NIWA — Matcha Café in Kyoto Station

If you are looking for somewhere to get a matcha latte near Kyoto Station, this is one of our recommendations. NIWA is a sleek, modern café with artsy bamboo decor and bonus digital mapping by the popular NAKED collective — this tea room is their baby.

NAKED is known for their projection-mapping events, like their seasonal light-up of Nijō Castle, and also Heian Jingu Shrine.

What is the café like?

Tucked away on the seventh floor of the Kyoto Station Building, NIWA is removed from the crowds; indeed, when we visited in December 2025, there was only one other customer. It only opened in March 2025 though, meaning it’s still fairly new — and could get a lot busier!

They serve matcha lattes both hot and cold — you can select a single, double or even triple “shot” depending on your energy needs — as well as coffee and cola. There is also a boozy menu with craft beer and sake tasters, and a small food menu, offering gyoza, fries, seasonal dishes like oden (in winter), and Japanese sweets.

Note: Some vegan options are available, including for the matcha lattes — which you can order with oat milk instead of dairy.

Everything is intended to showcase Kyoto’s culinary heritage, with the matcha locally grown. In fact, the tea house is a collaborative effort between Kyoto itself, the national government, and of course NAKED. You can read more about it here.

What we ordered

We tried a ¥750 single matcha latte, served hot, and a matcha anmitsu sweets bowl (¥2,050, on the high end). Both were good, though a lot less sweet than we expected.

The matcha lattes are served without sugar by default, though the server will ask if you want to add any. The anmitsu dish was quite refreshing in its minimal sweetness, as you could taste the individual flavors without being overpowered by sugar.

Where we sat

There are a few different types of seats at NIWA: regular tables and chairs, a tatami area where you sit around the edge, a special projection-mapping table that responds when you place your cup down (that’s where we sat), and then a row of solo seats with charging points, overlooking the courtyard.

What to know before you visit NIWA by NAKED

Do you need reservations?

You don’t need a reservation, but you might have to wait if it is busy. There is indoor and outdoor seating available, and takeout is also an option.

Pro tip: Grab a drink and head up the escalator to the “Skyway” — it’s free and offers stunning views of Kyoto all around. It’s also illuminated at night.

Getting there

NIWA can be a little tricky to find — we ended up asking for directions. The easiest way to find it is to go to the central ticket gate at Kyoto Station (don’t go through to the trains if coming from outside the station; if you are coming from a train, be sure to exit), then head up the escalators to the side.

Keep going up those escalators, and eventually you will be deposited just outside NIWA.

by Carey Finn