Kyoto · gelato
Shinpachi Chaya
A 1941 family business at the foot of Togetsukyo bridge that turned itself into a competition-winning gelateria without leaving its own tradition. Its Kyo gelato line, running since 1993, is built on Kyoto ingredients named individually — Morika tofu, Uji tea — and its granita, made without milk, eggs, stabilisers or emulsifiers, has won in Sicily where granita comes from.
What to order
The Premio range: the competition recipes themselves. Granita is April to November only.
What we know
- Placed third at the Italian international gelato competition in 2010, the first Japanese gelatiere to place
- Placed in both the compulsory and free categories in 2014
- Second in the granita prize and second in the public vote at Nivarata in Sicily, 2017; grand prix in granita technique, 2018
- Uses Morika tofu, a named Saga tofu house, and Uji tea leaves
- Granita made without milk, eggs, stabilisers or emulsifiers
- Selected for the Tabelog Ice-cream and Gelato Hyakumeiten in 2023 and 2026
- Status
- open
- Address
- 37-17 Sagatenryuji Zoroji-cho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto 616-8384
- Maker
- Nakagawa Shohei, Gelato Maestro certified by the Japan Gelato Association
- Opened
- 1941
- Website
- shinpachichaya.com/
- Last checked
- 2026-08-21
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