Matcha chocolate, which Maiko san in Kyoto Japan also love
Matcha chocolate loved by Maiko and Geisha in Kyoto
It’s Valentine’s day in February 14th. It’s popular to give chocolates from girls’ to her boy friends in Japan. Although we also exchange chocolates with co-workers or friends also, it means “Will you be my Valentin?” if a girl give special handmade or high quality chocolates to boys.
There are many chocolate using powdered green tea in Kyoto. In Takashimaya department store in Kawaramachi, we often see Maiko in Gion come to buy some chocolates to her guests.
Matcha truffle chocolate (Ippodo×Kashi-shokunin)
This matcha truffle chocolates are made of the powdered green tea just grinded by Ippodo, one of the traditional tea shop in Kyoto. It smoothly melt in the mouth. It includes fresh cream and white chocolate made in Switherland, but it’s like eating sweet matcha.
I could buy a small package of just 2 truffles in Takashimaya department store.
Kashi Shokunin
〒615-0032 19 Takada-cho saiin Ukyo-ku Kyoto
TEL：075-311-4606
Business hour 9:00~20:00
8 minutes’ walk from saiin Hankyu line. 2minutes’ walk from Nishioji Matsubara city bus stop
URL:http://www.kashishokunin.co.jp/m/index.html
Croquant Japonais made of Koyamaen’s powdered green tea
It looks like just Matcha chocolate, but not. It’s a Croquant caramel paste and cookies are piled under the matcha chocolate. Crispy cookies and melty caramel are nice. Of course, it’s not just matcha, but Koyamaen, one of the traditional tea shop in Kyoto.
A patsies in Kyoto, Nature Shiromoto have made this delicious sweets.
A package of 3 Croquant Japonais is the exclusive in Takashimaya Kyoto.
Pattisserie Nature Shiromoto
〒610-0357 1-2-1 Yamatehigashi Kyotanabe-shi Kyoto
Tel : 0774-65-2635
Business hour : 10:00 – 20:30 （Sun. and National holidays are closed at 20:00）
Regular holiday: December 15th
URL: http://www.n-shiromoto.com/
Not only matcha, but also Ho-jicha chocolates
I like matcha fresh chocolate made by Ito-Kyuemon in Uji Kyoto very much, but I’ve heard from my friends that their Hojicha fresh chocolates are also very delicious. Hojicha is more casual brown tea we often drink in a daily life in Japan.
Uji is a little far from Kyoto city, but they have the shop in front of Kyoto station, too.
Ito Kyuemon Kyoto station shop
579 Higashi Shiokoji-sho Karasuma nishiiru Shiokoji-dori Shimogyo-ku Kyoto
Business hour 10:00~18:30
TEL： 075-748-1320
URL: http://www.itohkyuemon.co.jp/site/ujicha.htm
We can buy varieties of chocolates from the end of January to February 14th in Japan. Department stores in Kyoto such as Takashimaya, Daimaru, and Isetan must have the special corner (it’s usually the top floor) for Valentine’s Day in this season.
How about buying special Japanese chocolates for the souvenir?