Gion Kitagawa Hanbee/Zipangu. Kyoto. Japan. 11.17.2018-11.18.2018.

Some places are so great that I go back multiple times for a more thorough review and for me to try different items on the menu. Gion Kitagawa Hanbee/Zipangu was one of those places. In fact, I wanted to go back for a third time to try their soft cream. They do not take reservations and you can only show up for a table while in line and come back at your designated time, not for a later time.  The first time we went, the matcha set was sold out; therefore I had to go back to try that for myself at an earlier time of day.  So Uli and I both got the tea and sweets pairing - he the cold, I the hot. We both went back the next day to try the matcha set. It is a little on the spendy side, but it was well worth it. If I lived in Kyoto, you would find me here often in this beautiful space. It is their exceptional attention to details (as most things Japanese in nature are) that really caught my eye, alongside its perfect creations and tea pairings. They also do cocktails in the evenings.

Gion Kitagawa Hanbee/Zipangu
５７０−１８８ Gionmachi Minamigawa,
Kyoto
Kyoto Prefecture 605-0074
Japan

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I love matcha; I even have premium ceremonial grade matcha at home that I make. Kyoto is certainly abundant in matcha cafes. However, it was Gion Kitagawahanbee/Zipangu that caught my eye. We each had the tea and sweets pairing: @uhlee had the cold and I had the hot. This was so amazing that I intend to go back to try their cakes and soft creams so I can do a thorough review on the blog. 🍵

A post shared by Amy Yvonne Yu (@amyyvonneyu) on Nov 17, 2018 at 2:13pm PST