The Higashiyama area in Kyoto is littered with many touristy shops and chains, some of which might be a tad overpriced and overly commercialised. Located in a small alley just off the main street near Kiyomizudera Temple is Fumon Chaya, which is one of the more authentic shops that you can find in the area.
If there's one dessert shop you should try in the Higashiyama area in Kyoto, it should be Fumon Chaya. Rather than the overly commercialised options you might get in the area, Fumon Chaya serves up some of the best matcha (抹茶, Maccha, Powdered Green Tea) and hojicha (ほうじ茶, Hōjicha, Roasted Green Tea) you can get in Kyoto. The drinks are delicious rich and tasty, and not to mention highly instagrammable. The shop has a good balance of serving up traditional desserts like warabi mochi (わらび餅, Bracken Starch Mochi) in a visually appealing modern appearance.
In particular, we really liked the Kiyomizu Set with Matcha Kinako and Matcha Honey. The warabi mochi had a perfectly chewy texture, and the taste of the bracken flour really came through. The combination of the Matcha kinako (きな粉, Roasted Soybean Flour) and Matcha Honey also gave a good variation to the dish, allowing you to try it three different ways. The presentation of the warabi mochi atop a leaf on a bed of ice was also extremely attractive, and great for photos. The monaka (最中) was also perfectly crisp and filled generously with anko (餡子, Red Bean Paste).
We also liked both the matcha latte (抹茶ラテ, Maccha Rate) and hojicha latte (ほうじ茶ラッテ, Hōjicha Ratte) as we felt like both were rich enough, with a strong tea taste, while also having a great combination of creaminess from the milk, and a tad of sweetness to bring the whole drink together. Of course depending on each person, some matcha enthusiasts might want to order it without any sugar, but for the general tourist, the option with sugar brings the drink together in a very approachable form for first-timers.
Not to mention, the shop is also off-the-beaten path, making it less crowded than many other options. The small gift shop next doors is also a great place to stop by for souvenir shopping, and to check out a more curated selection of goods rather than the more touristy ones on the main street. Lastly, the shop is decked out with a beautiful modern interpretation of a traditional chaya, with large windows, bright decor, and stunning wood furnishings, making it one of the best cafes to stop by in Kyoto.
