Top 5 matcha sweets popular here and abroad

When it comes to Kyoto, besides the obvious temples and geisha, many people also think of matcha, and matcha has already become the number one souvenir choice for many people. No matter if it is matcha cookies, cake, or tea; all are going into the tourists’ shopping baskets. There are many famous matcha stores in Kyoto, many of them having been selling matcha for hundreds of years, but I have chosen five of them that offer great matcha for matcha aficionados, so I hope you will add these matcha sweets to your Kyoto shopping list!

Malebranche is a famous sweets shop in Kyoto that is most famous for their Cha no Ka matcha cookies. They use matcha from Uji and there is white chocolate between the cookies, and the sweetness of the chocolate and the bitter sweetness of the matcha go well together. The texture and quality of these cookies are without peer. 

They have shops in many places in Kyoto, like department stores Daimaru and Takashimaya, Kyoto Station, and close to many sightseeing spots like Kiyomizu-dera and temple and Arashiyama, so how about visiting one to see if you can find some souvenirs you like! Also as a tip, many of the shops have some limited items sold only there!

Tsujiri is not only famous in Japan but also overseas, as one of the best matcha shops in Kyoto. There are often long lines in front of their Gion shop since many people want to have their matcha parfaits. Besides these parfaits, they also sell great souvenirs.

On the first floor they have souvenirs for sale, and the matcha roll cookie is an especially popular item with tourists. The crispy cookie and the sweet matcha paste inside are in perfect harmony, and the fragrance makes the taste of the cookies reach a new level.

The strong taste of this honey-matcha cake: the soft, moist, fluffy texture, all come together to form a cake that is not too sweet. After eating this, the taste and fragrance of matcha will linger in your mouth. This cake is sure to be a favorite for both adults and children.  

These small matcha financiers (small French almond cakes) use so much matcha you get the fragrance right away after opening the package in your nose, and the financier melts in your mouth, and in this moment you have a small matcha explosion inside your mouth. What makes this financier different from other is besides the use of matcha also that they make it using rice flour and gyuhi fine rice cake. For the matcha aficionado, this matcha financier is a mix of Japan and France you can’t leave uneaten.

 

Otabe is a rather popular sweets shop, and they have many shops in Kyoto. Their specialties are their products that combine matcha with soy milk, and these matcha sweets make absolutely perfect souvenirs. 

This baumkuchen cake is made using Uji Morihan matcha, and it is divided into three parts: the inner and outer parts are matcha, and the middle part is soy milk flavored, plus the cake has a matcha sugar coating. The texture of this baumkuchen is really fine and moist. 

These cat tongue cookies are shaped to look not like cat tongues, but like matcha tea leaves, and they taste like matcha and hojicha green tea. The combination of matcha with soy milk is almost a perfect one.

These green and white cookies are something you can’t stop eating once you start, the crispy cookie and the rich matcha is too good a combination. I want to welcome all of you to try the sweets that are born from the combination of matcha and soy milk!

Marukyu Koyamaen was founded around the year 1700, and it’s always been popular with locals as well as visitors from overseas. 

They have many types of products: Japanese teas like matcha and hojicha, and they also sell matcha cookies and other sweets. 

They only use the best quality matcha on their products like their financiers and cookies, and especially the matcha cookies with custard inside them are popular.

Gion Komori is by the Shirakawa River and they also sell souvenirs besides their parfaits and Japanese sweets.

The firm, moist, and fine taste of this matcha is accented nicely by red beans, and the Japanese combination of matcha with red beans is a perfect match.

This cookie looks almost like a thick potato chip, but inside it there is matcha whipped cream, and if you split the cookie in half you will see that there is also matcha powder inside the cream too, making sure that the cream is not too sweet. These cookies are great for afternoon tea too.