In Japan, tea is more than just a beverage. As you can see in the Japanese tea ceremony, it has the aspect of a traditional culture that embraces a spirit of harmony, a sense of beauty, and a positive state of mind. Among the many kinds of tea, matcha is often used as a gift for important occasions, so in Japan you can find countless different sweets made with matcha.

Sweets made with matcha, which has a vibrant green color reminiscent of young leaves that bloom during spring, are perfect for enjoying Japan’s food culture, which is meticulous not only about their tastes, but also about their appearance, smell, and texture. There is a wide variety of them, so don’t forget to include them in your souvenir list. We would like to introduce Fa-So-La AKIHABARA’s three recommended matcha sweets that you should check out before boarding your flight!

The first one is a matcha chocolate truffle with a rich flavor and with a whole freeze-dried strawberry inside. The matcha chocolate is made by combining stone mill-ground Uji matcha with light-taste white chocolate so as to allow the matcha flavor to stand out. Plus, sprinkling the matcha powder that comes with the chocolate will give even more depth to the taste. The combination of matcha and the strawberry’s refreshing sourness tastes so amazing.

Enjoy the harmony between matcha, strawberry, and chocolate fused in one piece. Uji Matcha Strawberry Chocolate Truffle “Ochamesan” / Tax-free price ¥990 (Itohkyuemon)

The second one is a roll cake made with a generous amount of fragrant Kyoto-grown Uji matcha. Individually hand-made by confectioners with great care, its fluffy cake batter made with high-quality wheat and its rich matcha cream that melts nicely in your mouth are a match made in heaven.

The sophisticated sweetness created by the perfect balance between the bitterness and the sweetness of matcha will make you crave for more. Kyoto Matcha Roll Cake / Tax-free price ¥1,500 (Kyoto Veneto)

The third one is Omatcha Mochi, which is a sweet inspired by warabi mochi (bracken rice cake) and is served with matcha powder sprinkled over it instead of kinako (roasted soybean flour). Warabi mochi, one of traditional Japanese sweets, is made by mixing sticky rice flour and warabi (bracken) starch and is characterized by its bouncy yet melty texture. It is usually served with kinako sprinkled over the mochi. Omatcha Mochi is a warabi mochi-like sweet made with rice flour. There are no fillings in the mochi, so you can enjoy the pure sweetness as well as the authentic flavor of matcha.

Made with high quality matcha and loved for its exquisite flavor that brings delight to your mouth. Omatcha Mochi / Tax-free price ¥1,000 (Chanowa)

“Drink tea and take a little rest” or “drinking tea eases your mind.” In Japan, there is a custom of drinking green tea when you want to rest for a minute. It is widely known that green tea has a relaxing effect. When you return from your trip to your everyday life, why not take a breather with some Japanese tea sweets and bask in the fun memories of your trip? (Information as of April 2023)