Today, we’re taking a journey to the bustling streets of Tokyo, a city renowned not just for its sushi and sakura, but also for its exceptional hot chocolate offerings. Whether you’re a local or planning a visit, this guide will lead you to the best hot chocolate spots in Tokyo.
Tokyo’s Hot Chocolate Scene: A Melting Pot of Flavours
Tokyo, a city known for its culinary excellence, doesn’t disappoint when it comes to hot chocolate.
The city’s hot chocolate scene is a fascinating blend of traditional Japanese influences and international styles.
From quaint cafes to upscale chocolatiers, Tokyo offers a diverse range of hot chocolate experiences.
My Japanese Adventure
I have a history (and a present) with Japan.
I moved to Japan in 1996 and lived very happily there for six years before moving back to the UK with a wife and two children – it was a productive time!
I didn’t live in Tokyo but did visit it on a regular basis and have been back there many times since, so I’m not completely new to what is surely one of the most dynamic and overwhelming cities in the world.
This visit to Japan lasted just over two weeks but was spread over a number of different locations, from my adopted Japanese hometown of Uwajima to Lake Kawaguchi in the foothills of Mount Fuji and, of course, a couple of brief stays in Tokyo.
The main problem I had was one of overwhelming choice.
Japanese food is delicious, omnipresent and really quite affordable. Whilst this sounds wonderful, it does have one major problem – you’re constantly full!
And this simply isn’t conducive to getting in as many hot chocolates as I’d like.
Below are a couple of really good hot chocolate places and then a few others that I tried mostly with pasties for breakfast. Enjoy!
Musée du Chocolat Théobroma
ミュゼ・ドゥ・ショコラ・テオブロマ 本店
There were a few hot chocolate places I wanted to visit whilst in Tokyo and this was one of them – sort of.
I actually visited the smaller branch of the main store as it’s conveniently located around the corner from where my daughter lives.
This branch is called Cacao Store & Pudding Cafe 448 and is located at the following address:
1-3-9 Tomigaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
It’s such a new venue, it still doesn’t appear on Google Maps but if you exit Yoyogi-Hachiman Station and turn left down the main street, you’ll soon see it.
The store stocks a wide range of craft and artisanal chocolate from around the world. Although everything was very expensive, there were plenty of free samples to choose from.
Onto the main event – the hot chocolate.
It was good, very good.
I went for the dark chocolate option and it was rich and indulgent.
Mine was a warm, rather than hot – Velvetiser warmth, if you know what I mean. My daughter’s though was hot so perhaps mine was just made first.
Overall, definitely a great store to visit for chocolate and hot chocolate lovers alike.
The main branch can be found at the following address and we walked past it but, as with the rest of my two-week stay in Japan, I was too full to have another drink!
1 Chome-14-9 Tomigaya, Shibuya City, Tokyo 151-0063
Minimal Tomigaya
ミニマル 富ヶ谷本店
OK, this one didn’t go to plan.
I’d read a lot about Minimal before coming to Tokyo and again, their main branch was again a short walk from my daughter’s apartment.
We planned to visit them on our last full day in Japan before leaving for home.
Having read the various reviews and scanned through the website? I may have been guilty of a little over-excitement.
Anyway, we turned up at the main Tomigaya branch ready to try both the cacao fruit pulp drink, which the online reviews rave about, as well as the regular hot chocolate only to find that this weekend only, due to the opening of a new branch, no drinks were being served!
Whilst I did try a few of the samples of their chocolate on offer, that’s not what I was there for! I wanted a hot chocolate!
2 Chome-1-9 Tomigaya, Shibuya City, Tokyo 151-0063
Minimal The Baking Yoyogiuehara
ミニマル ザ ベイキング 代々木上原
We were advised to try their bakery branch in nearby Yoyogiuehara – just a 12-15 min walk away.
Tucked away down a small side street, this store only had eight seats, four at the counter and four more at two small tables.
There were full, with people already waiting, so we gave it 15 mins but there didn’t seem to be a lot of movement. We were advised it would be another 20 mins or thereabouts, so chose a takeaway hot chocolate instead, which we had to go back outside to wait for.
It cost ¥715 and I it was good but not quite the experience I was looking for.
I couldn’t help but enviously look on at those people experiencing the chocolate gateau tasting and pairing menu.
Minimal has an expanding number of stores and it looks like each has a slightly different focus.
Next time I’m in Tokyo, I’ll definitely check in and hopefully have a better experience!
1 Chome-34-5 Uehara, Shibuya City, Tokyo 151-0064, Japan
SAISON bakery&coffee
Back in Tokyo after visiting Lake Kawaguchi and staying in Gotanda, I was looking for a nice bakery to have breakfast nearby.
A quick Google search and I came across SAISON bakery&coffee, which had good reviews, the baked products looked good and, importantly, they served hot chocolate!
This place turned out to be a real gem.
The hot chocolate was just ¥600, served in a big mug, frothed just so and with a gentle but rich taste.
I’m also please to say it wasn’t too sweet – in fact it was very much like the hot chocolates I make at home for myself.
We sat at the counter seats, watching the chefs prepare the more substantial breakfast options for other diners whilst we enjoyed our baked goods and drinks.
If we hadn’t had to leave early the next morning I’d have been tempted to try and fit in another visit because there were just so many cakes and pastries I wanted to try!
〒141-0022 Tokyo, Shinagawa City, Higashigotanda, 2 Chome−8−3 五反田ＡＳビル １階
Dean & DeLuca Café Shibuya Stream
DEAN & DELUCA カフェ 渋谷ストリーム
My wife used to live in New York and for years we’ve been using a Dean and Deluca tote bag but I don’t think I’d ever been to one of their cafes.
I was in the mood for a morning hot chocolate and pastry whilst staying in Shibuya, so we dropped in to the Dean & DeLuca in the sprawling Shibuya train station complex.
I’m really pleased to say the hot chocolate was pretty good.
Not quite a rich as I prefer but smooth, creamy and with just the right amount of froth.
The counter staff also spoke English, which was useful as my Japanese is a little rusty.
I know it’s not strictly Japanese but I enjoyed it.
Japan, 〒150-0002 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Shibuya, 3 Chome−21−3 渋谷ストリーム 2F
Doutor Coffee Shop Shibuya Shin-minamiguchi
ドトールコーヒーショップ 渋谷新南口店
For my final review, I have to include Doutor. Not because it was particularly good but because it’s a nation-wide chain of coffee shops, which you’ll see everywhere.
After hugely overindulging for the previous week, we chose a quick and light breakfast at Doutor.
It was opposite the hotel and convenient.
Along with my bacon and egg sandwich, I had a perfectly reasonable – if slightly sweet – hot chocolate.
Very similar to the standard hot chocolate you get in similar places in the UK.
I wouldn’t rush back for another but it did the job.
3 Chome-27-15 Shibuya, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0002, Japan
Conclusion
The chocolate scene in Tokyo is ever-evolving and four days is barely enough to scratch the surface of what this great city has to offer.
Although I did my research, time constraints, the size of Tokyo and so many other things competing for my attention meant that I didn’t even get to visit all the places on my wishlist – let alone those discoveries that pop up whilst you’re out and about.
With a growing interest in artisanal and craft chocolates, we can expect to see more innovative and diverse hot chocolate offerings in the future.
This includes organic and ethically sourced chocolates, as well as new flavour combinations inspired by Japanese and international cuisines.
So, whether you’re wandering the neon-lit streets of Tokyo or just dreaming of your next visit, remember that a cup of hot chocolate is waiting to warm your hands and heart.
Until next time, keep exploring the wonderful world of hot chocolate!
