KYO HAYASHIYA Co., Ltd., a long-established Uji tea shop headquartered in Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, will reopen its Kyoto store (Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto) on August 1, 2026, following a renovation. Alongside the "authentic tea" flavor it has carried for 273 years since its 1753 founding, the renewed Kyoto store will offer a casual, white-toned interior, new Kyoto-store-exclusive menu items such as the Black Tea Parfait and Uji Matcha Mont Blanc Kakigori, in-store sales of fresh wagashi and roll cakes, and new takeout options.
Where Long-Established Tradition Meets a New Tea Experience
KYO HAYASHIYA was founded as a tea merchant in Kanazawa in 1753 and has proposed Japanese tea culture for the 273 years since. In 1969, the matcha parfait was born at "Kissa KYO HAYASHIYA" in Sanjo, Kyoto — said to be the originator of Japan's matcha sweets and a pioneer of wagashi-café culture. At the time, the Sanjo store's menu also included a black tea parfait alongside the matcha parfait, and the Kyoto store's "Black Tea Parfait" carries on that flavor.
The Difference Between "Matcha" and "Uji Matcha"
"Matcha" is a general term for tea made by shading tea plants from direct sunlight, drying the leaves (tencha) without rolling them, and then grinding them into a fine powder with a stone mill or similar equipment.
"Uji matcha," on the other hand, has a definition set by the Japan Patent Office as a regional collective trademark. Only matcha made from tea leaves grown in Kyoto, Nara, Shiga, and Mie prefectures, finished by processors within Kyoto Prefecture using a method originating in the Uji region, and then ground and milled, may be called "Uji matcha." Rather than simply indicating origin, the distinguishing feature is that both the finishing and grinding processes must take place within Kyoto Prefecture.
This difference in method is reflected in flavor as well. Because Uji matcha is grown thoroughly shaded from sunlight, the formation of catechins, which cause bitterness, is suppressed, while theanine, a source of umami, remains abundant. According to the Japan Patent Office's registration information, high-quality, fragrant Uji matcha has "a good balance of sweetness and astringency, offering an elegant, mellow flavor," with gentle bitterness and a deep, lingering sweetness.
For all of its matcha menu items, including the matcha parfait, KYO HAYASHIYA uses stone-ground Uji matcha from Kuwahara Zensuke Shoten, a long-established matcha wholesaler with a workshop in Uji's Kohata district. Through a long relationship with the shop, which has been making matcha across four generations, KYO HAYASHIYA sources quality matcha whose deep umami and aroma can also be enjoyed in the Kyoto store's "Uji Matcha Mont Blanc Kakigori."
This renewal aims to cherish this long-established tradition while proposing new ways for today's guests to enjoy tea.
Representative's Comment
"Since our founding in 1753, we have shared the appeal of tea in Kanazawa and Kyoto for 273 years. With this renewal, we wanted to cherish the traditional flavor and craftsmanship passed down by those who came before us, while helping a new generation of guests feel the depth of Japanese tea culture. Our signature original matcha parfait remains unchanged, and the black tea parfait beloved since our Sanjo store days also returns, exclusively at the Kyoto store. We will keep delivering the flavor unique to KYO HAYASHIYA from our Kyoto store."
Makio Hayashiya, Representative Director, KYO HAYASHIYA Co., Ltd.
Interior Renovated Into a New White-Toned Space
The Kyoto store has been renovated into a casual space with a white-toned interior. The former counter seating has been removed, increasing seating on the first floor. The store has also begun in-store sales of new retail items such as fresh wagashi and roll cakes, so guests can enjoy KYO HAYASHIYA's flavors as takeout as well. Warm wooden furniture is paired with calm-toned walls, preserving the shop's long-established character while making it easier to drop in casually.
Limited-Time, Kyoto-Store-Exclusive "Uji Matcha Mont Blanc Kakigori" Also Debuts
Product name: Uji Matcha Mont Blanc Kakigori (limited-time, Kyoto store exclusive)
Price: ¥2,200 single / ¥2,640 with tea set
Contents: Uji matcha mont blanc cream, Uji matcha, whipped cream, Uji matcha syrup, shaved ice, Uji matcha ice cream, sweet red bean paste
This shaved ice, finely and fluffily shaved, is generously topped with a house-made mont blanc cream made from white bean paste and stone-ground Uji matcha — a kakigori unique to KYO HAYASHIYA. Drizzling on the separately served matcha syrup adds another layer of flavor. It is available in limited quantities, so guests visiting the Kyoto store are encouraged to try it early.
Kyoto-Store-Exclusive "Black Tea Parfait"
Product name: Black Tea Parfait
Price: ¥1,700 single / ¥2,140 with tea set
Contents: A layered dessert of black tea jelly, black tea ice cream, shiratama dumplings, whipped cream, wafers, banana, black tea soft serve, and pineapple
Available from: Renewal opening day (August 1, 2026)
Other Kyoto-Store-Exclusive Menu Items
Black Tea Cream Soda: ¥900
Koyuki Black Tea Kori (condensed milk, black tea syrup, shaved ice, shiratama dumplings, black tea ice cream, lemon): ¥1,750 single / ¥2,190 with tea set
Cha Soba served with bancha tea (tea-infused soba, nameko mushrooms, mitsuba, grated wasabi daikon): ¥1,300 single / ¥1,740 with dessert set
- Black Tea Jelly Soft Serve (black tea jelly, black tea soft serve, wafers): ¥1,100 single / ¥1,540 with tea set
- Black Tea Kori (black tea syrup, shaved ice, shiratama dumplings, black tea ice cream, lemon): ¥1,700 single / ¥2,140 with tea set
- Tea Rice served with bancha tea (tea rice, egg, tencha, Kyoto "Fukuda Honten" pickled nozawana): ¥1,400 single / ¥1,840 with dessert set
Expanded Takeout Menu
Alongside the renewal, the takeout menu has also been expanded. In addition to drinks such as sencha and hojicha (¥500 each) and matcha latte and hojicha latte (¥700 each), guests can casually enjoy matcha and black tea soft serve (¥650 each) and matcha and black tea shiratama jelly soft serve (¥750 each) at the counter. The limited-time "Wa Mont Blanc Soft Serve - Matcha -" (¥980) tops a cone with a generous swirl of house-made mont blanc cream made with Uji matcha, perfect for enjoying while strolling.
Renewal Opening Overview
Date: August 1, 2026 (Saturday)
Store name: KYO HAYASHIYA Kyoto Store
Address: 152-2 Takoyacho, Takoyakushi-dori Fuyacho-Higashi-iru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-8062
Phone: 075-231-3198
Hours: 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Food menu: last order 7:00 PM
Takeout other than drinks: last order 7:00 PM
Drinks (including takeout): last order 7:30 PM
