October 2022: Please note Somushi Kochaya has now permanently closed. Please see our Downtown Kyoto page for other places to eat and drink in the district.
On the west side of downtown, on Sanjo-dori, this wonderful Korean-themed teahouse is a fantastic place for a light meal or a delicious cup of tea.
Somushi Kochaya exterior – image © Chris Rowthorn
This place is totally unique: It’s a Korean-style teahouse in a city where every other teahouse is Japanese. The décor is cool, subdued and relaxing. They serve surprisingly good food, with plenty of vegetarian choices (all explained on the English menu). But, the place bills itself as a teahouse (chaya) and tea is their specialty. The tea menu, which is heavy on Chinese and Korean teas, is fascinating and there are many appealing choices. And, to top it off, they’ve got some great sweets, which change with the season.
Pumpkin porridge set – image © Chris Rowthorn
English name
Somushi Kochaya
Japanese name
素夢子 古茶家
English address:
73 Mikura-cho, Sanjo-dori Karasuma-nishiiru, Nakagyo-ku
Japanese address:
中京区三条通烏丸西入る御倉町73
Opening hours:
11am-7pm
Closed Wednesday
Price:
Cheap
Non-smoking area: Yes
Nearest Transport:
3-minute walk from Karasuma Oike Station Exit 6, Karasuma and Tozai subway lines
Telephone: 81-75-253-1456
Website:
Somushi Kochaya (Japanese)
Customer Reviews:
Read customer reviews of Somushi Kochaya on TripAdvisor.
Near To Here:
Somushi Kochaya is located in Kyoto’s Downtown district. See our complete list of things to do in Downtown Kyoto, including places to eat, nightlife and places to stay.
Where Is This Place Located?
See these places on our Kyoto Google map:- Open the Kyoto map
- You will see the list of places on the left hand side. (Click the 3-line icon in the top left corner if not). Scroll down or use the map search (the magnifying glass icon) to find the place you want.
- Click the name of the place in the list. Its location pin will be highlighted on the map.
- Map pins are color coded - BLUE: Hotels | VIOLET: Ryokan | PINK: Places to Eat | YELLOW: Things to See and Do
- If you're using the map on your phone, open the map and then search for the name of the place. The map will then zoom in on its location.
Kyoto Vacation Checklist
- For all the essentials in a brief overview, see my First Time In Kyoto guide
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