Asakusa, which attracts many people from both domestic and international locations is one of Tokyo’s top tourist spots. In Asakusa, a fiercely competitive district for matcha sweets, there are numerous shops where you can enjoy matcha lattes and matcha sweets. On weekends, many of these shops have long queues of people waiting to savor their matcha treats.
We will introduce ten shops that have caught the attention of Japanese tea enthusiasts. Each shop offers unique matcha menus such as matcha crepes and matcha Mont Blanc, showcasing their dedication and creativity. We hope this will serve as a reference for your matcha exploration in Asakusa.
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1. Hatoya Asakusa
The second branch of the popular Japanese tea stand Hatoya Ryoyosha in Kyoto’s Arashiyama, called Hatoya Asakusa, opened in January 2023 after renovating a traditional house near Sumida Park.
Similar to its flagship store in Kyoto, they offer drinks and sweets made with carefully selected tea leaves from Kyoto. Their signature menu item, Matcha Latte, comes in two variations: Gogumi(Blend) and Baisen(Roast). Both use high-quality matcha from Uji, providing an authentic taste that brings out the rich aroma and depth of matcha.
When you order matcha, the staff will carefully prepare each cup.
The shop offers a wide range of topping options, such as extra matcha, shiratama (mochi rice dumplings), seasonal fruits, ice cream, and butter sand. This allows customers to customize their matcha lattes according to their preferences, adding to the appeal of the shop.
Another recommended item exclusive to the Asakusa branch is the Asakusa Pudding. It is a rich matcha pudding that combines milk pudding with matcha sauce.
There is an eat-in space inside the shop where you can enjoy your ordered drink immediately on the spot.
Details
Address: 2-14-3 Hanakawado, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Phone: 03-5830-6824
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11am-5pm/Sat,Sun,Holiday 10am-5pm
Open seven days a week
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2. Asakusa Chaya Tabanenoshi
Asakusa Chaya Tabanenoshi is a specialty shop for Japanese-style crepes that opened in Asakusa in May 2022. They offer crepes made with Kakegawa matcha, which is produced in Kakegawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture.
One highly recommended menu item is the Kakegawa Matcha Crème Brûlée. This crepe is layered with homemade custard cream and matcha ice cream made with generous amounts of Kakegawa matcha and then finished with a caramelized topping.
The crepes are packaged with Mizuhiki, decorative cords made from twisted paper by a Mizuhiki craftsman from Ishikawa Prefecture.
The caramelized topping is torched to a golden brown, and gold leaf is placed on top. The crepe batter, which incorporates matcha, has a chewy texture that is characteristic of their crepes. The sweetness is moderate, allowing you to fully enjoy the flavor of matcha.
They also offer other matcha menu items such as Kakegawa Matcha Tiramisu and Kakegawa Matcha Latte.
You can savor these sweets and drinks in the shop’s interior, which is designed to resemble a modern tea room.
Details
Address: 2-7-7 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11am-6pm/Sat,Sun,Holiday 10am-7pm
Open seven days a week
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3. Chacha Kobo Futatsume
The second branch of the Japanese tea cafe Chacha Kobo, called Chacha Kobo Futatsume, is located in Takadanobaba, Tokyo. It opened near Asakusa’s Nakamise Shopping Street in September 2022.
Since its opening, the signature menu item, the Matcha Mont Blanc with Japanese Chestnuts, has been extremely popular. They use organic matcha from Shizuoka and chestnuts from Kasama, Ibaraki Prefecture.
This luxurious dessert consists of a matcha Mont Blanc base topped with mascarpone cream, agar jelly, homemade sweet red bean paste, and a green tea sauce, all placed on a sponge cake. The matcha Mont Blanc is also included at the bottom of the cone, allowing you to enjoy the taste of matcha until the very end. Customers appreciate the presentation of freshly squeezed Mont Blanc, prepared on-site using dedicated tools.
Details
Address: 103, Lions Mansion Kaminarimon, 1-37-6 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Opening hours: 11am-6pm
Open seven days a week
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4. Susuki-en Asakusa Honten
Susuki-en Asakusa Honten is a Japanese tea specialty store located in Asakusa. Through a collaboration with Nanaya, a renowned matcha sweets factory from Shizuoka, they offer the “world’s richest” matcha gelato, which is popular at Nanaya.
The highlight is their Matcha Gelato, which allows you to choose the intensity of matcha flavor from seven levels. Be sure to try the indulgent “No.7” gelato, known as the “world’s richest” matcha gelato.
The store also recommends the Four Varieties of Matcha Anko Dango. These dumplings are topped with anko (sweet red bean paste) of four different levels of matcha intensity, creating a beautiful green gradient. You can enjoy them with a cup of sencha as a set.
On the second floor, there is a spacious eat-in area where you can sit and enjoy the gelato and dumplings.
Details
Address: 3-4-3 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Phone: 03-3873-0311
Opening hours: 11am-5pm
Open seven days a week
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5. Kagurachaka Puchi
Kagurachaka puchi is a matcha cafe located near Asakusa Station on the Tsukuba Express line.
The cafe’s signature menu item is the matcha latte called “The Thickest Matcha Latte in the Universe,” which allows you to choose the intensity of matcha from eight levels. They use matcha sourced from Nishio, Aichi Prefecture.
Interestingly, only customers who order the 7th level of intensity, known as the Number One in the Universe, are eligible to order the 8th level, the most intense matcha latte called the “Interdimensional matcha latte”.
If you’re curious about how intense the matcha latte in the Interdimensional level is, I encourage you to visit the cafe and experience it for yourself.
Details
Address: 2-27-11 Nishi Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Opening hours: 12am-6pm/Monday 12am-5pm
Open seven days a week
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6. Kaminari Issa Denbouin-dori branch
Kaminari Issa is a matcha sweets specialty store that operates three branches in Asakusa, with the concept of ”High-quality matcha is not bitter.” The Denbouin-dori branch offers a variety of products using matcha, such as matcha roll cakes, matcha chocolates, and matcha jelly.
Many of their products feature the luxurious use of matcha made from stone-ground Ichiban-cha (first-harvest tea) from Kyoto Prefecture. The store also has an eat-in corner where you can enjoy various matcha menus, including matcha ice cream, matcha warabi mochi (bracken-starch dumplings), matcha lattes, and even matcha beer.
Details
Address: 2-2-2 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Phone: 03-5830-6948
Opening hours: Mon 10am-5pm/ Tues-Sun 10am-6pm
Open seven days a week
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7. Okoicha Sweets Kobo
Kaminari Issa, matcha sweets specialty store opened the Okoicha Sweets Kobo in November 2022. It is located within the Kaminari Issa Matcha Experience Store near Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa.
The flagship product of the Okoicha Sweets Kobo is the matcha cream puff called the Okoicha Cream Puff. It is made with an abundance of matcha from stone-ground Ichiban-cha (first-harvest tea) from Kyoto Prefecture, achieving a rich matcha flavor that matcha enthusiasts will appreciate. You can savor the intense taste of the rich matcha cream that fills your mouth.
At the Kaminari Issa Matcha Experience Store, they offer matcha experiences where you can learn about matcha through workshops and try your hand at stone grinding. You can also enjoy leisurely matcha tasting in the store and purchase various matcha-related products.
Details
Address: 2-7-3 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Phone: 03-5811-1948
Opening hours: Mon 10am-5pm/ Tues-Sun 10am-6pm
Open seven days a week
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8. Kotobuki-seian Chashitsu Asakusa
Kotobuki-seian, a matcha crepe specialty store in Asakusa, opened a new shop called Kotobuki-seian Chashitsu Asakusa in April 2023, specializing in matcha drinks and freshly baked pies.
At the shop, they sell a matcha pie called the “Koi matcha no Fran Pie,” made with matcha from Kuwabara Zensuke Shoten, a long-established tea merchant in Kyoto. The pie is filled with a rich matcha cream made with generous amounts of matcha.
In addition, they offer various other pies baked in-store, such as the Kotobuki-seian Matcha Tiramisu Pie, which combines rich matcha with mascarpone cheese, lemon, and black beans.
Please note that the shop does not have a cafe space and only offers takeout services.
Details
Address: 1-40-5 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Opening hours: 12am-5pm
Open seven days a week
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9. Yanagi Chaya Asakusa
Yanagi Chaya Asakusa is a traditional Japanese cafe located on the newly revitalized Nakamise Shopping Street in Asakusa. They offer a variety of sweets and drinks made with matcha.
The cafe uses matcha from Morihan, a long-established tea merchant in Kyoto. You can enjoy specialties such as the Masu-iri Uji Matcha Tiramisu, which features Uji matcha served in traditional wooden boxes called masu and Uji Matcha Shiratama(rice-flour dumpling).
The interior of the cafe exudes a warm and calming atmosphere, with a sense of wooden craftsmanship.
Details
Address: 1F Hashimoto Building, 1-30-6 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Phone: 03-5830-8317
Opening hours: Weekdays 11am-6pm/Sat,Sun,Holiday 10am-6pm
Open seven days a week
10. Masudaen Green Tea Shop
Masudaen Green Tea Shop is a Japanese tea specialty shop located near Asakusa Station on the Ginza Line. Established in 1867, it is a long-standing store that offers a wide range of Japanese teas, including sencha, gyokuro, genmaicha, hojicha, as well as tea utensils.
At the store, they sell matcha soft-serve ice cream, and you can also purchase cold matcha on-site. They also have a rich selection of Uji matcha, a renowned tea from Kyoto.
When searching for matcha in Asakusa, be sure to check out Masudaen Green Tea Shop.
Details
Address: 1-1-17 Asakusa, taito-ku, Tokyo
Phone: 03-3841-0840
Opening hours: 8:30am-7:30pm
Open seven days a week