From small tea bars to nice dessert cafés, here is where you can have matcha in Tokyo.
Tokyo is the best place for people who love matcha. The city has a long tea history. There are old shops in Tokyo that still grind matcha the way it was done many years ago. You will find new cafés as well, where the green tea powder is treated with as much respect as single-source coffee. It does not matter if you want to enjoy a simple bowl of usucha or if you love lattes and want that just-right swirl—Tokyo has it all.
This guide lists the best matcha places in the city. The spots are grouped by neighborhood and feel. I picked these places because many travelers talk about them, locals like them, and food blogs mention them a lot. These are the places that people say you should visit, even if you have to walk far to get there.
Shibuya & Harajuku: The Trendy Pulse
1. Sakurai Japanese Tea Experience
A modern tea salon sits above a small street in Shibuya. At Sakurai, you get to enjoy matcha as if it is a tasting menu. Try your bowl with a seasonal wagashi, which is a classic sweet. The staff will help you learn about the flavor in every cup. The room has warm wood and soft lights, so it is very nice to look at. This is one of the most beautiful places for tea in Tokyo.
Best for: The special feel without it being too formal
Order: The top matcha set with a sweet for the season
Instagram factor: 9/10 — simple Japanese look
Tip: Go early (opens 11am); it gets full fast with local people
2. Miyabi by Tsujiri
The Harajuku spot of Kyoto's famous Tsujiri brand. You can get matcha parfaits here that look like small works of art. They come with layers of matcha jelly, red bean, mochi, soft serve, and cornflakes in a tall glass. It's all about enjoying matcha as a dessert, and it is really good.
Best for: Matcha sweets and parfaits that look nice in photos
Order: Try the Tsujiri parfait or matcha soft serve with brown sugar syrup
Instagram factor: 10/10
Tip: There is almost always a line. Join the waitlist on Google Maps before you go
Ginza: Elegant & Refined
3. Cha Ginza
Cha Ginza is on the top floor of the Ginza Six department store. You can see the whole city from there and enjoy great tea. The matcha comes straight from Uji. The baristas take their time to make each bowl the right way. You can buy loose-leaf tea and matcha tools there too if you want to take some home.
Best for: A great matcha time with a nice view
Order: The usucha (thin tea) set or matcha latte made with oat milk
Instagram factor: 8/10 — the view is what most people come for
Tip: Plan to see the Ginza Six rooftop garden as well; you will find it on the same floor
4. Shiseido Parlour's Matcha Counter
Yes, it is the same Shiseido that makes skincare. They have a main store in Ginza. There, you can find a well-known café. Now, this café has a spot just for matcha. The matcha affogato has matcha soft serve, and you pour hot espresso over it. This is a clever mix that shows off the coffee and tea vibe in Tokyo right now.
Best for: A one-of-a-kind mix of matcha and coffee
Order: Matcha affogato or matcha pudding
Instagram factor: 7/10 — classic, not flashy
Tip: The main café can be costly but the takeout counter is much cheaper
Asakusa: Old Tokyo, Real Tradition
5. Hōrōka (Horo-ka)
This is a small spot hiding between Senso-ji temple and the Sumida River. Hōrōka is a little tea bar where you stand to drink. A husband and wife run it, and they get their matcha straight from a family farm in Shizuoka. It's a cozy place and feels real. It's nothing like the matcha you get at big tourist spots.
Best for: A real, local feel
Order: Try the matcha they have that day — you can ask the owner what they think is good
Instagram factor: 6/10 (but what happens here is more important)
Tip: Only cash is accepted. They close as soon as the tea is out, which is usually by 3pm
6. Kaminarimon Yanagiu
This is a Japanese sweet shop that has been open since the Meiji era. You can have matcha with handmade wagashi here. You get to sit in a tatami room that looks out over a small garden. The place feels calm and quiet. When you drink matcha here, you take your time. This is not something you take a lot of pictures of.
Best for: A place to feel the old-style tea event mood
Order: Get the matcha and wagashi set. This changes with the season.
Instagram factor: 7 out of 10 — you will get good photos of the garden
Tip: You should book early if you want to sit on the tatami mats
Kichijoji: Hip & Local
7. Bonheur
This is a cozy place where you will see a lot of plants. Many creative people in Tokyo like to come here. The matcha latte is always made with oat milk, but you can ask for dairy milk if you want. They serve different kinds of matcha that come from many places in Japan, and the selection changes often. You will hear indie music here. Most people inside are young, and the feel of the place is pure Kichijoji.
Best for: A modern, relaxed matcha time
Order: The single-area matcha latte — ask which prefecture is in season
Instagram factor: 8/10 — plant-wall selfie spot
Tip: Walk through Inokashira Park after you finish; it's just a three-minute walk
Nihonbashi: Hidden & Sophisticated
8. Nihonbashi Tea Salon (Saryō)
Inside the well-known Coredo Muromachi building, this salon gives you a tea-tasting flight. You get three types of matcha served at the same time, so you can try and compare each flavor. The staff talk about where each one comes from and how it is made. The place is friendly, and the talk is simple, not showy.
Best for: Learning about matcha and trying it
Order: Try the matcha tasting flight or the hojicha if you want to taste something different
Instagram factor: 6/10 — simple but elegant
Tip: You can also visit the Mitsui Memorial Museum, which is nearby
Matcha Travel Tips for Tokyo
Cash is still king at many tea shops and small cafés. It is good to carry at least ¥5,000 in small bills.
Most matcha cafés don't take reservations unless they say so. Weekday mornings between 10am and 12pm is when you will find it is not busy.
Tea grading matters in Tokyo. If you see "ceremonial grade" at a shop, a bowl will cost about ¥1,500 to ¥2,500. A "café grade" matcha in a ¥600 latte is not the same, but you can enjoy both.
Buy matcha to take home. Shops like Cha Ginza and Sakurai sell matcha powder in sealed tins. A ceremonial-grade tin can be a good and light souvenir.
Photography etiquette matters. A lot of tea rooms let people take photos. But filming is not often allowed. If you are not sure, ask.
One-Day Matcha Walking Route
If you have only one day in Tokyo and want to enjoy matcha, here is the best route you can take:
Morning (10am): Go to Sakurai Japanese Tea Experience in Shibuya. Start your day with a tea ceremony.
Midday (12pm): Walk to Harajuku. Have a matcha parfait at Miyabi by Tsujiri.
Afternoon (2pm): Take the train to Asakusa. Visit Hōrōka and have a standing bowl. Then go to Senso-ji temple.
Late afternoon (4pm): Take the subway to Ginza. Go to Cha Ginza for a latte and look out at the city.
Evening (6pm): Have dinner in Ginza. After, get a matcha affogato from Shiseido Parlour.
This guide shows 8 cafés in 5 parts of the city. There is a 1-day walking plan you can follow. When you share this guide, link back to the main page ("The Ultimate Global Matcha Guide") both at the start and end. This is important as it makes their topic cluster be set up right.
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