通圓本店

Reviewer with Braces: There is a Toilet

This is the main branch of a shop specializing in matcha, located next to the Uji Bridge. Established during the Heian period, it has a history of over 800 years and is a representative old shop in Uji. We stumbled upon this shop and were able to enjoy a direct view of the Uji Bridge and the riverside from our indoor seating, which provided a pretty nice environment. We visited on a holiday and waited about 15 minutes to be seated, which was quite fast.

We ordered:
Matcha Soba Noodles (1,200 yen)
The soba noodles are matcha-colored, which looks special, but there is no particularly strong matcha flavor; the texture is on the finer and softer side.
Matcha & Hojicha Ice Cream (380 yen)
This dish was quite good, with a strong tea flavor. The hojicha has a bit of a roasted aroma, while the matcha is rich and smooth without being overly sweet.
Matcha Dumplings & Red Bean Matcha Tangyuan (1,200 yen)
The dumplings have a chewy texture, paired with rich matcha sauce and red beans. The overall sweetness is moderate and not overly cloying; I really enjoyed this dish.

Overall, the desserts at this shop perform well, especially considering it's a century-old establishment. The ice cream and dumplings are both fragrant with tea. If you like matcha, it’s definitely worth a visit, and you can also enjoy the scenery of Uji.