’t the best — I’d avoid it. It often already has sugar mixed in. There are a few well-known matcha brands that I do like to buy from.

Ippodo

This is a very famous name in the matcha world, and fortunately, Ippodo matcha is easy to find. They have stores in the three most well-known cities — Kyoto, Tokyo, and Osaka — where you can often sample the tea.

Many department stores also sell Ippodo tea. These shopping centers often have a huge food court in the basement where you can find all sorts of food — and usually an Ippodo stand. Think of places like Takashimaya and Daimaru in Kyoto.

You can find a complete list of locations where Ippodo matcha is sold here.

Gion Tsujiri

Another famous brand is Gion Tsujiri. This brand has three stores in Kyoto and two in Tokyo, so you’ll likely come across it during your trip. The largest store is in Kyoto, in the Gion district. When we first visited the shop, we got a demonstration on how to use a matcha whisk (chasen), and we could taste the matcha right away.

You can find a complete list of Gion Tsujiri matcha store locations here.

Marukyu Koyamaen

Marukyu Koyamaen matcha has become famous for its low price but very high quality. This is my personal favorite place to buy matcha. Due to its popularity, it can be harder to find. In many stores, you can only buy one jar per person — if they even have it in stock at all.

Marukyu Koyamaen has one dedicated store in Kyoto. You can find the address and more information here.

I personally buy Marukyu Koyamaen matcha at the Takashimaya food court in Kyoto. There’s also a stand here that sells their matcha. It can take a bit of searching, but you’ll recognize it by the jars with light green lids.

Uji

The Jinjiro store

If you have a few days in Kyoto, consider taking a day trip to Uji, the matcha capital of Japan. From Kyoto, it’s about 30 minutes to this idyllic little town. The main street is lined entirely with tea shops, so if you’re looking for matcha, you can’t go wrong anywhere.

We wandered into a side street and found Kyoto Uji Sabou Yamamoto Jinjiro. The tea from this charming shop comes directly from the farm. Inside, you’ll see machines grinding tea leaves (tencha) into matcha. We got to taste the tea, hear an explanation, and left with some delicious matcha. Of all the shops in Uji, Jinjiro felt the most authentic.

Check out their Instagram for more photos and current opening hours.