Kumamoto is better known for castle views and horse sashimi than for matcha, but the city has a quiet tea culture built around old family tea merchants. The best places to drink or eat matcha here are tea shops with cafe corners and long-running kanmi (Japanese sweets) parlours, mostly clustered along the Kamitori arcade. After the July 2026 earthquake we checked each spot against 2026 sources and cut any we could not confirm, so this list is shorter than usual. All three below are verified open as of October 2026.
A third-generation tea shop founded in 1953 by the Kengun shopping arcade in the east of the city, with a tea stand and soft serve counter. Kumanichi's Spice guide lists a Kumamoto matcha latte sold on Thursdays only, and Higo Journal reported a Thursday collaboration bun filled with the shop's matcha soft serve. After the July 2026 earthquake the shop posted on X that it had escaped direct damage and was trading again.
The cafe corner of long-established tea merchant Horinoen, at the northern end of the Kamitori arcade. According to the shop's own site it sells tea and teaware alongside a 23-seat cafe. Kumamoto Tabimook highlights a takeaway matcha shake, while Kumanichi's Spice singles out the kakigori with a rich house matcha syrup. It appears on the Kamitori shopping street's member store list dated September 2026.
A second-floor kanmi parlour on the Kamitori arcade that has been serving Japanese sweets and set lunches for decades. Its own site describes a matcha parfait built on matcha from Hoshino village in Fukuoka, and Kumanichi's Spice reports that around 80 percent of customers order it. Retty reviewers mention long waits at busy times. It is listed on the Kamitori shopping street's September 2026 member list.
Make Matcha at Home
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Tips for drinking matcha in Kumamoto
- Check after the quake — confirm opening on each shop's social media, as some Kumamoto businesses closed after July 2026.
- Go on Thursday — Ochaichi Sanyodo's matcha latte is a Thursday-only item.
- Pair Kamitori stops — Amamiya and Chaikou are both on the Kamitori arcade near Torichosuji tram stop.
- Expect tea shops — most matcha here comes from tea merchants with cafes rather than standalone matcha bars.
- Mind closing days — both Kamitori spots list Tuesday as their regular closing day.
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