Matcha is powdered green tea whisked with hot water, and Kyoto and nearby Uji are among Japan's best-known tea areas. A good first stop is a tea shop with a tea room, where you can taste matcha and buy leaves to take home.
Matcha is often served with a small sweet called wagashi. The sweetness is meant to be eaten first, then softened by the bitterness of the tea. Use the little wooden pick to cut the sweet into bite-size pieces and sip the tea from the bowl in a few swallows.
Parfaits, lattes and shaved ice are modern ways to enjoy matcha, and many cafes serve them next to classic tea sets. If you want to try both worlds in one day, visit a traditional tea room in the morning and a cafe in the afternoon.
Queues form at lunchtime and on weekends, so go early. Keep your bags small, stay quiet in tatami rooms and ask before taking photos of staff or utensils.