Atelier Matcha

Atelier Matcha is a trendy matcha café in Ginza.

What is Atelier Matcha?

In a glitzy corner of Tokyo, a 160-year-old tea wholesaler is gently steering matcha into its next chapter. Yamamasa Koyamaen, long revered in tea ceremony circles for its nuanced blends and deep-rooted cultivation practices, has opened Atelier Matcha — a café that seeks to usher in the “third wave” of matcha.

During our visit in April 2025, we sampled the matcha latte with kōji rice milk — this unique plant milk, naturally sweet and fermented, is offered by Atelier Matcha alongside oat milk.

“The kōji rice milk is a little bit sweet,” said manager Hiroshi Sakauchi, “So it’s a good way to balance out the natural bitterness of matcha.”

And indeed, the kōji rice milk lent a gentle, unintrusive sweetness to the drink, making it feel more like a wholesome, probiotic-rich pick-me-up rather than an indulgence.

What to know before you visit Atelier Matcha

Do you need reservations for Atelier Matcha?

Atelier Matcha doesn’t take reservations. Since it’s a very popular place, you should expect to have to wait for anything from 15 to 45 minutes depending on the time and day. On a regular Tuesday afternoon, we waited about 30 minutes for a takeaway matcha latte.

Is takeaway available?

Yes, Atelier Matcha does takeaway.

by Aarohi Narain