Family Dining · Practical guide
Itohkyuemon
The Inbound Traveler's Guide to Kyoto's 1832 Uji Tea House, Matcha Parfait Bars & Web Queue Tracking
Prices, ordering steps, payment details, and common mistakes — in one place.
Quick Facts
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Japanese name | 伊藤久右衛門 (Itohkyuemon) |
| Brand Name | Itohkyuemon / 伊藤久右衛門 (株式会社伊藤久右衛門 / Itohkyuemon Co., Ltd.) |
| Store Type | Historic Uji tea & matcha confectionery retailer plus Japanese tea cafe ("Sabo") |
| Target Audience | Kyoto sightseers visiting Uji, Gion, Kiyomizu-dera, and Fushimi Inari, matcha dessert lovers, and souvenir shoppers seeking authentic Uji tea leaves and matcha soba |
| Ordering Style | Staffed retail counters, with tasting at selected branches; seated Sabo cafes operate at Uji Main Store, Gion Shijo and JR Uji Ekimae, where the website provides queue-status information. Kiyomizu Sannenzaka also operates a separate cafe format. |
| Membership Required? | Membership is not generally required for ordinary in-store shopping. Tea-room and workshop reservations depend on the venue. Tax-free shopping, where offered, requires eligible nonresident purchaser status and passport verification. |
| Approximate Price Range | Prices depend on the named tea, gift pack or (where available) cafe menu. Check the official listing or the venue’s current menu; no chain-wide price range applies. |
| Multilingual Support | Official web information may be available in English. Menu language and staff assistance depend on the individual shop or cafe; confirm locally. |
| Payment Methods | Confirm accepted cards, cash and electronic payment types at the specific branch; host-facility payment acceptance does not establish acceptance by each tea counter. |
| Store Network | Eleven domestic company stores in Kyoto Prefecture as announced on September 3, 2026, including the newly opened Nishiki Takakura shop; the separate Taiwan outlet and third-party sales locations are not part of the 11-store domestic count. |
What it is
Founded in Uji, Kyoto in 1832 (Tenpo 3), Itohkyuemon Co., Ltd. (株式会社伊藤久右衛門) sells Uji tea and matcha confectionery, ranging from traditional brewed tea to modern seasonal sweets.
Operating 11 domestic stores in Kyoto Prefecture (the 11th, Nishiki Takakura, opened in September 2026)—anchored near Uji Main Store, Byodoin, Gion Shijo, Kiyomizu-dera, Fushimi Inari, and Kyoto Station—Itohkyuemon offers both tea retail and selected cafe formats. Its Sabo cafes serve matcha parfaits, while the Matcha Parfait Ice Bar is offered at selected retail locations.
How to order
Step 1: Picking Sightseeing-Friendly Kyoto Branches
- For Seated Sabo Tea Cafes: The Uji Main Store, Gion Shijo and JR Uji Ekimae have official tea-room pages and live wait indicators. A separate cafe is listed at Kiyomizu Sannenzaka. Check each cafe page for its current intake procedure; online wait information is not a guaranteed seat booking.
- For Walking Snacks & Souvenirs: Kiyomizu Sannenzaka, Fushimi Inari, Byodoin, Kyoto Ekimae and Nishiki Takakura are useful retail stops; ice-bar flavor and availability depend on branch.
- Check each store’s official hours and cafe last order. For example, the Uji Main Store lists retail hours 10:00–18:00 and Sabo last order 17:30; reception can close earlier if busy.
Step 2: Distinguishing Hotel-Stay Sweets vs. Flight-Safe Souvenirs
- Enjoy in Japan (Chilled/Frozen): Cream-filled daifuku, nama chocolate and ice bars often require refrigeration or freezing. Follow the package-specific storage and best-before instructions; they are best enjoyed during the visit.
- Bring Home (Shelf-Stable): Check the labeling of Uji tea tins, dried matcha soba and baked biscuits for storage and allergens (matcha soba may contain buckwheat and wheat), and check destination import rules.
Step 3: Tasting Tea Samples at Retail Counters
- Several flagship retail branches offer complimentary tea tasting pours so you can compare crisp Sencha, roasted Hojicha, and rich Matcha blends before purchasing.
Step 4: Checkout & the November 2026 Tax Refund System
- Check the actual seller: Tax-free shopping is available only when that specific seller is an authorized tax-free shop and processes the eligible purchase. A shop's presence inside a department store or airport does not automatically qualify that counter. Ask before paying; there is no assumed brand-wide tax-free service.
- Pay first: For purchases made on or after November 1, 2026, an eligible nonresident buyer pays the full tax-inclusive price. The statutory minimum is ¥5,000 before tax at the same authorized seller on the same day; the seller must record the eligible purchase electronically using the required passport details.
- Export confirmation: Have Japan Customs verify the goods are being taken out of Japan within 90 days of purchase. Keep them available for presentation if requested. Complete confirmation before checking in baggage containing the goods. The 2026 rules removed the old general-goods/consumables categories and mandatory special sealed packaging, but food purchased tax-free must not be consumed in Japan.
- Refund: Following customs export confirmation, the seller or its designated refund operator repays the tax-equivalent amount using the method agreed at the time of purchase. Do not assume that one universal airport refund counter serves all merchants.
- Different transaction: A restaurant, cafe dessert or drink consumed during the Japan visit is not an exported retail purchase and is not eligible for the shopping refund. Check product labels and your destination country's food-import rules before carrying tea or sweets abroad.
What to order first
1. Uji Matcha Parfait Ice Bar (抹茶パフェアイスバー — Eat in Japan)
- What it is: Sculpted popsicle bars modeled faithfully after Itohkyuemon's famous Sabo parfaits—topped with frozen strawberries, mandarin slices, chocolate leaves, and matcha ice cream.
- Why order it: Photogenic, refreshing street snack near Fushimi Inari, Kiyomizu-dera, and Uji. (Eat immediately; not Tax-Free.)
- Price: Check current official product prices or the particular cafe menu; choices, servings and prices vary by outlet.
2. Uji Matcha Daifuku & Nama Chocolate (Chilled Sweets)
- What it is: Pillow-soft mochi rice cakes stuffed with Uji matcha cream and sweet red bean paste (Anko), alongside melt-in-your-mouth matcha ganache truffles.
- Why buy it: Rich matcha flavor in a chilled Kyoto sweet. Keep the product at its specified temperature and check the use-by date. Desserts eaten in Japan do not qualify for a shopping tax refund; a packaged sweet carried abroad may qualify only if purchased from an authorized seller and actually exported under the refund rules. Plan for reliable refrigeration and destination import requirements.
- Price: Check current official product prices or the particular cafe menu; choices, servings and prices vary by outlet.
3. Uji Matcha Soba Noodles (宇治抹茶そば — Shelf-Stable Gift)
- What it is: Packaged dried soba noodles flavored with Uji tea or matcha. Check the ingredients on the particular product: soba commonly contains buckwheat and wheat.
- Why buy it: A compact Kyoto tea-themed ingredient for home cooking; check the destination country’s rules before packing food.
- Price: Check current official product prices or the particular cafe menu; choices, servings and prices vary by outlet.
4. Stone-Milled Uji Matcha & Loose-Leaf Tea Tins
- What it is: Matcha, gyokuro and sencha offered in a range of leaf and powdered tea products. Ask about suitability for whisked matcha or culinary use; “ceremonial grade” is not a uniform Japanese government certification.
- Why buy it: Authentic Kyoto tea harvest flavor preserved in airtight tins for easy suitcase packing.
- Price: Check current official product prices or the particular cafe menu; choices, servings and prices vary by outlet.
5. Sabo Seasonal Matcha Parfait (Dine-In)
- What it is: Layered glass parfaits combining Uji matcha jelly, agar cubes, shiratama mochi, and seasonal fruits (such as autumn chestnut or spring sakura).
- Why order it: A quintessential Uji tea cafe experience (check live wait times online first; dine-in is not Tax-Free).
- Price: Check current official product prices or the particular cafe menu; choices, servings and prices vary by outlet.
Payment & practical info
- Before paying: Confirm your store's accepted payment methods, opening hours, cafe last-order times and any reservation or numbered-ticket arrangements on the specific official store page. Department-store and shopping-mall facilities can have different rules from standalone boutiques.
- Tax-free shopping: At participating authorized retailers only, the November 1, 2026 refund method requires payment including tax, electronic purchase records, and export confirmation by Japan Customs within 90 days. Check eligible seller status at the point of sale; obtain confirmation before checking baggage that contains the purchases. The agreed seller/refund operator handles the refund; there is no universal merchant-independent airport refund desk.
- Food and allergens: Check ingredient and allergen information for the exact product or menu item. Sweets and cafe desserts can contain milk, eggs, wheat, soy, nuts, or other allergens, and tea soba (where sold) may contain buckwheat. Ingredient listings and shared-kitchen cross-contact are different issues. Confirm vegetarian, vegan and halal suitability item by item instead of assuming a chain-wide policy.
- Storage and travel: Follow each package's storage, expiry and brewing directions; chilled sweets need appropriate cold-chain handling. Check airline rules for powders and liquids and the rules at your country of arrival rather than assuming every food item is importable.
Good to know / Common mistakes
1. Check Live Sabo Wait Counts Online Before Walking Over
Instead of waiting blindly outside the Uji Main Store or Gion Shijo Sabo cafe, check the live queue count on Itohkyuemon's official website from your phone so you can time your visit smoothly.
2. Verify Current Offers at the Actual Branch
Avoid relying on an assumed tourist coupon or percentage discount. Check the specific store or host facility for a currently published offer and its conditions.
3. Plan Refrigeration Before Traveling with Daifuku
Uji Matcha Daifuku and nama chocolate should be handled according to each product’s refrigeration instructions and printed date. Do not assume a universal two-to-three-day expiry or that refrigeration by itself determines tax-free eligibility.
FAQ
Q1: Which Itohkyuemon stores have the seated Sabo tea cafe?
Seated Sabo cafes are listed at Uji Main Store, Gion Shijo and JR Uji Ekimae; Kiyomizu Sannenzaka has its own separate cafe listing. Other shops focus on retail and takeaway, which vary by branch.
Q2: Can I buy Itohkyuemon's Matcha Parfait Ice Bar year-round?
The product is sold at selected sightseeing locations, but availability and seasonal flavors depend on the branch and date; check the official shop or product announcement rather than assuming year-round stock.
Q3: How do I receive my consumption tax refund under the 2026 airport customs system?
Only qualifying goods sold by a participating authorized tax-free retailer can enter the November 1, 2026 refund system. Eligible nonresident customers pay tax-inclusive prices and supply passport information for electronic purchase records (at least ¥5,000 before tax from the same seller on the same day). Japan Customs must confirm export within 90 days of purchase, before checked baggage containing the goods is handed over. Exported food must not be consumed in Japan; special unopened or sealed packaging is not a blanket legal requirement. After confirmation, the retailer or designated refund operator pays using the agreed refund method. Cafe meals and drinks consumed in Japan are not eligible.
Sources
- Itohkyuemon Co., Ltd. Official Corporate Portal (Verified: 2026-11-13)
- Itohkyuemon Kyoto Store Directory (Checked: 2026-11-14)
- Itohkyuemon September 2026 Official Release: Eleventh Domestic Store (Checked: 2026-11-14)
- Itohkyuemon Uji Main Store and Sabo (Checked: 2026-11-14)
- Japan Tourism Agency: Traveler Guide to the 2026 Tax Refund Program (Checked: 2026-11-14)
- Japan Tourism Agency: Retailer Guidance for the Refund Method (Checked: 2026-11-14)