Good Tea Shops in Kyoto?
 

Does anyone have a favorite shop where they have purchased loose tea in Kyoto? I'd like to purchase some while there. Our 1st hotel is near the Shijo-kawaramachi shopping area so we will be able to walk there. Also staying near Kyoto station for a few days, and will be shopping in the Higashiyama area also.
There's no problem bringing back bulk tea for personal use, right?

Your best bet would be in the food floor
B1 or B2 of the best department stores. They stock specialty tea from all over.

emd:
Haven't been to Kyoto yet(will be there in March) but in Tokyo we bought some very good teas at the Mitsukoshi stores on the Ginza and in Shinjuku. They even let us try them before we bought them. They probably have a store in Kyoto or somewhere close.
Aloha!

Bonjour Emd,

There's at least one tea shop in Nishiki food gallery, and one across the street from Yasaka Jinja ( http://kaiwai.city.kyoto.jp/sightdb/...geCode=1000226 ), where you can taste the tea before you buy it. Both place sell excellent products and are within walking distance from your hotel.

I usually buy mine in Tokyo, from a shop in Ameya Yokocho (the shopping alley close from Ueno station), just on the right before the Y crossing. They also will let you sample the tea, either as a drink or by chewing some dry leaves (a good way to detect the bitterness level). The place looks like a very touristy bazaar, but it's where many Tokyoites go to shop for quality stuff like seaweeds, fish, tea, etc.

Thank you all. And bonjour Florence! I've been wondering where you've been, thought maybe you were traveling.

I will try the dept. stores and at least one of the shops at Nishiki. I know that place and also Yasaka Jinga. I love the small tea shops and the thought of trying the tea, but I am not sure I could chew the dry leaves. I have bought tea canisters in Tokyo but not tea (don't ask me why, I know it doesn't make sense). This time. I'll get the tea to go in them.

Bonjour emd,

I haven't been travelling recently, I'm only tormented by a sadistic boss who insists I work instead of spending my time advising travellers to Japan ;-)

Anyway, nothing wrong with buying empty canisters ... even if you don't know what for, you know they'll come in useful ... someday ... for something from the next travel ... even though you'll buy more empty canisters (how can you resist Japanese tea or seaweed canisters ?) ...

;-)

Florence, I like your reasoning. I should tell you that Toji market is on my last day in Kyoto. People here have been trying to advise me on how to "get the goods" from Toji to Narita, and mrwunrfl w/help of hawaiintraveler came up w/brilliant idea that I should fly from Itami to Narita (as part of my ANA itinerary) for departure (and bus will take me from Kyoto hotel to Itamai), so I don't have to drag Toji goods to Narita. Of all people I know you will appreciate this idea.
At least tea doesn't take up as much room as used kimono jackets, etc.!

Oh, and on the boss thing, I am fortunate enough to be my own boss. Now I will chastise myself for being on fodors at 10:30 a.m. and tell myself to "get back to work, emd."

In Kyoto, I usually go to Ippodo.

www.ippodo-tea.co.jp/english/about/

You can buy tea in vacuumed packs, it takes a lot less space and keeps intact for months in the pantry. I also pack ziplock bags and one of those "space travel" bags for compressible purchases (trick is to find a maid who understands why I want to borrow a vacuum cleaner - then she goes "Ooh, Aah, benri des' neh!" and obviously starts computing how much space she could gain in her appartment with such a marvel).

Nevertheless, I always end up having to buy a new suitcase (I resold the last one to a friend who went to Beijing with the Transiberian train this summer).

rsm, that is a very cool site. I don't think I want to pass up that much history. Thank you very much.

and i will look for the vacuum packs too.