Adorably Over-the-Top: A Must-Visit Kyoto Hello Kitty-Themed Restaurant for Fans

Text and photos byLittle Paine

Opened last November, はろうきてぃ茶寮 (Kyoto Ninenzaka) serves super cute Hello Kitty meals and sweets. In addition to tea and snacks, they also offer full meals, which are said to be very popular. When visiting Kyoto, be sure to stroll through the quintessentially Japanese Ninenzaka area and stop by はろうきてぃ茶寮 Hello Kitty Saryo for some tea. Right next door is the Totoro Republic (Dongurikyōwakoku Ninenzaka Store), where you can also go on a little shopping spree (haha).

It’s a newly built structure.

The Totoro Republic is right next door !

Go there for a walk after your meal.

The meals also have a distinct Japanese style.

Cute-shaped wagashi (Japanese sweets) are perfect as gifts too !

These desserts can also be enjoyed indoors~

There’s a giant Hello Kitty plush sitting at the counter ! The staff here are really nice—they’ll place the plush beside your seat, and if you’re dining alone, they’ll put it across from you so it can “eat” with you~

Let’s start ordering. I think the pasta dishes are reasonably priced, around 250 TWD.

The Japanese tea rice set is relatively more expensive.

And the even pricier imperial cuisine set~

If you’re not up for a full meal, you can just have drinks and desserts. A latte costs 800 yen.

Among the desserts, the ice cream is the most eye-catching~

After ordering, you can take pictures around—the Japanese garden here is gorgeous.

Such delicate tableware !

The tofu with Hello Kitty prints is “super delicious.” How can Japanese tofu taste this good? The texture is super fine, and it’s soaked in sweet broth—absolutely divine~ It’s kind of like frozen tofu, but homemade frozen tofu can’t achieve such a fine texture~

Even the pasta has cute designs—the veggies are carved into bow shapes~

The miso-flavored Japanese pasta tastes really good~

After your meal, you can take the chopsticks home as souvenirs—the staff will pack them in a little case for you.

We each ordered two drinks, one ice cream, and one wagashi.

The pink bow is a chewy, QQ-textured mochi ball; the pink-and-white one resembles a chilled dessert (but has a chewier, ball-like texture)—the Hello Kitty head is marshmallow.

You really have to admire the meticulousness of Japanese dessert-making—every tiny detail is delicious.

It’s hot latte, but the marshmallow melts quickly inside—drink it fast !

This is a complimentary snack that comes with your drink.

Also, we ordered the wagashi in the bottom right, which comes with a cup of tea. The matcha latte (iced) also comes with a small snack.

This is a classic Japanese-style sweet—super sweet, but it actually pairs perfectly with tea.

Putting marshmallows in an iced matcha latte helps prevent them from melting too quickly.

And then the final bill... One pasta with a Japanese sweet, followed by ice cream, a matcha latte, and a hot latte. It wasn't cheap, but overall it was very refined and perfect for savoring slowly. Although paying the bill was a bit painful—I think I spent six or seven hundred yen without feeling like I’d eaten much (sigh).

Harokiti Tea Lounge Hello Kitty
Address: 363-22-2 Higashimachi, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto (Kawaramachi-dori, Nakanotsubo, south side of Kōdai-ji Temple)
Business Hours: 10:30 AM – 6:00 PM

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