Japanese Tea Archives | Tokyo Cheapo

If you're a green-tea lover, of course you want to sip some good, authentic matcha when you visit Tokyo. While you can easily find a matcha latte in most coffee shops -- Starbucks, Tully's, and Excelsior, for example -- we recommend visiting cafés that specialize in matcha green tea, offering not only drinks but even matcha desserts. Before we get into our top picks, it's worth noting that Japan is experiencing a matcha shortage. This stuff is crazy popular. From our own visits to some of these Tokyo matcha cafès, we've often had to wait a while just to get a seat. With that in mind, we also recommend exploring some alternatives to matcha. For more things tea, try these traditional tea houses in Tokyo. Also read our Guide To The Best Matcha in Kyoto. 1. Nana's Green Tea 2. The Matcha Tokyo 3. Saryo Tsujiri 4. Wasachi 5. Chanoma 6. Atelier Matcha 7. Matcha Passport Bonus recommendations Matcha workshops in Tokyo Tokyo matcha FAQs 1. Nana's Green Tea This is probably the most recognizable matcha café in Tokyo. Nana's Green Tea has several branches in Tokyo -- inside Lumine Kita-Senju, in Tokyo Dome City's LaQua, in Tokyo Sky Tree Town Solamachi, and in Ueno's Marui store, to name a few -- but they first started in Jiyūgaoka. You can order the basic combination, plain matcha and small Japanese-style sweets, for . The rest of their matcha drinks go for to . To give you an idea of their matcha drinks menu, they've got matcha choco latte, matcha soda, matcha shiratama azuki latte (shiratama are white balls of mochi, and azuki is red-bean paste), and frozen matcha drinks. They serve other types of green tea, such as hōjicha (roasted green tea) and genmaicha (green tea with roasted brown rice) as well, for about to . 2. The Matcha Tokyo Another popular matcha chain in Tokyo, the Matcha Tokyo has become a staple on social media for matcha lovers across the world. Its concept is to provide a morning boost through its matcha -- perfect for those heading to a workout or needing a pick-me-up. That said, it can be enjoyed by anyone. This is evident from the number of people you usually see outside the flagship café in Omotesandō. On the menu, you'll find all your classic matcha lattes, available with alternative milks. In addition, there are some original creations including a matcha coconut float, matcha banana smoothie, and seasonal matcha sakura latte. Enjoyed either iced or hot, expect to pay around to for this green goodness. 3. Saryo Tsujiri Tucked away on the 10th floor of Tokyo Daimaru, Saryo Tsujiri offers a fragrant portal to Kyoto’s tea-stained alleyways. The décor gestures gently toward its spiritual (and actual) home: paintings of maiko in repose, warm wood tones, and wide bay windows framing the geometry of office towers. Whether it's the unctuous matcha latte or the more theatrical extra matcha milk (priced at around )-- assemble it yourself with sweetened matcha syrup, hand-whisked usucha, and a cup of matcha ice-infused milk -- the matcha here is not a backdrop, but the protagonist. Parfaits (starting at around ) tower high, layering house-made jellies, ice cream, and mochi, to contrast with the deep, vegetal bitterness of matcha. There’s a shop at the entrance too, where sencha, matcha, other teas and sweet treats are stacked in tidy rows. 4. Wasachi Looking to drink high-quality matcha in a relaxed yet refined setting? Wasachi in Roppongi offers a traditional tea experience, presented in a modern and understated way. Hidden behind an unassuming door, this intimate teahouse serves four different types of tea (ranging from to ), personally prepared by founder Takuma Yamanaka. The minimal menu reflects Yamanaka's focus on quality and the craft of matcha making. In conversation with us, he shared that he "wanted to create a place where people from around the world can enjoy matcha". Yamanaka's straightforward approach has made Wasachi one of Tokyo's most respected matcha spots. 5. Chanoma Chanoma combines two Japanese words: cha (茶), meaning tea—a character with deep roots across East Asia -- and ma (間), meaning space or room. Together, they form a word that once referred to the living room in a Japanese home, often where family members would gather around tea. It’s a name that speaks to everyday intimacy, and it fits this café in a quiet corner of Ikebukuro, far from the area’s usual noise and neon. Housed in a renovated kominka, or traditional Japanese home, Chanoma is calm and unassuming. The interior holds on to its past -- tatami mats, an artfully decorated tokonoma or alcove, a glimpse of a small garden -- and invites you to slow down. The menu is simple: various coffees, terrines that change with the seasons and often sell out by afternoon, and matcha latte done well (around ), using Wazuka-grown tea. In the evenings, the café becomes a space for keiko or tea-ceremony practice sessions. 6. Atelier Matcha Atelier Matcha by Yamamasa Koyamaen brings a centuries-old tea lineage into Tokyo’s now. With sleek interiors, a street-facing counter, and steady queues of camera-ready customers, it’s every bit the modern matcha hotspot -- but beneath the trendiness is serious craft. Yamamasa Koyamaen, the Kyoto-based tea wholesaler behind the café, has been cultivating, processing, and stone-grinding its own matcha for over 160 years. The “atelier” concept reflects that hands-on approach. All drinks are made to order. We'd recommend the creamy latte blended with kōji rice milk (around ), for a balance of sweet and bitter. For something more substantial, the menu also features a range of seasonal, matcha-forward desserts that play with form: affogato, tiramisu, caramel mont blanc, and gateaux with a hōjicha twist. It’s matcha for a new audience -- and they've definitely found their audience, because this place is almost always packed! On sunny days, the windows open wide and the café spills into the sidewalk -- grab a seat, if you can, and settle in. 7. Matcha Passport Situated in the trendy neighborhood of Shimokitazawa is the even more trendy Matcha Passport. As well as adopting an international and welcoming atmosphere, founders Kantaro Fumoto and Robert Rudini "want everyone to find a matcha they truly love". Known for its Signature Matcha Latte, this spot offers a solid selection of matcha drinks (starting from ). On top of this, there are three unique blends to try -- each named after Japanese mystical animals. The crowd favorites are Komainu and Tanuki. For those who need dairy-free -- no need to worry -- alternative milks are available too. Should you end up loving the matcha, you can buy your own bag to take home. Designed in the shape of a passport, these original blends make a great souvenir. Bonus recommendations Matcha is not just enjoyed as a drink, but also as a dessert flavor. From parfaits to cheesecakes, many of the spots mentioned above also sell matcha-flavored desserts. Here are some additional suggestions to satisfy your matcha cravings in Tokyo: Suzukien While you can enjoy green tea at this popular Asakusa cafe, you can also enjoy what purports to be the strongest Matcha Ice Cream in Japan. There is a scale of intensity from 1 to 7. If you choose anything under a 7, you're wasting your trip to Suzukien! Habutae Dango And finally for a taste of history, be sure to pop over to Nippori and visit Habutae Dango, a tea house that was founded in 1819. It's inexpensive—around for a matcha dango set—and has a beautiful Japanese garden. Matcha workshops If simply drinking matcha at a café isn't enough, consider joining a special workshop to learn how properly prepare it. In the traditional town of Asakusa, you can enjoy a , or while sipping freshly made matcha. For those looking to deepen their understanding of Japanese tea culture, check out this . Matcha FAQs Why is matcha becoming so popular? Matcha has become a popular trend, thanks to its detoxifying properties and reported health benefits. The variety of matcha drinks such as lattes, sodas, and frappes, has made it an appealing coffee alternative, even for those who didn't like it before. Is it better to buy matcha in Tokyo or Kyoto? Although Kyoto, particularly Uji, is renowned for being the capital of matcha, you can find equally good matcha in Tokyo. Both cities are full of matcha shops and teahouses. While we do our best to ensure it’s correct, information is subject to change. This post was first published in 2018 by Tiffany. Last updated in April 2025, by Jane Pipkin and Aarohi Narain.

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