Best afternoon tea in Tokyo to treat yourself
Sip on afternoon tea Tokyo-style at these hotels and restaurants, complete with scones, desserts and seasonal pastries
The centuries-old English tradition of afternoon tea is alive and well in Tokyo, where city hotels are constantly trying to outdo each other with ever more luxurious servings. What's more, these indulgent tea sets often come with a Japanese twist, so you can expect an extensive selection with creative cakes, scones, small sandwiches and the like featuring the ingredient of the season.
Go ahead, reserve an afternoon all to yourself and choose from these seasonal afternoon tea options at some of Tokyo's top hotel lounges, cafés and restaurants.
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Tea for you
Winter Afternoon Tea
Put on the ritz at the Mandarin Oriental Tokyo this winter with this luxurious afternoon tea featuring traditional French confectionery and light bites made with seasonal ingredients. Sweet highlights include a strawberry mousse served with lemongrass cream and the tarte bourdaloue made with fragrant chestnuts. Savory options include a chive mimosa sandwich and a white mushroom custard served with crispy bacon and onion jelly. You can also have your choice from a selection of scones, including lemon or gouda and grana padano cheese scones, served with lemon curd, clotted cream and apple jam.
When? 12noon-7pm daily
How much? ¥5,500, ¥6,500 weekends & hols
Takashi Murakami 'Flower' Afternoon Tea
Love art? Now you can eat it, too. World-renowned contemporary artist Takashi Murakami has lent his signature creations to a happy and colourful afternoon tea over at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo. This special event is held in conjunction with the exhibition 'Stars: Six Contemporary Artists from Japan to the World', currently on show at the Mori Art Museum in Roppongi Hills until January 3 2021.
Instantly recognisable, Murakami's smiley flowers have become an icon of Japanese contemporary art. Now, they have transcended the art canvasas and onto dainty cakes and desserts at The French Kitchen – it is feast for your eyes and your appetite.
At this Flower afternoon tea, you'll find fromage blanc mousse and the hotel's signature strawberry shortcake adorned with Murakami's famous cartoon flora. There will also be a platter of five flower-shaped savory items including beet-stained smoked salmon blinis, and mozzarella cheese and tomato ciabattas.
When? 3pm-5pm daily; each seating is limited to 90 minutes
How much? ¥4,800
Christmas Afternoon Tea Set
The ANA Intercontinental Tokyo is pulling out all the stops this season with an elegant afternoon tea at the in-house champagne bar. The tea set features 13 types of petit gateaux, including classic Christmas favourites such as Christmas pudding, chocolate noel, a wreath-shaped cake and traditional stollen. Savory bites include luxurious lobster pancakes with lemon cream cheese, black truffle ravioli with smoked duck and a foie gras terrine tart. You can even add on a glass of bubbly for an additional ¥1,500 or get a free flow plan for ¥3,000.
When? 11.30am-6.30pm daily
How much? ¥4,900
Steiff x Butterfly Dance Gallery Afternoon Tea
The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho has teamed up with German teddy bear brand Steiff for an adorable Christmas-themed afternoon tea to get you into the holiday spirit. Each tea set comes with a Christmas tree made of white chocolate and the hotel's signature shortcake served inside a decorative glass. Cappuccinos feature a cute teddy bear face dusted with cocoa powder and you’ll get a plush teddy bear keychain as a memento of your visit.
When? 11.30am, 2.30pm daily
How much? ¥7,800
All You Can Tea at The Lounge
The all-new Four Seasons in Otemachi is as classy as it gets. The luxury hotel’s sky-high lounge offers a daily afternoon tea that includes views of the Imperial Palace and even Mt Fuji on a clear day.
Expect decadent items like marinated lobster with Japanese sake jelly, hojicha praline mini choux, passion ginger opera cake and yuzu lemon glazed scones. Moreover, the hotel’s award-winning pastry chef Yusuke Aoki has also teamed up with local wagashi specialists to create a range of exclusive sweets including seasonal parfaits, Japanese desserts and high-tea classics.
For your free-flow tea, choose from a selection handpicked by the hotel’s resident tea sommelier. Special teas include the Covered Tea Sayamakaori, and the Yuzu & Kaki Leaves Tea.
When? 1pm-3.30pm daily
How much? ¥5,200
Autumn tea sets
Autumn and Halloween Afternoon Tea
Shangri-La Tokyo is serving up a spooky themed afternoon tea featuring classic autumn flavours. Using seasonal ingredients sourced from all around Japan, this exquisite afternoon tea set offers autumn staples such as an Ibaraki chestnut Mont Blanc, Miyazaki pumpkin pudding, Yamanashi pear macaron, Hokkaido autumn salmon with grilled seaweed on a wasabi croissant, and a deep-friend Nagasaki mackerel open sandwich, to name a few.
When? 2.30pm-5.30pm, 1pm-3pm, 3.30pm-5.30pm weekends and hols
How much? ¥5,500
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