JR Nagoya Takashimaya presents the 2026 edition of "Amour du Chocolat!" ("Chocolate Love!"), a premier chocolate event featuring exclusive sweets from Malebranche Kyoto Kitayama. The event showcases new Koicha (thick matcha) desserts that highlight the deep, authentic flavors of Uji matcha.
Event Details
Period: January 16 (Friday) to February 14 (Saturday), 2026
Location: JR Nagoya Takashimaya, 10th Floor Main Venue
Hours: 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM
※ Main venue on the 10th floor closes at 7:00 PM on the final day
JR Nagoya Takashimaya Exclusive Products
Mini Terrine Kyo ippon Koicha & Brown Sugar
Made with 100% Stone-Ground Uji Matcha First Harvest Tea Leaves
A silky smooth terrine that delivers the natural umami and bitterness of tea. Two distinct flavors showcase Koicha's versatility:
Koicha: Premium white chocolate enhances the Koicha flavor profile, creating a dual-layer experience with concentrated Koicha umami in both the moist cake and sauce.
Brown Sugar: The deep richness and sweetness of brown sugar complements the Koicha's subtle bitterness, creating a complex flavor harmony between the concentrated umami cake and brown sugar sauce.
Pricing:
- Koicha (4 pieces): ¥1,860 (tax included)
- Brown Sugar (4 pieces): ¥1,860 (tax included)
- Koicha & Brown Sugar (6 pieces): ¥2,790 (tax included)
Monaka Kao Koicha
A Blissful Combination of Fragrant Monaka and Rich Koicha
Carefully baked, fragrant, delicate monaka wafers sandwich a smooth, rich cream infused with carefully selected Koicha. The bold aroma, deep astringency, and subtle sweetness of premium Koicha are enhanced with roasted almonds. The moment it touches your palate, the intense flavor spreads, followed by a memorable aftertaste that creates a truly blissful experience.
Pricing:
- 4 pieces: ¥1,556 (tax included)
- 6 pieces: ¥2,333 (tax included)
Malebranche Classic Products
Koicha Langues de Chat "Cha no Ka"
Malebranche's signature product, the Koicha Langues de Chat "Cha no Ka" (Tea Blossom). Made with premium tea leaves from Kyoto's Uji Shirakawa region, the Uji tea-infused langues de chat cookies sandwich an original white chocolate with rich milk flavor. This masterpiece showcases the chef's skill and passion, with Koicha's rich flavor, sweetness, and aroma as the defining characteristics.
Kakao Langues de Chat "Taiko no Ka"
After a year-long search, the team discovered Vietnamese cacao. Due to its quality-focused cultivation, this rare cacao offers a delicate flavor profile with notes reminiscent of green apples and a gentle acidity. The low-temperature roasted cacao langues de chat cookies sandwich chocolate that preserves the cacao's unique character.
Exploring Koicha's Charm: Malebranche's Dedication to Koicha
Using 100% Uji Matcha First Harvest, Stone-Ground
Tea Leaves Cultivated Through Traditional Methods
The Koicha used comes from "Kyo no Takumi" (Kyoto's Master), who maintains the now-rare "Hon-oi Chaen" (authentic covered tea garden) cultivation method. The "Oika-en" technique involves covering the entire field to shield the plants from sunlight, concentrating umami and richness to produce more intensely flavorful tea. The "Hon-oi" method specifically uses traditional techniques dating back to the Edo period, employing reed screens and straw applied by hand to cultivate rich flavor.
Premium Quality Matcha with Gentle Sweetness: Koicha
There are two types of matcha made by grinding tea leaves in a stone mill: "Usucha" (thin tea) for whisking and drinking, and "Koicha" (thick tea) for kneading and drinking. Generally, Koicha is made from superior tea leaves with less bitterness and astringency, allowing one to savor matcha's natural sweetness, making it considered a premium grade.
This commitment to "honmamon" (authentic) quality delivers both inspiration and delicious flavor.
Meet Malebranche's Top Chef!
Grand Chef Koichi Saito
Second-generation Grand Chef of Malebranche.
Chef Saito focuses on creating confections with attention to every detail, from the texture and ease of cutting with a fork to overall enjoyment.
Scheduled Appearance Dates:
January: 16, 17, 18, 24, 25, 31
February: 1, 7, 8, 14
Message from Chef Saito:
"It is a great honor to meet you all again at Japan's premier chocolate celebration. We have created this year's new products with all our heart. I look forward to speaking with you!"
Malebranche Kyoto Kitayama
Founded in 1982, this confectionery shop operates on the concept of "Kyoto Quality," delivering Western-style sweets that embrace Kyoto's aesthetic sensibility while celebrating the joys of each season.
Kakao 365
A chocolaterie housed in a traditional townhouse that opened in Kyoto's Gion district in 2014. It proposes a lifestyle enriched by cacao 365 days a year, following Kyoto's traditions.
Official Brand Website: https://www.kyoto-quality.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/malebranchekyoto/
X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/malebranche_kyo
