Very peaceful and serene tea room right by the temple. We tried all three teas (matcha, gyokuro, and sencha), all hot. The matcha was definitely the best, although they don’t let you make it yourself here. As a science-minded person, it was really fun to brew the gyokuro and sencha on our own and follow the specific steps and temperatures. The whole experience felt authentic and not touristy. The staff were very kind. They don’t really speak English but were still helpful with gestures and printed instructions. For about 3,000 yen, it was a unique experience overall. My only wish is that they also let us make the matcha or taught us more about that part. We’ll probably go get another matcha afterwards!

+3

A peaceful, authentic tea house in the Byodo-In temple grounds. We were in line just before it opened and were seated right away. Our group all opted to try the Uji Gyokuro. The tea was initially prepared by a staff member and came with instructions for how to perform a 2nd and 3rd steeping. The tea was delicious as were the 2 sweets included with the tea, one of which included a phoenix as a nod to the Phoenix Hall. Nice place to slow down and enjoy tea!

+3

​I recommend this teahouse. It's a great place to drink tea while visiting the temple and museum. The menu is very clear (available in English). The teahouse itself has good air conditioning, so you can cool off on a hot day. The tea is very good. Card payment is also possible. Foreigner-friendly. Highly recommended!

It give an experience. The matcha is served without soy latte or milk; which gives off a nice, rich matcha tea taste. It’s raw and authentic. However, the biscuits are so so, just something sweet for the mouth. Overall, if you want somewhere to sit down and relax, this would be a nice spot to relax for a bit.

Beautiful traditional Japanese tea. No gimmicks, simply focusing on the quality of the tea. The traditional sweets on the side are not too sweet, just perfect. The price is cheap for the quality (600-1000¥) for a tea set with sweets. I had the ice-brewed gyokuro tea. The staff are warm and welcoming, they gave me further explanations after I asked.